We've been working hard over the year as a church, to care for God's good creation and share this with our community. We couldn't do any of this on our own, and we've been blown away by how people have gotten involved. If you would like to get involved with our commitment to creation care, pop in and see us!Over our five Benefice churches, here's what we achieved in 2024:numerous car loads of items to the Bassetlaw Food Bank, including 123 items of children's clothing 'rescued' from a lane where they would potentially never degrade because of what they are made of, and spoiling our beautiful countrysideweekly drop offs for recycling of used medication blister packs used eyeglasses, pen and stamps recycled, instead of going to landfill30,900!! aluminium cans being recycled raising £412 for Tearfund's WASH initiative, helping support the creation of safe washing and drinking facilities for vulnerable communities147 plastic sweet tubs, as part of the TUBS2PUBS scheme, being recycled instead of going to landfill ( this scheme has recycled 230, 000 plastic sweet tubs over the last five years)A toilet in All Saints Mattersey twinned with one in a rural community in Tanzania ( raised from collecting small change during our regular quiz nights)700 bras collected as part of Bawtry against Breast Cancer month, either recycled, repurposed or reused via the Foodbank. 44 Christmas shoe boxes delivered as part of the Samaritans Purse scheme.
Over the year, we have been opened our churches for collection and recycling of lots of different things - things that often don't appear to be recyclable.Across our Benefice of 5 small churches, we have collected and taken for recycling a huge, and I mean HUGE, number of used medication blister packs, 4 sacks of bras for repurposing or reusing through Breast Cancer charities, many pairs of spectacles, used stamps, and so far over 30,000 aluminium cans to raise over £400 for the Tearfund WASH initiative that seeks to create safe and clean hygiene services, like loos and sinks, for communities that otherwise would be without - this is hugely important in bringing more people to a good health level, saving children's lives and improving levels of poverty. This is a wonderful encouragement to us all when we think that most of these could otherwise end up in landfill, on the side of our roads or still here in a thousand years. So no effort or action is too small - just one small, or even big, thing each one of us does to care for our wonderful creation makes a difference to the whole of our world, both human, plant and animal. Pop into any of our churches to see our Eco displays and be surprised at all the ways you can join in!
November the 19th is World Toilet Day, raising awareness of the billions of people who live their daily lives without a toilet or access to clean sanitation. Toilets are a place for peace. Toilets protect our health and safety. Toilets are a platform for progress. This essential space, at the centre of our lives, should be safe and secure. But for billions of people, sanitation is under threat from conflict, climate change, disasters and neglect. Faster action to improve and safeguard people’s access to sanitation is critical to building a fairer, more peaceful world. Find out more at https://www.unwater.org/news/world-toilet-day-2024-toilets-place-peace
The inventiveness of our volunteer leaders keeps on amazing us - this week the kids made oranges into lanterns as they explored Jesus as the light of the world - Sophie and Poppy certainly enjoyed making theirs!Come along any Sunday from 9.30am to join in with as church here in Bawtry, with our lively and welcoming all age service, where the young people can learn about faith and Jesus in a fun way as part of our Sundayz Cool gang!
