ArticleBlog | Eco Church: practical action for churches and their communities
Eco Church: practical action for churches and their communities
Author: Andy PeckPost Date: 13.03.21
co Church: practical action for churches and their communities by Helen Stephens Spring 2021
A Rocha UK launched Eco Church across England and Wales in January 2016 as a framework for churches to engage practically in caring for creation as an expression of Christian faith. Churches register for the scheme online at www.ecochurch.arocha.org.uk and then complete a survey covering five key aspects of church life:
Worship & Teaching; Buildings; Land; Community; and Global Engagement Lifestyle.
The survey can be used as a planning tool, to identify what has already been done and provide ideas – along with resources – for what to tackle next.
Eco Church is an award scheme with churches able to progress from Bronze through to Silver and Gold. While awards help to measure and celebrate progress and maintain momentum, they are not the end goal; rather, Eco Church is a toolbox to help mobilise churches and Christians to care for the earth as part of their everyday work and witness.
There are now over 3,100 registered churches across multiple denominations. Over 1,000 awards have been made since launch, including 15 Gold awards. The diversity of awarded churches is growing regionally and by denomination and also in terms of how churches are really grappling with the environmental issues of our time.
