Loving God, serving our neighbours

EcoChurch

Environmental Issues.

St Faith’s has recently registered with the EcoChurch Initiative. This project is supported by Christian Aid, the Church of England, the Methodist Church and the Tear Fund charity. The Tear Fund declares that climate change is ‘arguably the greatest, most urgent crisis we are facing in the world right now’.   Intercessions at the 9.30am service in St. Faith’s recently focussed on the fact that ’we must make more effort to cherish and respect the world’.  EcoChurch awards three levels of attainment to churches.  St Faith’s already demonstrates enough care of 25% of our environment to get the bronze award.  To gain gold standard it is necessary to show 75% where in ‘caring for God’s earth’ we use Fair Trade goods and environmentally friendly products, support wild life and flowers, are careful with the use of water and power. There is a much more comprehensive list of what is needed to attain and it is planned that an EcoChurch group is formed by St Faith’s and St Nicholas to see how our environmental footprint can be improved. The Eco Survey can be found here: https://ecoarukdev2.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Eco-Church-Survey-v2-January-2018.pdf

Here is the letter dated 10 March 2020 from the Eco Church Team at A Rocha UK:

St Faith’s Church Havant – Congratulations on your Bronze Eco Church award!

Thank you for your application for a Bronze Eco Church Award.  I have now checked your survey scores, and am delighted to confirm your award. Well done to everyone involved in reaching this milestone! Your certificate will be on its way to the church address this week. May I also encourage you to share something of your Eco Church story with others by completing the ‘Sharing Your Eco Church Story’ form available here

Thank you for your generous donation towards our work too. A more formal thank you will be on its way. Your donation comes at a significant moment where the need for public awareness and action, in the face of the severity of the environmental crisis, has increased dramatically compared to even a year ago. As A Rocha UK stays committed to facilitating a transformation in Christians’ response to nature, your church’s financial support and prayers are vital to our ability to do so. 

As a Christian charity with a remit to mobilise Christians and Churches to care for the environment, we’d love you to help if you can by sharing any updates on your Eco Church journey by tweeting or posting about it from your social media accounts. You can tag us: @ARochaUK (Twitter), @arocha_uk (Instagram) or @A Rocha UK (Facebook). We recommend you include a short quote that will challenge and inspire others alongside your photo for a bigger impact!

Also I have some website badges for 2020. I attach one here in case you’d like to use it on your website to help promote Eco Church.

Thank you for all of your efforts so far and every encouragement to you all as a Church as you continue your efforts to care for God’s earth. 

Very best wishes,

Sara

 Eco Church Team

A Rocha UK 18-19 Avenue Road Southall UB1 3BL    ecochurch.arocha.org.uk 

 

 

Earth Day is 22 April of Every Year. 2020 marked 50 years of Earth Day.

The theme for Earth Day 2020 is climate action. The enormous challenge — but also the vast opportunities — of action on climate change have distinguished the issue as the most pressing topic for the 50th anniversary.  Climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable. The first Earth Day in 1970 launched a wave of action, including the passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States. The Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts were created in response to the first Earth Day in 1970, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many countries soon adopted similar laws. Earth Day continues to hold major international significance: In 2016, the United Nations chose Earth Day as the day when the historic Paris Agreement on climate change was signed into force.  The world needs you — and your actions — for Earth Day 2020.  There’s so much you can do to help protect and restore our planet, from joining a cleanup or climate strike, to taking part in the world’s largest citizen science initiative, to hosting an event in your own community!