Latest training / events

Webinar briefing on Routemap to Net Zero by 2030: 12 noon 30 August 2022/ 4pm 5 September 2022 / 12 noon 6 September 2022 click on date for full details.

This webinar will give an overview of the Routemap, what it contains, and what it means.

The webinar is open to all, and will be particularly useful for those in diocesan roles involved in some way in implementing net-zero carbon in their area.  

Speaker: Denise Rowley, Net Zero Carbon Planning Officer, Church of England

Green Christian Events: 

3 September 2022 9.30-3.30 On the Road Together, at Dronfield Baptist Church, cost voluntary donations, plus bring and share lunch. Click here for full details, programme and public transport links.

Building Back greener: Green Christians Annual meeting

7-8 Oct 2022, hybrid events, and in person in Birmingham. Bursary available in some circumstances: apply.

Climate intercessors monthly Zoom is on the second Tuesday of the month at 1pm or 8pm. It is a well managed international prayer gathering with items of focus both well researched and with continuity. For a useful space to listen, thank God and interceed on these issues it is highly recommended. It is also a valued antidote to being overwhelmed or grieving the impact of humans on the planet. there is also a monthly update to direct your prayers see Prayer Resources & Guides — Climate Intercessors.

click here to find out more Climate Intercessors

Season of Creation

The Great Big Green Week (24 Sep -2 Oct 2022)

Great Big Green Week is a nationwide celebration of action on climate change, taking place across the UK from Saturday, 24 September - Sunday, 2 October 2022.
It falls during the Church's Season of Creation (and Climate Sunday), giving Christian groups the perfect opportunity to join in.

In 2021, more than 5,000 events took place and over 200,000 people took part.

Local News: Eco Church newsletter

Local events

Gaia Exhibition at Derby Cathedral 22 Sep 2022- 16 October 2022 Gaia at Derby Cathedral | Derby Cathedral

Bookings: Gaia | Derby Cathedral.

Subscribe to the Church of England Environment bulletin for the latest offer nationally including virtual training courses. 

It includes training opportunities and is recommended for Eco Churches and parishes working to net zero.

Citizen Science: Churches Count on Nature

Catch up on the recent Webinars on Land and Nature for Churches Count on Nature 

Operation Noah: 

Operation Noah: News Expanding the Bright Now Campaign. 

Environmental Fundraising - webinar recordings can be viewed here.

See Funding - Parish ResourcesParish Resources and/or  Diocesan advice.

Recommended publications

• “There is no Planet B” and “How bad are bananas?” by Mike Berners Lee 
• “Wilding” by Isabella Tree – about nature and rewilding in general and the Knepp Estate (West Sussex) in particular
• “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World” by Katharine Hayhoe 
• “A Christian Guide to Environmental Issues” by Martin J Hodson and Margot R Hodson

Grove Booklets

• Grace Thomas, DEO for Manchester, “Climate Action as Mission: How to Link the Gospel with Safeguarding Creation”
• Rachel Mash, Green Anglicans, “Renewing the Life of the Earth: Christian Discipleship and Environmental Action”
• Policy interest Watch the Climate Assembly UK documentary on BBC iPlayer | involve.org.uk

IPCC report Feb 2022 shows climate change is hitting wildlife hard. 

IPCC report published (Aug 2021) shows 

• It is unequivocal that human behaviour is changing the climate
• The impacts of climate change are already being felt in every region across the globe (temperate regions are not safe)
• The impacts of climate change will continue to get worse until we stop burning fossil fuel
• The longer we leave it to make change, the worse the impacts will be

Summary for Policymakers and comment from Bishop Graham.

Eco Church case studies and webinars from the CofE.

Eco Church

40 parishes in this Diocese have registered as Eco Churches. 11 have achieved awards. 14 Dioceses have achieved Bronze Eco Diocese awards.
To contact a local church engaging or find volunteering opportunities contact or go to find a church.

There is a bitesize introductory course on Becoming an Eco church (community section) and a resource sheet for parishes.

The Eco Church website has a resources page - everything from measuring your carbon footprint, or being wildlife friendly to different types of recyclable cup available.

Please contact us when you register your parish so we can keep in touch with your news and share training and new resources. If you have been on the journey for sometime, please give the best email contact for your parish or benefice.

Buildings advice 

Historic England guidance and webinar programme

SPAB - Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings

Advice in this Diocese is from DAC

Carbon footprint 

• Church of England churches - Energy Footprint Tool  This tool will reopen in 2023
• Any church - 360Carbon - includes energy, transport, food, procurement, and more
• National report on the findings of the Energy Footprint Tool 

Transport 

Useful carbon footprint transport calculator from Climate Stewards - it allows you to compare journeys.

The Environment Working Group are looking car charging points currently so advice will be forthcoming.

OZEV - grants for EV car charging posts.

EV charging posts Zap Map.
(note - church webinar programme above includes a webinar on EV car charging). 

Simply car share journeys, use of public transport and active travel are ways to act more sustainably too.

Sustainable preaching and Service resources

A new resource combining the benefits of previous resources with preaching notes and ideas for every Sunday in the lectionary.

https://preachingforgodsworld.org/

If you decide to hold an outdoor service see the Church of England advice and related resources. 
Ask your Pioneer minister about Forest Church or Muddy Church.

