Eco District

The Methodist Church has worked with A Rocha UK to develop Eco District. In March 2019, Methodist President, Revd Michaela Youngson, commended the Eco Church award scheme and the adoption of Eco District by the Methodist Church.

The award affirms the District’s attention to the care of God’s creation and encourages the adoption of Eco Church by churches in the area.

Please note, if you are looking to register your church as an Eco Church, please click here to do so.

Eco District status will be given to your District when it has:

  • Registered its intent to become an Eco District

    Please use the registration form here.

  • Commissioned an individual or group to coordinate progress within the District

    To coordinate progress within the district.

  • Written an environmental policy

    This should include, where appropriate, points on travel, the environmental performance of Manses (re: Methodist Church standing order guidelines on Energy Performance Certificates) and a commitment to reducing carbon emissions

  • Gained the appropriate levels of local church registrations and Awards for Eco Church

    Districts of 1 to 10 churches

    • Bronze Eco District: at least 15% of local churches awarded
    • Silver Eco District: at least 30% of local churches awarded
    • Gold Eco District: at least 60% of local churches awarded

    Districts of more than 11 churches

    • Bronze Eco District: at least 10% of local churches awarded
    • Silver Eco District: at least 20% of local churches awarded
    • Gold Eco District: at least 40% of local churches awarded

  • Achieve the relevant award for the District Office (where appropriate) and land (where appropriate)

    In the Buildings category for its District offices (where appropriate) and Land (where appropriate)

  • Embedded environmental issues in ongoing training

    Have sought to ensure that environmental issues are embedded within the curricula of ongoing presbyterial and local preacher education and support. (1)

  • Managed District investments ethically

    With due consideration to the environmental implications / opportunities of such investments, taking into account the climate change investment policy of the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church. (2)

  • Worked with other Districts and/or faith groups

    To encourage greater environmental action, including promoting Eco Church as a helpful tool

  • Established the habit of recording and celebrating individual environmental initiatives

Registered Districts (shown in blue)

1 Synod Cymru
2 Wales Synod
5 Birmingham District
6 Bolton and Rochdale District
Bronze Award 7 Bristol District
9 Cumbria District
10 Channel Islands District
11 Chester and Stoke-on-Trent District
12 Cornwall and the Scilly Isles District
13 Darlington District 
14 East Anglia District
15 Isle of Man District
17 Lincolnshire District
18 Liverpool District
19 Manchester and Stockport District
20 Newcastle upon Tyne District
21 Lancashire District
22 Nottingham and Derby District
23 Northampton District
24 Plymouth and Exeter District
25 Sheffield District
Bronze Award 26 Southampton District
 27 Yorkshire West District
28 Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District
29 Yorkshire North and East District 
31 Scotland District
32 Shetland District
Bronze Award 34 Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire District
35 London District
36 South East District

To register your intent to work towards Eco District status, please complete the online registration form here.

After completing the registration webform you will be sent a link to a blank commitment certificate for you to download and complete. This shows you have registered with A Rocha UK and that you are working towards Eco District status. This commitment certificate should be signed by your District Chair and Environment Lead or equivalent. Please email a copy of your completed commitment certificate to ecochurch@arocha.org. 

You can print and display a copy in your District office, as appropriate, to highlight that you are a registered Eco District. 

When your District has fulfilled these criteria (checklist here), you can apply for your Bronze Eco District Award by completing the application form here.

1. For example, by ensuring that local preachers have access to materials to support theological reflection on our care for God’s creation. See the Methodist church Worship: Leading & Preaching course, Singing the Faith Plus, and Eco Church “Worship and Teaching” resources.

2. Where there are circuit and district reserves under investment, these are frequently invested through the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church. The districts and circuits should be aware of the potential for positive investment to encourage a transition to a sustainable global ecology and the Churches’ role in this respect. The Green Investment Declaration is a tool kit to enable church institutions, such as districts and circuits, to not just have an impact through their investments but, through speaking publicly about it. Becoming signatory to this Declaration is a clear way to demonstrate your fulfilment of this section of the criteria.