Eco Church               

Jesus said ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’.  This commands a love (which is beyond tolerance) that extends to those unknown, with the example of the story of the Good Samaritan.  Such love can be costly, involve crossing boundaries of habit and culture but to care for the planet and its resources is one way we can love our neighbour. 

Our Eco Church initiative is run under the guidelines of an organisation called A Rocha. You can discover more about them at https://arocha.org.uk/

The A ROCHA UK organisation has a scheme of detailed questions and challenges for Churches to become an Eco Church and gain an award, so we registered and participated with  a small group of us working through the questionnaire and looking at how we can make effective changes and promote such loving living in the community.

Five areas are covered:  Worship and Teaching; Buildings; Land; Community and Global; Lifestyle and it is understood that a Church that has stood for 1000 years has some constraints, but there are still some changes we can and have implemented. 

We were delighted that in 2019 we  gained a Bronze Award and in 2024 were awarded Silver!

We have introduced bird boxes and bug hotels to the Churchyard.  The Charity group has included an environmental charity of the month. We are committed to  pray for environmental issues and we have used a Bible Study course focussed on the environment in a Home Group.  

We reduced our Carbon Footprint by not switching on the heating until the 1st November, and layering up our jumpers!  We now  purchase Bio Oil for the boiler. 

We also partner with Caring for God's Acre, which supports our work to preserve the wildlife of our churchyard through grassland management along with other initiatives. 

There are many other things we can do and we will keep you updated but meantime, please love your neighbour through the Church, mindful of the origin, production and packaging of your cleaning products and food.

Support the Marden Community Eco Hub if you can.

Try ECOSIA as a search engine on your computer instead of GOOGLE. 

You can read our Marden Eco Church policy here:

Our Silver Award received in 2024.

Marden Community Eco Hub

This Group has now been set up and hopefully will be working with the church and parish council on Eco Projects that will benefit the whole community.  They don't have a website yet but please look at their Facebook Page here and find out what they are all about and how you can join in.

Follow the Hub on Facebook for hints, tips, updates and much, much more at Marden Community Eco Hub

CARBON FOOTPRINT

Do you know about your personal carbon footprint? Go to www.footprint.wwf.org.uk to take a simple survey and find out more.

ALSO ……...

We encourage each other (if fit and able to do so) to leave the car at home and walk or cycle to church every First Sunday (although please walk every Sunday if you are able and can).

To cut emissions, on other occasions, always try to carshare please! (Although we appreciate that under the current COVID-19 restrictions we are unable to give others lifts in our cars at the moment).

Can we also please encourage you all to think about your personal environmental footprints and consume Fairtrade and/or ethically produced goods where possible.

Remember all the R's !
Refuse: Anything which is single use
Reduce: Consumption of goods
Reuse: Everything!!
Refurbish: Old stuff
Repair: Before you replace
Repurpose: Be creative, reinvent
Recycle: Last option!

Try using www.ecosia.org as your 'go to' search engine 

'Search the Web to plant trees'