St John’ Shirley has registered to be an Eco Church.
Eco Church is A Rocha UK’s award scheme for churches in England and Wales who want to demonstrate that the gospel is good news for God’s earth. A Rocha UK is a Christian charity which has worked for many years for the protection and restoration of the natural world – as a response to that clear biblical mandate to care for the earth, and as a demonstration of the Christian hope for God’s world.
Eco Churches record by a survey what they are already doing to care for God’s earth and reflect on what further steps they can take to that end and then act accordingly.
It covers all areas of church life: Worship and Teaching; Management of Church Buildings and Land; Community and Global Engagement; and Lifestyle. As a church completes the survey it can collect points towards an Eco Church Award – Bronze, Silver and Gold.
You can find out more about Eco Church by following this link https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/
In due course we will soon be recording our first online survey.
Other News as Lent begins
*Stop Press *
The February General Synod of the Church of England set new targets for all parts of the church to work to become carbon ‘net zero’ by 2030. More details about the motion and resources for parishes at
Christian Aid have designated 2020 as a year of non-stop prayer for climate justice. Individuals and churches can join together with people around the world ‘to bow our heads and lift our voices to build a better world.’
More information and how to sign up from: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/campaigns/climate-change/year-of-prayer?utm_source=christianaid&utm_medium=email&utm_content=btn-body-PrayerChainMS&utm_campaign=20200131-CA-GEN-enews
Tear Fund has launched a ‘rubbish campaign’
‘Our world has a rubbish problem – and it’s hitting people living in poverty the hardest. As Christians, we are called to love our global neighbours and care for creation.’
To find out the scale of the problem and how we can pledge to reduce our own plastic use go to: