Environment

Across the Diocese, we believe that responding to climate change is an essential part of our responsibility to safeguard God's creation.

Through action, advocacy, worship and prayer, we aim to take better care of God’s creation here in Kent and Medway and the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley.

In his 2020 Lent message, Bishop James encourages us to use the season to consider our responsibility to the environment.

CARE FOR GOD'S CREATION MATERIALS

We were excited to be follow the national church #LiveLent materials called, Care for God's Creation in 2020.

Why not join us on the journey?

Each week during Lent**, we shared a weekly film on our social media channels (Facebook / Twitter), highlighting a local church-based project which is demonstrating care for creation.

View them on YouTube and download on Vimeo.

**Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we paused this campaign during Lent. We hope to reshare the series during Creationtide in September.

ECO CHURCH

One way we are suppporting churches in their environmental journey is to encourage them to become an Eco Church.

Through its free online survey and supporting resources, Eco Church, equips churches to express their care for God’s world by asking them to reflect on five keys areas of their life as a church.

The five areas are:

• Worship and teaching;
• How you look after your buildings and land;
• How you engage with your local community and in global campaigns; and
• In the personal lifestyles choices of your congregation.

It then offers suggestions as to the next steps a church can take; churches can acheive a gold, silver or bronze award, based on their Eco Church journey

A number of churches in the Diocese are already signed-up to the scheme - Holy Redeemer Lamorbey are Silver Eco Church award winners.

Read their story here

Find out more about whole the Church of England is working to tackle climate change by visiting: www.churchofengland.org/environment

ENVIRONMENT WORKING GROUP

An Environment Working Group has been set up to help us explore ways in which we as a Diocese can move forward in lightening our impact on the environment.

The group was started following responses to a diocesan-wide survey in 2019.

The survey revealed an appetite among parishes for the Diocesan leadership to support and encourage local parishes to take action on the environment.

If you would like to know more about the Working Group please contact Claire.Boxall@rochester.anglican.org

ENVIRONMENTAL CANON THEOLOGIAN

We are also delighted that the environmentalist, theologian and social activist, Dr Ruth Valerio, has been appointed and installed as Canon Theologian at Rochester Cathedral.

Dr Ruth Valerio is Global Advocacy and Influencing Director at the Christian relief and development charity, Tearfund.

She is also author 'Saying Yes To Life' - the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent book for 2020. 

A Lent course based on Ruth's book is also available and has been kindly shared by the Diocese of Bristol. Find it here

You can also watch her talk, given at Rochester Cathedral on Sunday 23 February here

MORE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

Look for more help and inspiration, take a look at this national and local groups:

• Eco Church - A Rocha is the charity which runs the Eco Church and Eco Diocese scheme: https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/

• Eco Church Connect: consider signing up to the regular (5-6 times a year) email sharing the latest updates, stories and campaigns relevant to Eco Church. You can sign up to this and any of our other regular mailings here.

• Wild Christians: A Rocha also run Wild Christian The Wild Christian scheme is a community of families and individuals exploring the connections between our Christian faith, the natural environment, and how we live. Sign up and each month they send you something to think about and some practical actions that you can take to help you enjoy, nurture and protect nature. You’ll also have the opportunity to share your own stories, if you wish, and to help us generate ideas for future editions: https://arocha.org.uk/wildchristian

• Eco Church Kent Facebook group: This group is to support anyone working to make their church and communities more sustainable and eco-friendly, and working towards an Eco Church award. Members share tools, links, questions, and encouragement so we can work together to be carbon neutral: https://www.facebook.com/groups/256672715423184/about/

• Faith for the Climate aims to encourage, inspire and equip faith communities in their work on climate change. This is an interfaith organisation: https://www.faithfortheclimate.org.uk/

• Green Christian: Is a community of ordinary Christians from all backgrounds and traditions. Inspired by faith, they work to care for Creation through prayer, living simply, public witness, campaigning and mutual encouragement. Green Christian is co-hosting Christian Climate Action’s Advent series: Climate and Colour. Find out more athttps://greenchristian.org.uk/advent-saturday-sessions-climate-and-colour/