Creator God,
you made the goodness of the land,
the riches of the sea and the rhythm of the seasons;
as we thank you for your gracious providing, may we cherish
and respect this planet and its peoples, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The Revd Dr Mike Perry, trustee of the A Rocha organisation and vicar of Woodford Valley Parish, writes:
“To enable effective action on Climate Change we cannot just draw up a list of regulations. Indeed, focussing on requirements is a sure way of losing the support of parishes, priests and PCCs. In order to see effective implementation of lasting changes alongside regulations, we need to engage with the hearts and minds of the Christian community, drawing upon the rich understanding of Creation Care within theological heritage. Creation Care is integral to Christian Mission and is a vocational calling for all Christians, rather than being a specialism.”
"As a gift to the wider Church, A Rocha UK has provided the Eco Church and Eco Diocese schemes to help Christians engage with Creation Care. They can be thought of as discipleship programmes, allowing Christians to engage in practical actions that will in turn deepen their faith."
Eco Church Aim
“To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.”
Awards Explained
To receive an Eco Church Award (Bronze, Silver or Gold), each Church needs to demonstrate environmental engagement in these areas:
Worship & teaching
Church buildings
Church land
Lifestyle
Community & global engagement
To do this, Churches fill out a questionnaire, gaining points depending on the answers. And, points mean prizes, in the form of an Award.
In Charlton All Saints, we have embraced the Eco Church message. In May 2024, we were presented with the Bronze Eco Church Award. We are now working towards the Silver Award.
Making a Difference
According to pressure group Friends of the Earth, in 2023 the C of E was the 10th largest landowner in the UK, with 105,000 acres.
If every piece of Church land was managed in line with the Eco Church aim and principles, this could make a real difference to biodiversity in England.
The Top 5 Landowners in England
Forestry England 490,000 acres
National Trust 475,000 acres
Ministry of Defence 397,000 acres
Crown Estates 264,000 acres
United Utilities 141,000 acres
What We've Done So Far
• A lot of learning, from Caring for God’s Acre and A Rocha
• Eco-friendly maintenance plan, based on a survey by a conservation officer
• Eco-friendly products in the Church and Churchyard
• Energy audit of primary and secondary energy usage
• Bug hotel built by the children
• Bird feeding all year round
• Safeguarding wildflowers and highlighting with information signs
• No Mow May
• Sustainable Church flowers – we are foam-free, and use home grown flowers where possible
• Raising awareness of what we are doing and why
• Installing a picnic bench to encourage visitors
• Involving community
• Helping other churches
What We Plan to Do
• More learning
• Hedgehog home in the Churchyard and elsewhere
• Plant wildflower seeds
• Create raised planters in Churchyard
• Eco Church PCC policy
• Wellbeing walks around Charlton
• Church services outside
• FairTrade products for Church events, where possible
• Lifestyle audits, starting with the PCC
• Ethical investing of Church money
• Social prescribing
• Engaging with local & national wildlife & climate action groups
Please check back here as we continue to document our journey so far.
#ecochurch #chalkevalleychurch #charltonallsaints #creationcare