EcoCongregation an environmental toolkit for churches

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Eco-Congregationan environmental toolkit for
churches

• a partnership programme
• in Scotland

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What are your environmental concerns?

• too much waste going to landfill ?
• traffic congestion, air pollution and asthma ?
• loss of rainforests and species extinctions ?
• declines in UK farmland birds ?
• more storms and floods and rising sea levels
  linked to global warming and climate change ?
• more housing built on green field sites ?
• litter on your local streets ?
• Skin cancer and the hole in the ozone layer ?

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• Christian Perspectives
• 1. Belief in God as creator
• 2. Christian principles of good stewardship
• 3. Care for the poor and suffering, including
  the many
• people affected by environmental degradation
• 4. Caring for the environment as a missionary
  activity
• Aim
• Eco-Congregation aims to encourage Churches
• and their members to celebrate the gift of
• creation and care for it in appropriate practical
• and spiritual ways

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Eco-Congregation - the toolkit

• 1. Resources
• 12 written modules designed to cover every
  aspect of church life
• 2. Support
• web site www.ecocongregation.org/scotland
• newsletters
• contacts with local authorities and environmental
  groups
• support and advice
• 3. Award scheme

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Growing in Faith and Understanding

• Module 2 Celebrating creation
• Resources for worship
• Module 3 Creation and Christianity
• Overview of green theology
• Module 4 Acorns to oaks
• Ideas and suggestions for childrens work
• Module 5 Tread gently go green
• Activities for environmental youth work
• Module 6 How Green is Gods word
• Bible studies for House Groups and leaders

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Putting Gods House in Green Order

• Module 7 Greening the cornerstone
  Guidelines on caring for
• church premises
• Module 8 Greening the purse strings
• Stewardship of financial,catering
  purchasing matters
• Module 9 Planting and conserving Eden
  Ideas to care for church grounds and
  land

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Changing Lives Changing Communities

• Module 10 Green choices
• Tips for greening
• personal lifestyles
• Module 11 Community matters
• Ideas to help churches work with and
  through their local community
• Module 12 Global neighbours
  Sources and resources for churches to
  think globally and act locally.

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What are churches doing?

• Holding special Creation Care
  servicesTeaching their young people
  environmental awareness
• Improving their grounds for wildlife and
  community
• Making and installing bird boxes

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Undertaking an energy audit and implementing the
recommendationse.g. using energy-efficient
light bulbs ?

• .

? e.g. making the church self-sufficient in
renewable energy!
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Promoting recycling ofcans stamps paper
milk cartons printer cartridges spectacles...

• .

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Cleaning up their neighbourhood

• .

12
Installing environmental notice boards

• .

13
Encouraging Green Lifestyles through articles
in the parish magazine and local papers

• .

14
Helping countryside rangers with local wildlife
conservation projects

• .

15
Promoting and selling Fair Trade goods and
Eco-friendly products

• .

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How to get going

• 1. Request an introduction pack and get together
  a Green Team of interested people
• 2. Fill in the churches environmental check-up
  (Module 1) to identify current good practice and
  future priorities
• 3. Order the free resource modules of your choice
• 4. Get the support of a church meeting and send
  of the order form
• 5. Dip into the toolkit and get going!

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Eco-Congregation - the Award

• given in recognition of
• linking environmental issues to the Christian
  faith
• practical work in the church/churchyard
• having a positive impact on the wider community

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• Other Partners Projects
• Environmental Issues Network (EIN) of CTBI ACTS
• European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN)
  website
• C of S General Assembly - Environmental Policy,
  Reports Deliverances
• Church without Walls - booklets and conferences
• C of S Stewardship Dept. - training in Creation
  Stewardship
• Board of Ministry teaching opportunities
• Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office
  elections material
• Scottish Churches House conferences on
  environment
• Scottish Sustainable Development Forum
• Scottish Civic Forum working groups
  conferences