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Welcome to our latest local Eco newsletter. Scroll on down for details of our next Eco Forum, encouraging eco stories, welcomes and congratulations and details of useful resources, events and webinars to keep you all inspired!
The recent significant development is that the General Synod has backed a series of measures to promote biodiversity on Church of England land - ranging from churchyards as havens of wildlife, to the stewardship of agricultural and forestry land. Among these measures is for churches to create a simple land management plan, and to record the biodiversity of their green spaces through taking part in Churches Count on Nature each year. Both those are mentioned in this newsletter.
Thank you for all you continue to do in your parish or benefice to ensure that we strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
Your Eco Church team is: the Revd David Longe, Revd Gemma Fraser, Hannah Emmrich and Barbara Bryant (members of the DofN Environment Working Group)
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Eco Church Forum – understanding & demystifying food choices
St Stephens, Rampant Horse Street, Norwich, NR2 1QP
Tuesday 7 May
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Come and join our first IN-PERSON Forum event!
The aim is to inform, equip and inspire us to think through and approach the sections of the A Rocha UK Eco Church Survey that relate to food choices. We are aware of the complexities of a global food system that ensures that most of those with the least resources (in the UK) resort to cheaper, ultra-processed food. Recent research highlighted Norfolk as actually having higher than average rates of malnutrition – mostly in our elderly population, but also in some children. There is a perception, and a reality that the LOAF principles highlighted in the A Rocha survey would be very hard to achieve by many in these lower-income communities and indeed, by many of our churches who provide food for their local communities.
The chair of our Environment Working Group, Revd David Longe will chair a panel discussion with three participants from Norfolk and Suffolk: Peter Emmrich on global food security, the Revd Leon Collyer on regenerative farming and Anna Sweeting on healthy eating on a budget. We’ll be inviting open discussion and questions. Any practical, encouraging examples you can bring to the discussion would be helpful!
We hope to be able to livestream to reach those who can’t get into Norwich.
The event will run from 6:30pm for refreshments to start at 7pm.
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| Are you coming to the event? |
| St Stephens, Rampant Horse Street, Norwich, NR2 1QP |
| 05/07/24 6:30pm - 05/07/24 8:30pm Europe/London |
| Let's talk about the complexities of food choices and share ideas. | | | |
Towards Net Zero by 2030 - A Pit Stop for Rural Churches
St Mary's Church, Wiveton, NR25 7TP
Saturday 15 June
Join us as we explore positive environmental actions for our
churches and practical steps to achieving net zero by 2030
The conference is offered FREE to all those responsible for and working towards positive environmental outcomes for their churches and wider communities. Places are limited to one hundred, so please nominate one representative from your benefice. The conference will also be live-streamed and then available online.
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NWT talks & workshops
This is a great set of four FREE talks and tours on offer from our churchyard conservation partners Norfolk Wildlife Trust. Booking essential – through Eventbrite at norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/whats-on
Making room for swifts - Wednesday 15 May, 6-7pm
Online presentation via Zoom
Managing churchyards with wildflowers in mind - Wednesday 12 June, 10.30am-12noon
Guided tour – All Saints Church, Hemblington
Caring for conservation areas in your churchyard - Monday 17 June, 10.30am-12noon
Guided tour – St Mary’s Church, Wroxham
Community Focus: A swift journey - Mon 1 July, 2.30 - 3.30pm
Guided tour – St Michaels & All Angels Church, Aylsham
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Congratulations and welcome
We've had a whole rash of new joiners and bronze and silver awards since the beginning of this year - so very encouraging!
SILVER - All Saints and St Margaret's Church, Pakefield, The Parish of Eaton Christ Church, St Peter’s, Sheringham
BRONZE - St Margaret of Antioch Church, Thorpe Market, St Peter and St Paul's Church, East Harling, St Nicholas Church, Dersingham, St Mary's Church, Wiveton, St Mary Magdalene Church, Gorleston-on-Sea, Saint Paul's Church, Newtown, Gt Yarmouth, Great Yarmouth Minster
NEWLY REGISTERED - St Mary the Virgin and St Botolph's Church, Hevingham, St James Church, Southrepps, St Michael and all Angels Church, Sutton, St Mary's Church, Antingham, All Saints Church, Great Melton, St Mary's Church, Snettisham, St Peter's Spixworth
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Crossroads Earlham shows the love | The morning and evening congregations of Crossroads St Anne's in Earlham, Norwich wore their hearts on their sleeves to #ShowTheLove for climate justice on Sunday. They planted 10 native tree [...] | | | | |
Land and Nature motion approved by General Synod | "My dream is to see churchyards as places for the living, as well as the dead." The Church of England General Synod has voted to give biodiversity equal consideration with [...] | | | | |
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Help with land management plans
As part of their Action Pack, Caring for God's Acre
offer a straightforward Five-Step Guide to Churchyard Care, outlining the process of drafting such plans. Theywill compile resources on this topic onto a single webpage in May, and will host a series of webinars in the autumn to offer in-person support and provide opportunities for discussion and questions.
