Dear Friends, We’re nearing the end of 2022, and no doubt there will be many reflections on what a tumultuous year it has been. The environment is no exception, and whilst we don’t yet know the outcomes of COP15 on biodiversity, COP27 was largely disappointing. In the foreword to his Advent book Sleepers Wake, the Archbishop of York refers to Advent not only as a time of preparation and waiting but also as a time of discomfort; ‘the Christ child is not the …rosy-cheeked baby, the manger is not the cosy retreat [..].’ Rather it’s a time ‘to wake up, to focus on what is important, to do justice and love kindness’. Bishop Nicholas Holtam, the author of the book, writes of ‘forgiveness and thanksgiving’, the need for us to recognise and repent of how we have harmed the planet which then enables us to turn around and ‘find hope that leads to renewed life with thanksgiving’, a wonderful framing for Advent. What a great note on which to end the year! We are thankful for the thousands of you taking action through Eco Church, as highlighted by just some of the milestones reached this year. A Rocha UK have also posted their 2022 message of …

Christ Church, Higher Bebington, in the Wirral, has become the 30th church in England and Wales to achieve a gold Eco Church award. Read more

A year after COP26 in Glasgow, the next international climate summit is scheduled to start in Egypt on 6 November. A Rocha UK is offering two opportunities to get informed and take action on climate change and its links with nature. Read more  

Nearly 7 years since the launch of Eco Church in 2016, we’ve reached 2,000 awarded churches, 500 of which now have a silver award. Read the full story here  

(From left to right: Pam Martin – ARUK volunteer, Lucy Foster – Eco Church Officer for Northern England, Jo Phillips – Churches Together in Cumbria, and Anna Newlove – Carlisle Diocese)  Lucy Foster, our Regional Officer for Northern England, and Delyth Higgins, our Regional Officer for Wales, joined the Eco Church team six months ago. Here is a reflection from each of them on their first few months in post at A Rocha UK (ARUK).  From Delyth, our Regional Officer for Wales: It was a privilege to be appointed the new (and first) Eco Church Officer for Wales in mid-April, and what a busy first few months!  My first task was to look at Wales’ engagement levels and registrations. As I write, almost 300 chapels and churches have registered with the scheme, and we have 28 silver-awarded churches. But the figure is growing all the time, which is so encouraging.  From all corners of the country exciting activity is happening; in the North, ranging from creating bug hotels in Corpus Cristi Church, Tremeirchion, to the Bryn a Mor Mission Area leading a lent course (called Tenants of the King), and prayer sessions where people were outside in nature, connecting with …

Churches Count on Nature is a unique opportunity for those who love their churchyards and church spaces to take part in the largest ever nature count this June.  To find out more and to register please visit:  arocha.org.uk/churches-prepare-for-mass-citizen-science-biodiversity-events-after-huge-success-of-last-years-churches-count-on-nature/

The rural church of St Mary the Virgin in Ticehurst, East Sussex, has become the first in Chichester Diocese to gain the prestigious Eco Church Gold Award. The award recognises the top level of achievement as part of environmental charity A Rocha UK’s Eco Church scheme, which encourages churches to make changes to improve their climate impact, to care for the environment and to inspire and encourage others. Penny Evans, the convener of the planning group at St Mary’s commented that “Our journey started with our concern about climate change and biodiversity loss. This led us to the belief that, as Christians with a concern for justice, peace and healing, we must be active and visible in caring for God’s creation in every area of our shared life together. The Eco Church scheme seemed the ideal vehicle to help us achieve this.”    While significant changes, still ongoing, have been made to the building of St Mary’s as part of their aim to become carbon zero, the major part of their energies have been directed towards their 3-acres of churchyard. With the help of expert advice and biodiversity surveys, they have developed areas into summer meadow, have planted native trees, …

How can we become better at caring for creation and improving our lives and the lives of others through healthy, eco-friendly and sustainable living?  The Lenten 40-day period before Easter gives us the opportunity to reflect on the practice of fasting and commit to giving up something that brings a real benefit to nature and helps address climate change. Below are some changes you could make that will help the environment. Take time to pray, reflect and consider these options – pick one or two or however many you’d like (you never know the changes might just stick!) Go plastic free. Even if you can’t become totally plastic-free, make it your goal to at least reduce your use of plastic. Read Tom’s month without plastic blog here. Switch off from digital. Explore technology-free times or areas of the house, switching to ‘airplane mode’ for the first hour in the morning and the last hour at night, ‘switch off Sundays’, reaching for your Bible over your device(s) and writing a list of outdoor things that you enjoy. Boycott fast fashion. Emily reflects on how our clothes can bring us closer to our neighbour and have a lesser impact on nature. Read her blog here. Buy …

Image of Salisbury Cathedral by: Ash Mills A milestone we celebrate at the start of 2022 is the exciting news that all 42 of the Church of England dioceses have now registered for the Eco Diocese scheme. This shows a significant commitment to getting more churches signed up to Eco Church but more importantly, that all dioceses in the Church of England are united in taking collective environmental action. This is also the case for the Church in Wales where all six of its dioceses have already registered for Eco Diocese. In just 6 years since Eco Church was launched, we have met our ten year goal to reach 10% of churches across England and Wales. That’s over 4,500 churches across England and Wales now part of the Eco Church community, with more than 1,500 awards achieved. We are now looking forward, over the next five years, with a new goal to reach 25% of churches across the UK. This goal is in conjunction with Eco Congregation in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with whom we look forward to closer collaboration, building on the work we have done together in the Climate Sunday campaign. A future focus within Eco Church is …