Eco Church and Time to Act Group

Time to Act is a small group of people from both churches concerned about the effects of climate change on our environment and wanting to do something about it. We meet to discuss and implement actions we can take both as a group and individuals to try and improve our world.

For me it was simple. I am worried about our planet and want to do something to help, but what? How? When? This group explores any options available to us to improve the situation - from wasting, wanting and using less; recycling and refilling more; lobbying our MP; attending protests and taking action to demonstrate that we have no time to waste on this. It really is time to act. Individuals within the group do whatever they can within this wide spectrum, to ‘do their bit.’ We work on the premise that every little action helps. One such action is working towards each church becoming an Eco Church.

Eco Church is an award scheme for churches which can demonstrate their care for creation as an integral part of loving their neighbour and following God faithfully. It sets out a framework and programme of activity to be demonstrated to reach various standards in 4 categories: Land; Buildings; Community and Global Engagement; and Lifestyle.

Shirley Sinclair is taking this forward for St Peter’s and has completed the initial survey which shows we are already doing a lot right, but there is more to be done, with examples of areas we might like to improve highlighted for us. I am about to start the survey for St Mark and St Cuthbert’s, subject to PCC approval.

One such area is to study the Bible as we seek direction in how to tackle climate change. At the end of last year, a small group of us, from both churches, met together with Cameron for a series of studies based around the book: Changing the Climate - Applying the Bible in a Climate Emergency, by Debbie Hawker. This was very stimulating and informative in identifying what more we as individuals and as a church can do. We hope to do further studies in the coming months.

If you are interested in doing your bit to improve the environment, however big or small, we would love your help with this. On an individual level I have learned loads from other people in the group and changed many of the ways I go about things in my daily life. If you are interested, or can help in any way, please speak to Shirley or me.

PS. Top Tip - with the gardening season upon us, please use Peat-free compost. Peat bogs trap carbon in the ground. Digging up peat for compost releases the carbon back into the atmosphere, so please use peat-free.

Olwen Smith