Welcome to Belfairs Methodist Church Eco Church page.
‘We recognise and teach that creation care and action to address the climate and nature crises are integral to Christian faith, life and worship. We are committed to responding to this by participating in the A Rocha UK Eco Church award scheme.’
Like many churches, of all denominations, Belfairs is commited to looking after Gods planet. We would like to try and achieve a Bronze award and, eventually, aim for Silver and Gold.
A Rocha UK Eco Church has a lot of information and resources and so we are going to use this page to put direct links on for further information.
This page will develop over the coming months and will include different areas that are covered by Eco Church.
By using the resources, we hope that you will become more aware of your carbon footprint and pledge to reduce it year on year.
We are starting with our own lifestyle choices and you can read more in the December / January 2024 newsletter, but the Eco Church full Lifestyle leaflet can be found here and has lots of links to various resources that will help you on your journey.
Lifestyle resources - Eco Church Click on any of the 'poster' links to find out more i.e. sustainable fashion, you and your car, food-coperatives.
You can register your own household, for awards, on Creation Care. When you register, select Belfairs Methodist Church from the church dropdown list and you will be linked to our account - we may even present your awards to you, in church! One of our families has already registered and gained a bronze award.
You can read more about Championing Enviromental Sustainability, for our church, here and,if you wish to volunteer, to become our Eco Church Champion, and start a Care team you might want to read this story from Holy Trinity, Richmond. Holy Trinity Richmond. Starting a Creation Care team.pdf
In Februarys Newsletter edition, there will be an article on Community and Global help. But you don't have to wait until then as it's here, on the website, right now! Just scroll down!
We have developed an Eco Church Plan and an Enviromental Policy, both of which will be available here, once officially approved by the Trusteees.
Quick Links
www carbon footprint calculator
Community & Global
Mark 12:30-31 (NIV) ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” e second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” ere is no commandment greater than these.”’
The climate and nature crises are profoundly unjust, with the most devastating impacts affecting the poor and vulnerable who have done the least to cause the crises. We are called to love our neighbour, and so it is our responsibility to them and the places they live, wherever they are, to demonstrate love for people and nature by advocating for a more just world (Micah 6:8). While there is much that we can do as a church body, our impact will be even greater when we work with others to bring about local and global change.
There are a number of ways that we can campaign for local, national and global change eg.
- Joining Sustainability and Initiative movements
- Engaging with Community Projects and Local conservation works
- Help in a Community Clean up.
More ideas can be found at Community and Global - Eco Church and, as before, click on any of the 'posters' for more information
As a church, we regularly pray for our World but, maybe, we can do a little more? Not all of us have the skills, talents or time to act ourselves but we might be able to support action groups financially or in other ways. We are looking into ways that we can support TrustLinks, who are an independent charity for mental health, wellbeing and the environment in Essex. They offer therapeutic gardening, recovery classes, social activities, employability support, training, environmental workshops and more and they work with around 4,000 people per year, with sites in Southend, Castle Point, Rochford, Braintree and Basildon.
Not only would we be supporting our commitment to climate change, but also mental health. I think this is a ‘win’ for everyone.
Keep returning for more updates and information.