In November 2021 the COP 26 Climate Conference brought home
to all of us the urgency of the crisis Climate Change is causing. It showed
us how we all need to help to prevent climate change and the damage to our
world through pollution.
The Dorcan Church needs to act as well. We need to make our church buildings
and land more environmentally friendly. We as a community should consider
what more we can do together and individually.
In order to help us we have joined a scheme called Eco Church.
This scheme allows us to identify what we are already doing, what else we
can do and provides resources to do more.
We will as a church be launched the scheme on Sunday 23rd January 2022.
There will be more information in the notices, church website and Facebook.
You can also find out more on the Eco
Church Website or speak to Neil Marshall who is coordinating Eco Church.
Check out The ECO Church Survey
The Churches Commitment
“It is the task of God's people to listen to the prophetic voices
in our midst and to change direction, to take action, to do something.”
The Revd. Sonia Hicks, President of the Methodist Conference, 2021-22
"Reducing the causes of climate change is essential to the life of faith. It is a way to love our neighbour and to steward the gift of creation."
Archbishop Justin Welby – Head of the Anglican Communion
Net Zero Carbon declaration by General Synod 2020
Our two parent Churches the Methodist Church and the Church of England have
made clear commitments to ensure the church plays it part in helping to protect
the environment and encouraging other people to do.
Both our churches are committed to protecting the environment and both are
committed to reach net zero by 2030. ('Net zero' refers to achieving an overall
balance between emissions produced and emissions taken out of the atmosphere.)
What does this mean for the Dorcan Church?
Our parent churches cannot get to net zero unless the Dorcan Church does as
well. All of us as members of the church need to be involved in whatever ways
we can. The Dorcan Ecumenical Church Council has agreed to commit to work
towards Net Zero and helping to protect the environment and has joined a scheme
called Eco Church to help us
What is Eco Church?
Eco Church is a scheme run by a Christian Environmental Charity designed to
help churches improve their environmental impact. It uses a survey as a tool
to record what we are already doing, then consider what else needs doing and
to act accordingly.
The survey covers all areas of church life:
•Worship and Teaching
•Management of Church Buildings
•Management of Land
•Community and Global Engagement
•Lifestyle.
It challenges churches about all parts of our life from the songs we sing
and the food we serve; How much energy we use and of the ethics of our investments;
how we use our land and about the water that flushes our loos; and so on.
Swindon, Wiltshire