At our APCM in April, we made a shared commitment across our Benefice to begin working towards our Bronze Eco Church Awards. St Margaret's in Westhorpe have already acheived their Bronze award so the PCC have agreed to work towards their Silver Award next.
This is an exciting and meaningful step in living out our calling to care for God's creation. Eco Church is a national initiative led by A Rocha UK, a Christian charity engaging communities in environmental action. Through this framework, churches are encouraged to reflect on how they care for the Earth across five key areas: worship and teaching, buildings, land, community engagement, and lifestyle.
Throughout August, our Sunday worship will help us reflect more deeply on our role as stewards of God’s world. Our services will include sermons, hymns, and prayers that focus on creation care, encouraging us to explore how faith and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand. This is not just a seasonal theme, but the beginning of a broader transformation in how we live out the gospel in our daily lives and as a church community. Importantly, our Eco Church journey is not separate from our mission it’s a direct expression of it. Our commitment to creation care is integral to the Five Marks of Mission: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
All of our churches are now actively engaged in steps toward sustainability. We're making practical changes: like replacing bulbs with energy-efficient LED lighting and ensuring that our building maintenance considers both heritage and environmental impact. Given that many of our buildings are Grade I listed, this is no small task, but one we believe is worth undertaking in faithful stewardship of what we've inherited.
We are also focusing on how we care for the land around our churches. We’re learning more about the animals and plants that share our churchyards, recognising them as fellow inhabitants of God's creation. We're exploring how we can encourage biodiversity and make these spaces even more welcoming to wildlife. Some of our churches recently took part in the 'Count on Nature 2025' campaign run by Caring for God's Acre.
Through recycling, buying more sustainably, and reducing our environmental footprint, we hope to live out our faith in ways that honour the Creator and show love to our neighbours, both human and non-human.
Achieving the Eco Church Bronze Awards will be a milestone, but our deeper goal is ongoing transformation of our hearts, our habits, and our shared life as a church. We invite everyone to be part of this journey. Whether through prayer, practical action, or creative ideas, there is space for all to contribute.
Together, let’s continue learning, growing, and caring for God’s world