Eco Church

Southampton District earns Bronze Award!

Through the hard work of the District Eco team and with thanks to our churches and circuits the Southampton District has achieved its Bronze Award from A Rocha!

Please see below for our certificate, the criteria and our application - hoping this will help other districts!

New Eco Church Survey Unveiled

All new submissions for Eco Church awards will, from the start of 2025, have to use the new survey unveiled this week. Much has changed since the initial survey in 2016, and the updated survey reflects that. Some of the titles are familiar: Worship and Teaching, Lifestyle, with Community and Global Engagement. There are differentiated tracks for churches with or without significant Land. The new Buildings theme has Enegy in its title, and offers three tracks varying with the nature of the building involved. Overall, the emphases on carbon footprints and protecting nature have increased as has the evident need for action.

Eco Resources - here we will post resources from circuits that could help you

This first item comes from Clive Williams of Mortimer Methodist Church. Mortimer were awarded a Gold by EcoChurch in the summer of 2023. This document describes their stepwise approach to adding solar panels and battery storage at their church.

District Environmental Policy

Endorsed April 2023, amended April 2024 (additions to policy highlighted in red)

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter 10

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter 11

Creation Matters: Eco District
Newsletter edition 7

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter edition 8

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter edition 9

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter
edition 4

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter
edition 5

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter
edition 6

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter edition 1

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter edition 2

Creation Matters: Eco District Newsletter edition 3

Net zero: becoming an eco church

Please watch this short video from Romsey MC, packed with help and advice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6uRyuSatEI

District Eco Gathering 2: March 2022

A group of people came together in March to discuss and share advice on becoming net zero. Please click below for the powerpoint presentation.

And do keep an eye out for the next one!

Helpful Links

Action for Hope

https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/environment-and-climate-change/action-for-hope/

Green Communion

https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/green-communion-resources/

 

URC Environmental Policy

https://urc.org.uk/images/Children-and-youth/18-25/201905_URC_Environmental_Policy_.pdf

 

Renewable Energy Experts

https://greenjourney.org/

A Rocha presentation April 2023 - from Andy Lester

We Can - Winchester Climate Action Network

This is a wealth of information - resources, training, events, funding for anyone who is involved in action on the climate emergency in their local community.

https://www.winacc.org.uk/wecan/ 

In December 2021 we held an online gathering for those passionate about Eco-Church, with stories and advice, challenges and joys being shared.

Please see below for full details of that meeting and future ones!  Links to the recordings of that first meeting are within this letter.

Eco Church – What’s that??

Eco Church – What’s that??

You can be an Eco Warrior you if you wish!

Are you concerned about climate change? Many of us are - and government is concerned too. The problem is there seems to be lots of things to do but we are not sure where to start and how to do it properly.

Read here for guidance and advice

Stewarding our precious Earth

We have recently started this YouTube channel, associated to both the Romsey Church and Winchester, Eastleigh and Romsey Circuit, to inform people about how to express their creation care. Particular topics are climate emergency, biodiversity collapse, a sustainable world and social justice. It reflects the approaches of A Rocha’s Wild Christian and Eco Church, and also of Climate Stewards.

We hope that you find this a useful resource. It would be great if you could help with contributions on appropriate topics. Suggestions of topics, and good quality photos and video clips are welcome. I’m happy to try to blend them. The aim is to offer videos of 5-10 minutes that a wide spectrum of people can find of interest and value.

John Evans

(johnxafs@icloud.com)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YpqydThMDw

Climate Sunday

https://www.climatesunday.org/resources

Clean Energy UK

A helpful company based in Poole, for green energy suppliers

https://bigcleanswitch.org/

Praying for the Planet

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL69ri8bbsIzxG8rdX8c26PI2igM5oTEXx

Make COP Count

https://makecopcount.org/

Action for Hope

https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/environment-and-climate-change/action-for-hope/

Season of Creation

https://seasonofcreation.org/

COP26 - get creative!

The 'Art for the Planet' project aims to put enormous banners on the Mound in Edinburgh during COP26 to catch the attention of world leaders in Scotland for the conference. Do we have some creative types in the District? It would be lovely to send a little bit of our District to COP26.  See flyer below for full brief

COP26 - Postcard Campaign

We have created and distributed postcards to be sent to our Prime Minister, in the first week of October. Please see your circuit office for supplies! 

Example text can be found here: https://makecopcount.org/?page_id=186

YCCN Relay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm8VhN57zlA