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Last updated 12th August 2024

Eco Church - recognition for creation care by your church

Eco Church introduction

Eco Church is a scheme run by A Rocha UK equipping churches of all denominations to care for God's creation through their worship, buildings, land, community engagement, and individual lifestyles. The scheme is a fantastic resource for encouraging churches, cathedrals, and dioceses to embody the fifth mark of mission.

as of 12th August 2024 Diocese of Blackburn engagement:                            68 (26% of churches) have registered of which:                                                               17 have bronze awards and                                                                                     7 have silver awards  

The Eco Church survey - a framework for action

In order to qualify for an award, a church should reach the required standard in each of the five areas covered by the Eco Church survey: 

  • Worship and teaching
  • Buildings
  • Land
  • Community and global engagement
  • Lifestyle

You can see when you have gained sufficient points in each Eco Survey category by looking at the coloured lines that appear on the screen with the Eco Survey questions (You can access a PDF of the questions here: Ecochurch survey questions) The lines will change colour as your points accumulate to reflect the level of award you have achieved in that category. Please note, the survey is the same for all three award levels - it is your responses that will indicate which award level you achieve and can therefore apply for! 

For example, if all the categories have turned bronze, you have reached the standard to qualify for a Bronze Award; if they all turn silver you have reached the standard to qualify for a Silver Award, and so on. However, if just some of your categories turn silver while the others turn bronze, for example, you have achieved a Bronze Award (rather than a Silver Award) because that is the level you have achieved in all the relevant areas.

Watch bronze awarded All Saints Church in Kings Heath, Birmingham, explain how they got started

Getting Started

Get inspired by what other churches are doing for the climate and nature. Your heart will be lifted by the creative ideas that are out there. Explore our stories page for your dose of inspiration, or search #ecochurch on social media.

Get equipped. Look through the variety of practical guides on offer in the ARocha Eco Church resources webpages.

Get help.
If you need help navigating the Eco Church platform, see the help guide and sign-up tutorial, which helps you create an account, log in, register your church, or join a church if yours has already been registered.

Please contact Dave Champness (Net Carbon Zero Senior Project Manager) if you would like to find out more.

We plan to run some workshops held at bronze/silver awarded churches to share learning and experiences on what it takes to reach the standard.

Applying for an Eco Church Award

Once all the categories on your Eco Survey indicate that you have enough points for an award, you will be asked whether you want to apply for an award. See the ARocha help guide for submitting your survey for an award application. 

As part of your award application, you will provide your church leader’s email address so that they can confirm they have seen and approved the Eco Survey responses provided on behalf of your church. They will be sent an email from the Eco Church platform containing your survey responses to approve.

 

 

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