Parish churches have always cherished their reputation. The ingredients are variable. What is a source of pride in one generation gives way to something else as one year succeeds another. A hundred years ago a church would often congratulate itself on the number of its ordination candidates or overseas missionaries. Another church would be proud of its choral tradition and organ recitals. A flourishing youth contingent – say, of Pathfinders or CYFA -- would have indicated a healthy church. Bell-ringing teams and churchyard overseers also had their place in vigorous church life. Now new aspects of parish church identity are commanding attention. One is inclusiveness. And then there is environmental care.
Lenton parish church, Nottingham is moving towards what it describes as sustainable worship. It is using LED lighting wherever possible, has no truck with disposable cups and spoons and is creating a wildflower meadow in its grounds. Car shares are organised. Eco-themes in its worship are envisaged, though this is not proving easy.
St Anne’s church Highgate, north London, is leading the charge as far as solar panels are concerned. It is the first community funded church partnership to install panels in a project it partnered with Power Up North London. It is now looking at its fuel bills in a different way.
St Francis, High Heaton, Newcastle could hardly avoid taking the environment seriously when it remembers Francis’ Brother Sun. It has received a silver Eco Church award and it has members who are now taking up training in bee-keeping. ‘I know that I shall never see A poem lovely as a bee’ perhaps.
A Rocha UK (Portuguese for ‘The Rock’) is a charity founded in 1983 that is working for the protection and restoration of the natural world and committed to equipping Christians and churches in the UK to care for the environment. It has made its 1000th award in its Eco Churches scheme for creation care to Hereford Cathedral.
Today’s PCCs have to welcome new items to their agendas. Quite apart from interior colour schemes and ten per cent mission investment; over and above backing food-banks and credit schemes; beyond keeping websites up to date; green house-keeping has to be given its due. Busy days. Who said being an all-round Christian was easy?
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