Eco Church is run by A Rocha UK, a Christian charity working to protect and restore the natural world and committed to equipping Christians and churches in the UK to care for the environment. It is their award scheme for churches in England and Wales who want to demonstrate that the gospel is good news for God’s earth.

Here at St Andrew's we are delighted to say we have just gained the Gold award! 

What are we doing ... in the church

We are limited in what we can do in the building because it is listed and any change to the fabric of the building, particularly to reduce heat loss, requires permission from the Diocese. But we are determined to become zero carbon and to seek funding to replace some of our heating systems.

We have already taken action in the following areas:

  • Replacing all non-LED lights in the church with LEDS
  • Using environmentally friendly cleaning products and recycled toilet rolls
  • Undertaken an annual energy audit to establish our carbon footprint
  • No longer using disposable plates and cups
  • Offering a facility to recycle ink cartridges, stamps and bottle tops
  • Twinned three of our toilets.

What are we planning to do:

  • Investigate ways of reducing and offsetting our carbon footprint
  • Investigate different ways of heating the church (download a pdf copy of our plan)
  • Identify streams of funding for schema for alternative heating
  • Insulate some of the pipework and replace seals around windows
What are we doing ... in the church grounds

So far we have:

  • Arranged visits and reports by a specialist from Suffolk Wildlife Trust to advise us on the management of our churchyard
  • Created a habitat log pile, bug hotel, bird boxes and hedgehog homes
  • Undertaken wildlife surveys on an annual basis with the Youth Group
  • Planted four native trees and hedgerow saplings
  • Established a management plan for the church grounds (download a pdf copy)
  • Provided compost bins

What we are planning to do:

  • Morer surveys with our adult congregation
  • Encourage our local community to make more use of the grounds, and use our nature trail       
  • Manage our natural wildlife habitats to encourage biodiversity
  • Obtain permission for a water butt by the shed in the 1925 churchyard
  • Sow more wildflower seeds
What are we doing ... to encourage church members and others to more aware of caring for the environment

So far:

We are providing information and opportunities to help everyone change something in their lives and reduce their environmental impact by:

  • Providing a Christianity and Climate Change Course
  • Regular information in our Focus news sheet and Outlook magazine
  • Asking our church members to undertake a personal lifestyle audit and a transport to church audit     
  • Offering Fairtrade products for sale at our coffee mornings
  • Using Fairtrade products, such as tea and coffee

What we are planning to do:

  • Work more closely with the Parish Council and Baptist Church on initiatives around Rushmere
  • Organise a Green Fair/Family Fun day with the emphasis on caring for the environment
  • Investigate more opportunities for recycling
  • Encourage ethical investment
What are we doing ... to engage with global and community environmental issues 
  • We are a Fair Trade Church 
  • We are more involved by working together with the Parish Council and other organisations       
  • Promoting Eco Church to other churches
  • Promoting the use of Fair Trade products
  • Inviting speakers to talk about environmental issues and global groups such as Tearfund
  • Twinned three of our toilets 

What we are planning to do:

  • Place more information on our church web pages
  • Prepare a new display in church on the care of our world
  • Build awareness of environmental issues in the community
  • Organise an Environmental Family Fun Day
  • Make the month of September a green month
What are we doing ... in worship and teaching 
  • Our ministry team are committed to intergrating environmental issues in prayers, hymns and talks 
  • Teaching in youth and children’s work about the environment
  • Articles in our parish magazine and newsletters
  • Include caring for the environment in monthly prayer breakfasts
  • Our May Festival 2024 had the theme: Hope for Creation

What are we planning to do:

  • Invite more speakers to talk on the environment
  • Spread the word about caring for Creation
  • Celebrate Environment Sunday
  • Plan another Climate Change and Christianity discussion event

 

arocha.org.uk/what-we-do/eco-church/

 

 

Our churchyard