Eco Church
Buildings
We have installed cycle racks and water butts in the churchyard and our toilets are dual flush. We use mugs rather than disposable cups for our coffee in church. We offset our gas use via Climate Stewards. Our electricity is charged at a 100% renewable tariff.
Some of our light bulbs are LEDs and we are considering changing the fittings for the main lights in the church so that they can take LEDs too.
We only use recycled toilet rolls and we buy recycled paper for the printer.
Dreams – The churchwarden and eco group has explored with the Diocesan Advisory Committee possible sustainable heating alternatives for when the gas boiler needs replacing. We agreed though that we needed to wait until nearer the time to re-assess technologies available at that time.
We have also discussed the possibility of solar panels but were advised that we were unlikely to get permission for these unless perhaps they were in the churchyard.
Climate emergency declaration
We, the churches of Nursling and Rownhams recognise the urgent need for immediate, significant and effective action to protect God’s earth.
We acknowledge the well-documented, ongoing and increasing threats from climate change to all life and environments on our planet.
We call for world leaders and governments to take decisive actions for
the climate now.
We make these declarations so that our voices will be added to the
millions of others demanding urgent change in order to protect the air,
the rivers and seas, the forests, the flora & faunas, and the future of
the human race.
We, publicly declare a Climate Emergency!
We ourselves commit to continuing on our journey towards a Gold Eco
Church Award for St John’s Church and in particular we will investigate
ways of reducing our carbon footprint.
We also commit to encouraging every household represented in our church to engage with a website that helps them on their green journey
www.creationcare.org.uk.
Land
We manage the churchyard to encourage wildlife, have installed bird boxes and a bug hotel. We also have an allotment and what we grow is given to the local food bank.
Some young people have been involved in helping to maintain it. They have also created a Bible Garden with biblically themed features – a rainbow, a fish shaped pond, a Judas tree and ‘water into wine’ (using white and red plants)
We already have a mowing regime.
The churchwarden has devised a churchyard management plan.
Community & global engagement
We organise a monthly litter pick – we have found many interesting items as well as the usual rubbish!
Some of us have met with our MP to discuss environmental matters. The young people organised a sale of recycled toilet rolls. The money raised was used to twin our toilets which paid for toilets in a developing country.
We are a Fair Trade Church and have a Fair Trade stall in the church during Fair Trade fortnight, encouraging people to buy Fair Trade goods.
There is a regular weekly walk encouraging people to get out and enjoy God’s earth.
Some of us have helped with local conservation projects.
We have helped to promote Eco Church: eg speaking on Radio Solent, taking part in the production in Diocesan eco film, and presenting our progress at local meetings as well as talking informally with members of other churches.
We pray regularly for Wolf Fields – an A Rocha project. We have an email group of people willing to sign e-petitions concerning environmental issues.
Lifestyle
We use the church magazine and newssheet to encourage members to consider creation care in their individual households by reducing their personal energy consumption, to invest ethically, buy LOAF (ie Local, Organic, Animal Friendly or Fairtrade) goods, to invest ethically and to adhere to principles of reduce, re-use and recycle. To aid this we have a swap board in church where members can put up details of items they no longer want but that might be useful to someone else.
We are encouraging households to engage with the ‘creationcare.org.uk’ website. We’d be delighted if you’d look it up too!
We have a stall for unwanted Christmas presents with the proceeds going to the local food bank.
Pre Covid we encouraged members to sign one large Christmas card instead of sending individual ones.
Worship and teaching
We regularly use hymns and liturgies enabling us to celebrate creation.
One of our members has written a lovely song ‘What beauty surrounds us’ which is one of the tracks on a CD he has produced.
We have a creation themed service at least annually. In 2021 Jean and David Morgan from A Rocha visited and Jean spoke powerfully about climate change and what actions we can take.
We include caring for God’s earth in our children and young peoples’ groups and home groups. Early in 2021 we followed the course produced by Operation Noah ‘Tenants of the King’
Our magazine has an article about God’s earth every month and most weeks our notice sheet includes an eco tip which is also added to the church Facebook page.