Cheltenham banner
urclogo
Skip Navigation LinksHome Page > Eco Church > Eco Church

 

St Andrew's URC - Silver Award Eco Church

In 2011, St Andrews’ agreed at their church AGM to become an Eco Church.

Eco churches are part of an ecumenical programme helping churches make the link between environmental issues and Christian Faith and putting this into practical action. St Andrew's are registered with A Rocha UK as an Eco Congregation. A Rocha is a Christian charity working to inspire and equip churches to protect and restore the natural world.

There is a small Eco Church team who meet regularly to review our existing environmental initiatives and plan new activities around 3 main areas of church life:

  • spiritual: worship and teaching
  • practical: things to do with buildings, land and church management
  • mission: reaching out, both locally and globally

In 2019, we received the exciting news that our application for an  Eco Church Silver Award from A Rocha had been successful

Some of the Silver Award initiatives:

  • Expanded recycling – glasses,batteries, teabags and cables.
  • A Green Fair, bringing together a range of organisations with environmental interests.
  • A prayer on climate change was submitted to A Rocha UK and used in a service which had an environmental theme.
  • Big church card at Christmas raising money for charity
  • A Herb Garden at St Andrew's
  • Repair and Regeneration every 1st Saturday.

In order to attain the Gold Award new initiatives will be needed.  

We have a Psalm 23 Garden, based on the well-known Psalm but also the Bible Society garden from the Chelsea Flower Show 2021. The video can be found here  and the plan for the garden can be found here

All the gardens are now being better managed with the emphasis on the the benefits for the environment. The Land Management Plan can be found here

Whilst not as formal as at St Andrew's the other churches practise economy and recycling.

rotating pics
   Find a Church   Contact Us