Resources 

Churches could do more on climate change. 
Tearfund report with young Christians: only 1:10 young people say churches are acting as they should.
Two thirds of young people had never heard a Sunday sermon on the issue.
>> Tearfund campaigns information.

Worship and music 

Many resources have been compiled for Season of Creation /Climate Sunday and by Christian Concern for One World Dates for 2022: 1 Sept- 4 Oct 2022. It links with Great Big Green Week. 

Outdoor worship guidance page  

Creation-themed liturgy A Time for Creation

Liturgy for the Agricultural Year

Doxecology by Resound worship

Bishop Olivia of Reading’s theological reflections (+Olivia chairs the Oxford net zero taskforce)

A Rocha International - YouTube channel - search for Dave Bookless New Wine talks NL 2020 

Land and nature

Land and nature webinar programme - A great place to start, with lots of videos offering practical advice on a wide range of topics from bats to biodiversity, trees to Forest Church, and managing your grass. (You can also find them as a single YouTube playlist here.) 

CofE Biodiversity page and Trees page 

Botanical Companion which has a list of the species most often found in churchyards:

Caring for God’s Acre free resources

Grass cutting advice sheet  

Minifilms  

information sheet on the Five Steps for good churchard management 

Bats in Churches project . 

Study resources 

 Saying Yes to Life Ruth Valerio, written as a lent course - useful stand alone chapters for novice and engaged Christian. Highly readable. Available as a book and as a e-read. Second hand as little as £2.50.

Tenants of the King, a 4 part study (downlaodable for a donation ) looking at what the Bible has to say about climate change, from Operation Noah. Worth looking at purely for answers to common questions pages 22-25. Paper copies were offered at clergy Conference 2018 so ask around and it was recommended by those who used it.

Dave Bookless Planetwise and God doesn't do waste. The study series for planetwise. Dave was a founder of A Rocha Uk which gave rise to Eco church.

Mission and Creation Care for disciples, John Ray Institute.

Faith in a Changing Climate USPG downloadable study resource with case studies from across the Anglican Communion. It includes a very helpful page on Climate Change FAQs 

Bible study based on Cherishing the Earth (2008) Margot and Martin Hodson- six week course. A blend of science and theology.

Let there be stuff...? Course of 6 sessions aimed at teenagers/ young adults.

7 weeks detox from consumerism. Based on Consumer Detox by Mark Powley, St Georges, Leeds.

Christian Aid Theology of Climate Change.

Church Mission Society study resource 'The Possible world'.

Plenty from Joy in Enough (Green Christian) offer a study and a challenge to rethink our economy,  acknowledge our complicity in consumerism and climate change.

Range of resources from A Rocha including one based on Jesus and the earth, James Jones (2003).

Caring for Creation and Living in Hope York Courses. 

Nature Connection

 All age service from Sarah Brown sign up for her newsletter email.

Resources from Christian Climate Action 

Derbyshire Churches Environment Network service outline aimed at use in small social distanced groups in the outdoors.

Climate is highly political, some global multinationals have alot to loose. So Climate Denial hasn't gone away – here's how to spot arguments for delaying climate action. New research exposes the common tropes of bad faith arguments about climate change. Read more in The Conversation UK

Frameworks for individual / household action 

• Creation Care, a framework for households which congregations can follow together
• Count us in - 16 high impact steps which individuals can take to cut carbon
• WWF Footprint Calculator - simple footprint tool, and an informative process

Frameworks for schools and youth 

• For schools: resources from Let’s Go Zero, Eco Schools, Christian Aid, and PECT
• For youth engagement: resources from Tearfund, Christian Aid, and ACEN
• The CofE net zero carbon schools webinars
• Letters for Creation, and joint project with Christian Aid. Resources include an assembly, lesson plans, and resources to help produce creative letters and art.

Funding 

• Watch the recordings of CofE webinars on environmental fundraising for environmental projects 
• CofE grants funding guide from Parish Resources
• And a suite for “how to” guides from Parish Resources.
• Community Energy England funding opportunities
• For local grants, find out whether you have a local CVS (Council for Voluntary Services).  If so, they generally have a free searchable grants directory. Also contact the sustainability or community engagement officer at your local authority  or in the DM+M team and at webpage.

News archive 

Green Christian magazine is freely available online. 

List of councils who have declared a Climate Emergency.

Other resources

Repair Cafe helps reduce waste through mending items that might otherwise be discarded. Please note there are conditions to using the name and logo.
There may be one nearby you can access - in New Mills, Eyam, Chesterfield.

Refil app. If your church has a publicly available tap which people could use to refil drinking bottles (and reduce waste) you can add it to this scheme.

LiftShare UK.

For the keen cyclist - the cathedral cycle route challenge

Plant Lock bike rack - as one example of what is possible where there is no local scheme available.

B-Lines - Buglife 

Misc Training

• The CRES (Christian Rural & Environmental Studies) courses 
• Scythe Association to find trainers in scything 

Climate Resilience

• The Climate Resilient Church landing page

Forest Church

• Forest Church Grove Booklet - a good place to start if you want to know about Forest Church
• Forest Church facebook group
• Wild church page 

Food in the Anthropocene, how changes in diet could feed the planets population.

Living the change

Frack Free Barlborough talk with Dr Ian Fairlie, international toxicologist talking about radon risk in Fracking. For Powerpoint slides email.

Sustainable Heating and Lighting conference [Powering Gods Northern Powerhouse Dec 2018] resources to download.