Delyth Higgins, our Eco Church Officer for Wales, shares about her recent visit to North Wales. Delyth hosted several sessions, bringing together local churches and chapels at various stages of their Eco Church journeys, sharing stories and providing an opportunity to connect and encourage one another. It was encouraging to see the turnout and response to the recent Eco Church sessions in North Wales. Following an invite to speak to the Bangor Diocese Clergy’s Grwp Cadfan meeting in Nant Gwrtheyrn, two additional ecumenical sessions were arranged – one in Porthmadog and one in Bangor. The sessions were a blend of information-giving about A Rocha UK’s work and, more specifically, about the purpose and workings of the Eco Church programme and hearing directly from churches already involved. Several churches from the area shared their stories and experiences about how they reached a bronze award. They gave examples of how they started, what they achieved first, and how they progressed. They also included tips, such as ensuring you have support from a small group of enthusiastic individuals rather than trying to do it all alone. Also, acknowledge small steps taken and progress made, and involve people in aspects of the scheme according …
A pop-up cafe, revamping the village phone box, and more from silver-awarded Llanpumsaint Church, Carmarthen
Llanpumsaint Church achieved a bronze award in March 2020, continuing on their Eco Church journey to achieve their silver award two years later in February 2022. They shared a few of their recent Eco Church activities with Delyth Higgins, our Eco Church Officer for Wales. Eco-themed Open Church Event Our small rural church in a village with a population of about 800 people partnered with other churches in our Local Ministry Area, Plant Dewi, our diocesan children’s charity, our local allotment association and the local bus company (who provided free transport), to host an eco-themed open church event. The event attracted over 60 people and focused on the Biblical creation story in Genesis and our call to be good stewards of God’s Earth as an expression of love for God and our neighbour. There was a Godly play session on the creation story, we made recycled bird feeders, planted wildflowers and vegetables, made and shared local, organic, animal-friendly and fair-trade (LOAF) cawl together, established our bug hotel, had a fair-trade stall, and a host of other activities and games. A great day, all in all! Pop-up Cafe Llanpumsaint Church hosts a pop-up café every Tuesday from 11.30am – …
Hope Valley Faith and Climate Group – “Working together gives us a louder voice when we declare His love for His creation.”
We include representatives of almost all the churches in the Hope Valley in the Peak District. We realised that many Christians were involved in the Hope Valley Climate Action group and wanted to create an opportunity to share ideas and inspirations amongst ourselves. At our first meeting we decided to commit to every church on the valley becoming an Ecochurch. In two years we have gone from one to four bronze awards and 9 out of 11 churches registered. We meet roughly every three months in each other’s churches to share ideas on worship, building and land management and lifestyle. As a visible part of Hope Valley Climate Action we have an opportunity to demonstrate God’s concern for His creation within a secular group with over 800 supporters. Working together gives us a louder voice when we declare His love for His creation. We hope this can be a helpful model for others to follow. Written by David Hughes
St Peter’s Church, Alton – Eco Project with the local cubs group
St Peter’s Church, Alton, achieved their silver award in September 2021. They shared the following story with us: We’ve had some very good engagement with the local cubs, who have taken on an Eco Project for the land in our graveyard. They have created display boards of their ideas to improve the churchyard for wildlife and the public use of the space. There were some common themes running through their ideas: – Planting more flowers and fruit in the churchyard to attract insects, birds, other animals, and people – Providing more homes for the bugs and mini-beasts that the fruit and flowers attract in – Providing homes for larger animals like hedgehogs – Having a pond for frogs, newts, toads, and all the other interesting pond wildlife See the photos below for how they developed their ideas and the final display boards they produced, which are now on display in the church.