Eco Church
Priory has signed up to Eco Church, an inter-denominational award scheme which encourages churches to identify and improve their care for the God's Earth in different areas of their life and work.
We will be updating this page as we progress through the scheme. More information can be found at https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/ and by watching the following introductory video:
EcoChurch
As mentioned already in the Youth Group notes in this edition, our youngsters have looked at the challenge of achieving for our churches an EcoChurch award.
The award is essentially an ‘audit’ of all that we do in our churches. There are three levels of Eco Church Award – Bronze, Silver and Gold. In order to qualify for an Award we must attain the required standard in each of the areas covered by the Eco Survey that apply to us.
Some of the work needed to attain the award can be done by anyone; our Youth Group are leading this work, including considering how we might, if possible, take up walking or cycling to church rather than car travel; doing a community clean-up or litter pick; providing an area in or churchyard that is allowed to ‘grow wild’ in order to sustain wildlife and wild flowers; or using locally-grown food for any meals that we provide in Church: this is something that is currently not possible in Lockdown but is very much looked forward to my many of us! And hand-in-hand with this last point is reducing our food waste, a subject in which members of our Youth Group are already very aware and active.
Other [more ‘adult’] activities include hosting events that facilitate the recycling or re-use of goods; using Fairtrade products; or making ethical choices when considering our personal investments; tree-planting, composting, or having a churchyard management plan; or ensuring the provision on our premises of energy-saving devices and appliances.
Once we have fulfilled enough of the categories on our Eco Survey, we will be asked whether we want to apply for an award; Bronze and Silver Awards are done electronically, but to get a Gold Award an Eco Church Assessor will visit us at the Priory and/or S. Paul’s or Clumber, to see and hear for themselves of all that we’ve been doing to care for God’s earth across the areas covered by the Eco Survey.
Fr Vyse