Denominational Awards are available for regional groups of churches to recognise their progress toward caring for God’s creation.
The denominational awards provide a structure, like Eco Church, to bring together communities across the diocese, circuit, district or synod to work collectively. Denominational Awards are part of the Eco Church project of A Rocha UK, a Christian charity working to protect and restore the natural world and committed to equipping Christians and churches in the UK to care for the environment. The Methodist Church, URC and Church of England have worked with A Rocha UK to tailor their awards for their regional groupings. To find out the details of the denominational awards please visit the relevant pages. An overview of the process and resources applicable to all denominations can be found on this page.
Register
Once you’ve registered your denominational region from the relevant page (Diocese, Circuit, District or Synod) we can keep in touch and you can share your progress toward the next award. You also need to register your regional administration center (e.g. House/Office) using the Eco Church platform.
What’s involved?
This is an overview of what’s involved in gaining your bronze award. The themes are then strengthened for silver and gold awards. Visit the denominational pages for the specific criteria for each denominational award.
Ownership
Commission an individual or group to coordinate progress within your regional group.
Regional House/Office and Land awards
Your administrative center of your regional group needs to achieve the relevant award (bronze, silver or gold) using the Eco Church scheme. You may not complete all the sections of the Eco Church survey but the buildings and land sections should be completed.
Eco Church Awards
As part of your denominational award you will need to be progressing with Eco Church awards at an individual church level. For the specific requirements for each level see the relevant denomination pages.
Policy
An environmental policy is needed to demonstrate high level commitment to creation care across the region.
Training and development
Throughout the process of the awards there is to be training for staff and volunteers around environmental issues and creation care theology.
Schools and education
Where regional groups are also responsible for schools they are encouraged to advocate for environmental issues and carbon reduction in these settings.
Carbon reduction
Denominational regions need to commit to developing a plan for carbon reduction.
Finance and investments
Denominational regions need to demonstrate ethical investments.
Collaboration
To encourage greater environmental action you are asked to promote Eco Church and collaborate with others in your region. Collaboration may reach beyond your region, across faiths or other sectors such as education or health.
Celebrating creation
To progress through the awards we expect you to promote and raise awareness of creation care and environmental issues, share resources and celebrate achievements.
Eco Diocese
For dioceses in the Church of England and the Church in Wales to support local parish churches to achieve Eco Church awards.
Eco Circuit
For Methodist circuits to demonstrate their commitment to embedding environmental care into their churches.
Eco District
For Methodist Districts to demonstrate their commitment to supporting circuits and local churches participating in Eco Church.
Eco Synod
For URC synods to visibly demonstrate their support for local URC churches to gain Eco Church awards.
Resources and information
Some of these resources and links are ecumenical, others are denomination-specific but may be of interest to all. Further resources and information are on the denominational awards pages.
Eco Church
Eco Church is an ecumenical scheme , providing a learning community for churches of all shapes and sizes. It provides a framework to support individual churches and their leadership to take practical action on caring for God’s earth. It includes a toolkit of resources, an online award survey, a quarterly email update, online events, prayer forums and occasional conferences. As part of your denominational award, you will need to be progressing with Eco Church awards at an individual church level. For the specific requirements for each level see the relevant denomination pages.
Land and biodiversity
Nature 2030 campaign The Wildlife and Countryside Link is the largest environment and wildlife coalition in England, bringing together 80 organisations, including A Rocha UK, to use their voice for the protection of nature. The website has many resources and campaign information. The major Nature 2030 campaign, launched in 2023 has a landmark 5-point plan for nature calling for political parties to double the wildlife-friendly farming budget, making polluters pay for nature restoration, a large-scale green jobs creation scheme, increased protection and funding for wildlife sites and a new law guaranteeing environmental rights. www.wcl.org.uk/nature2030.asp
Caring for God's Acre www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/about-us/
Community
Season of Creation A Rocha UK Season of Creation resources are available here: arocha.org.uk/get-involved/engage-your-church/
Season of Creation 2023: seasonofcreation.org/
Great Big Green Week A national annual event of celebration and community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. greatbiggreenweek.com/
LOAF LOAF stands for food that is Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal friendly or Fairly traded. It is an ethical model for food consumption.
greenchristian.org.uk/gc-campaigns/loaf-2/
Earth Hour An annual international event in late March when millions of people across the globe switch off their electricity for one hour. Take time out to reflect on what nature means to you by joining Earth Hour. www.earthhour.org/
Creation Care A resource for households to assess their lifestyle. creationcare.org.uk/
Eco Chaplain Revd David Coleman, an ordained minister in the United Reformed Church, is the Environmental Chaplain for Eco-Congregation Scotland. He has a blog which includes useful resources for worship and teaching. www.ecocongregationscotland.org/chaplain/
Training
CRES This two-year Certificate course provides an opportunity to study rural and environmental issues from a Christian viewpoint. It will be of interest to all with a personal or professional concern for the environment and countryside, rural communities and church. cres.org.uk/courses/
Green Christian Green Christian holds a number of workshops and seminars as well as resources for worship and teaching.
greenchristian.org.uk/gc-campaigns/green-christian-workshops/
Centre for Alternative Technology A number of in-person and online courses covering a range of sustainability issues, including: renewable energy, environmentally friendly building techniques, ecology, woodland management and carbon literacy. cat.org.uk/
Climate Fresk Free 3-hour workshops for the general public run by Climate Fresk volunteers, ‘The workshops will teach you how climate change works and empower you to take effective action as a citizen.’ climatefresk.org/world/purpose/
Net Zero Carbon
Climate Stewards and 360 Carbon Climate Stewards help people and their churches to measure, reduce and offset their carbon footprint. The 360 Carbon calculator is free and easy to use, and tailored to churches.
www.climatestewards.org/
360carbon.org/en-gb/
WWF carbon footprint calculator footprint.wwf.org.uk/
Funding
Community Energy England Community Energy England is a community-led renewable energy organisation which has a useful page about funding opportunities.
communityenergyengland.org/pages/funding-opportunities-2