Good News Spotlight: Celebrating Growing Eco Churches Across the Diocese
The Diocese marked Earth Day on Wednesday 22 April by celebrating its commitment to caring for creation, with 140 churches now recognised as Eco Churches.
As a diocese, caring for the environment and responding to the climate crisis is seen as an essential part of its responsibility to safeguard God’s creation and work towards a more just and sustainable world. The growing number of Eco Churches reflects this shared commitment, with 57 churches holding Bronze awards, 32 holding Silver awards, and one church achieving a Gold Eco Church award.
The United Benefice of the Clays, Retford, including The Church in the Levertons, St Martin’s Bole, St Peter & St Paul (Sturton le Steeple), The Church in Wheatley, St Peter’s Hayton, and St John the Baptist (Clarborough & Welham), took practical action by organising and registering churchyard litter picks as part of the global Earth Day celebration.
At St Peter & St Paul’s Church in Sturton le Steeple, volunteers were joined by pupils from the village primary school, who walked from school to the churchyard to lend a hand.
Tamara Burton, The Clay Churches Administrator, said: “Thankfully our churchyards did not produce much litter, so some used it as an opportunity to tidy fallen branches and check on their bug hotels!”
The Diocese is recognised as a Bronze Eco Diocese by A Rocha UK and continues to work towards its goal of achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2030, as part of its wider commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
She added: “It’s a good way of getting points towards the next level up in A Rocha Eco Church too, and sharing that can help others. Being part of something bigger than just your community was part of the application we struggled with for some churches, so Earth Day has really helped with that.”
Churches across the Diocese are encouraged to explore practical resources and support available to help them care for creation and work towards becoming an A Rocha Eco Church.
You can also find the latest Caring for Creation Newsletter here.
Good News Spotlight is a regular feature in our diocesan communications that highlights and celebrates God’s work in parishes across the diocese. If your church has a good news story to share, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with us here.