This September marks a joyful milestone for St Elwyn’s: we are officially an Eco Church Bronze Award parish. It’s a moment that recognises not only our care for the environment, but our growing commitment to live out a faith that honours God’s world in practical, hopeful and community‑shaped ways.
It feels especially fitting that this celebration arrives as we enter the Church of England’s new season of Christ in Creation. As the reflection in this week’s pew sheet reminds us, “The calming of the storm in Matthew 8:23–27 offers a profound theological anchor…” for understanding Christ not only as Saviour, but as Creator — the One through whom all things hold together.
In a world wrestling with climate anxiety, ecological loss and the turbulence of change, this season invites us to shift from fear to faithful action. The reflection continues that “the earth belongs to God, and everything in it…” — a reminder that creation is not a backdrop to human life, but part of God’s ongoing story of renewal. Our Eco Church journey is one small but meaningful way of joining in that story.
🌿 What the Bronze Award Means for St Elwyn’s
Achieving Bronze shows that we are already taking significant steps in:
Worship & Teaching – weaving creation care into our prayers, preaching and liturgy.
Buildings & Land – reducing energy use, improving recycling, and tending our grounds with biodiversity in mind.
Community & Lifestyle – encouraging sustainable choices, supporting local initiatives, and modelling care for our shared environment.
Global Engagement – recognising our part in the wider movement for climate justice.
It’s not about perfection it’s about direction. Bronze is a beginning, not a finish line.
🌱 A Season to Grow Together
Creation Sunday and the Christ in Creation season give us a chance to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the God who delights in mountains that “burst into song” and trees that “clap their hands.” They also invite us to imagine what a more sustainable, compassionate and hope‑filled future could look like for our church and our town.
Over the coming months, we’ll be exploring new ways to deepen our Eco Church commitment from simple everyday actions to larger community projects. Everyone can be part of this, whether through prayer, volunteering, sharing ideas, or simply showing up with curiosity and care.
🌍 An Invitation
St Elwyn’s is entering a new season one shaped by gratitude, creativity and a renewed sense of purpose. Whether you’ve been part of this church for decades or you’re just beginning to explore faith, you are warmly invited to join us.
Come for worship. Come for conversation. Come for community. Come to be part of a church that is learning, step by step, how to love God’s world as God loves it.
Together, we can grow from Bronze to Silver… and from Silver to Gold. But more importantly, we can grow into the kind of community that reflects Christ’s peace, Christ’s hope, and Christ’s love for all creation.