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Two Yarmouth churches achieve Bronze Eco Church award | The Minster and St Paul's in Great Yarmouth recently celebrated achieving Eco Church Bronze awards. Parish Eco Rep, Paul Spychal tells us more. Caring for God's Earth and God's People [...] | | | | |
Eco lifestyle pledges at Chedgrave | One of the areas of the Eco Church survey that many of our churches can find a challenge, is the "Lifestyle" section. A silver-awarded church south of Norwich has taken [...] | | | | |
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Environment and the General Election
A General Election is due in the UK in 2024. With many important topics competing for attention, the Church of England Environment Working Group (EWG) has produced a handy guide to use help keep the environment high up on the list of issues which all political parties are concerned about. Climate change and biodiversity loss should form part of election campaigning and policy making in the new parliament. Click on the button to the left to download the guide.
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Parish litter picks aid Eco Church outreach | Two parishes in Norfolk recently completed litter picks as part of their Eco Church journeys. These practical and pastoral activities also have a visually prophetic element as these church communities step out to combat the problem of local pollution. | | | |
The triumphs and challenges of the eco journey in Reedham | Set in the beautiful marshlands of the Norfolk Broads, St John the Baptist in Reedham's small congregation is not seen as barrier to progressing on their Eco Church journey. | | | |
New bike racks for Aylsham
Aylsham Parish Church is able to tick off a couple of items on their eco church journey in terms of lifestyle and buildings by installing new bike racks, thus encouraging people to cycle to services and events in the building.
"The Church bought the bike stands and the the Town Council installed them," explains Bill Fisher. "These are known as “Sheffield Stand” are approved by national cycling organisations, so they were the obvious choice."
It seems that Tom and his daughter Gloria agree as they parked-up for the weekly Make & Take event!
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Remember to share you Eco Church journey stories with us at ecochurch@dioceseofnorwich.org You can see latest environmental stories from across the diocese by clicking below | |
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"Greener" banking?
Christian Climate Action has been running a campaign, urging organisations to drop Barclays bank, due to its ongoing funding of fossil fuels. While the Diocese cannot recommend banks, a column has been added to the bank accounts comparison table to enable PCCs to consider the CO2 rating of each bank.
Access the table here
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Sign-up for CofE Enviro programme newsletter
Lots of really useful resource information, resources and a rolling programme of webinars is mailed out monthly.
Sign up here
The Great Big Green Week
Also running 8-16 June is the UK’s biggest annual call for action on climate change and nature, organised by The Climate Coalition, of which A Rocha UK is a member. The week of action aims to show decision-makers that people from all walks of life are stepping up to take action - and that we need decision-makers to step up too. It will count towards your global & community engagement part of the awards.
Church Times Green Church Awards - nominations close in June
Nominate a project for the 2024 awards here.
The panel of judges will be looking for projects that have made a positive change in the past two years in buildings, outdoors, and in the community. A group can enter in one or more categories.
The deadline for entries is 30 June 2024. Details of shortlisted entries will be published in the Church Times during the summer. The awards ceremony will take place during Creationtide, in London. Photos and videos to accompany entries are encouraged.
Bishop Graham says:
“The Green Church Awards will help to celebrate and encourage others to notice the wide variety of great work that is being undertaken by church communities around the country to care for creation.
“As I read the Gospels, I’m struck by just how much nature is noticed by Jesus. We can join with him in seeing our lilies of the field, the trees in fruit, and the birds of the air. He also told stories to help us understand important truths.
“We, too, have stories to tell to inspire others to take action for climate change and nature recovery. Why not put forward your church eco initiative so we can celebrate our care for God’s creation?”
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Churches Count on Nature
This year's campaign runs from Sat 8 - Sun 16 June. Over the past three years 1,300 events have taken place with over 24,500 people involved. 47,555 records were submitted with 2,774 species recorded.
Registration is now open and they have a page of very useful resources
New eco webinars
Caring for God's Acre, the conservation charity for burial grounds across the UK, has announced a new round of webinars for the spring and summer, in partnership with the Church of England.
Knowing Your Ant From Your Elder, with Harriet Carty from Caring for God's Acre: Wednesday 22 May, 12noon-1pm
Planting Your Tree in the Communion Forest, with Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich: Monday 10 June, 12noon-1pm.
Your Church, Your Swifts, with Edward Mayer: Tuesday 11 June, 12 noon-1pm.
Ancient Yew Trees, with Chris Knapman and Russell Ball: Wednesday 12 June, 12noon - 1pm.
Solitary Bees with Brigit Strawbridge: Thursday 13 June, 12noon-1pm.
All webinars will be on Zoom.Visit here to find out more and register.
Season of Creation 2024
To Hope and Act with Creation is this year's theme for the season running from 1 Sep - 4 Oct. Click on the link above to sign-up for resources.
Join the A Rocha UK Eco Church online prayer forum
(9 May, 12-1pm). Connect with the wider Eco Church community to reflect, share and pray together. All are welcome, whether you are completely new to Eco Church or have been with us for some time.
Register here.
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Keep in touch with one another in between these eNewsletters and forums, by joining the conversation on the Norfolk & Waveney Eco Church Facebook group: | | | | |
