Eco Directory

Prayer and Worship 

Sustainable Preaching ideas on how to preaching a sustainable message using the lectionary readings 

A Missional Theology of Creation Care article by Dave Bookless A Rocha International

Prayers for World Environment Day

Creationtide

Prayers for the agricultural year 

Updated version of "All things Bright and Beautiful"

All creatures of our God & King set to music with lovely photos of mostly birds and some animals

Small Group Materials

Tearfund Christianity & Climate Change is a new and free course with videos by Katharine Hayhoe

JRI A Christian Look at the Environment set of 5 Bibles Studies updated by Rich Clarkson 2023

Operation Noah Tenants of The King

Ruth Valerio’s book Saying yes to Life -Archbishops Lent 2020 book

Lausanne Movement: Creation Care course part of their global classroom – excellent set of videos with world-leading experts and support materials for individuals or groups.

The updated study course Tenants of the King, introduced here by Ruth Valerio:  Updated Bible study guide on the environment (ctbi.org.uk) and campaigning resources for events looking forward to COP28 in November.

Worship and music

Many resources have been compiled by Climate Sunday and by Christian Concern for One World

Creation-themed liturgy A Time for Creation

Liturgy for the Agricultural Year

Doxecology by Resound worship

Sermon resources at Sustainable Preaching and Greening the Lectionary

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

Outside Worship & Biodiversity

Outdoor worship guidance page 

Worship in the Woods resource pack for outside worship by Engage Worship

State of Nature report 2019 a one-page summary info-graphic, the report for England & the full report

Bio-diversity advice from CoE

Caring for Gods Acre resource pack

Bats in Churches project

Children's Gods Acre activity pack

Faiths for Forests 

CofE Biodiversity page

Planning Resources

Framework for church action

The climate emergency toolkit contains links to many other resources

Frameworks for individual / household action

Creation Care, an excellent framework for households & lifestyle which congregations can follow together

Count us in - 16 high impact steps which individuals can take to cut carbon

WWF Footprint Calculator - pretty 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

Young People, The Church and Climate Change (Burning the house down)

Powerful video plea from young people – 4 mins

Research Report by Tearfund and Youthscape

Huge mass of resources focused on those for young people

Eco Church

Eco Church designed to be a tool for the journey – how to use it as such

Eco Church, plus their resources, plus Eco Church case studies and webinars from the CofE.

Eco Dioceses page on A Rocha website and on CofE website

A Rocha conferences on Eco Church and wider creation care

Ethical Investment

Church Commissioners

Church Pensions Board

CCLA (including article on CCLA fund goes fossil fuel free)

Transport

Useful carbon footprint calculator from Climate Stewards

LiftShare UK helps people find lift and shares

OZEV - grants for EV car charging posts

EV charging posts Zap Map

(Note: the church webinar programme - above - includes a webinar on EV car charging.)

For the keen cyclist - the cathedral cycle route challenge

Buildings

Buildings advice

Historic England guidance and webinar programme

SPAB - Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings

For CofE churches, your DAC

Find a Building Services Engineer, e.g. for heating guidance, from the CIBSE Directory

Find an accredited installer for solar panels

Carbon footprint

CofE churches required to complete each year to report basic carbon footprint - Energy Footprint Tool

Churches wanting a more sophisticated carbon footprint - 360Carbon - includes energy, transport, food, procurement, and more

Funding

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 grants directory. Also contact the sustainability or community engagement officer at your local authority

Two CofE webinars on ‘green’ fundraising for environmental projects are coming up in September

Small grants to take part in Great Big Green Week (September 18-26) with the Climate Coalition

Land and nature

Churches Count on Nature nature survey of your churchyard each June

Living Churchyards – schemes with Dorset Wildlife Trust and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust

Caring for God’s Acre free resources - including starter pack which they can post you

CofE Trees page

Find your local Wildlife Trust, who are often very open to joint working to support community action

Wild About Gardens scroll down for booklets on different species and on ponds

Find your Local Environmental Records Centre for help with species identification and recording

Church of England Environment Programme

Landing page

Newsletter sign up

Net Zero

The CofE net zero carbon church landing page

The CofE practical path to net zero - including links to a two-page summary guidance note and a self-guided checklist any church can use

Video on how to complete the EFT (for 2022)

Case studies

Webinars - including heating, lighting, solar panels, EV car charging, and more

Heating – including new case studies

Energy efficiency – created by the DEO Energy Group

Conference video of Matt Fulford talking about St Michael and all Angles, Britain’s first Net Zero Carbon church

Video on the Results from the church energy audits

Journey to Net Zero - introduction to net zero from the The Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) (Baptists, Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church)

Church of England Declaration by General Synod in February and Update paper to General Synod - the final net zero definition is attached to this as an appendix

Further Resources

Climate Change – the Facts David Attenborough (BBC) one hour video here

Hope for the Future - for engaging with your politicians

The most important thing you can do about climate change is talk about it – video by Katharine Hayhoe

Katharine Hayhoe, a world leading climate communicator, on how to talk about climate

Project DrawDown, an excellent overview of climate issues and workable climate solutions

Climate Outreach “Communicating climate change in a crisis” – scroll down to find the video

Has your council declared a climate emergency? Search the listings of climate emergency declarations here and find their climate plans here.

Climate Outreach “how to have a climate change conversation

Video from Justice conference – Letter to my Grandchildren    very moving, 6 minutes

Climate change & biodiversity & action required explained by Royal Society

Partners, networks, and useful organisations to know about

Climate Stewards for carbon offsetting 

Historic England "Energy efficiency and historic buildings" (scroll for range of different guidance notes) 

Hope for the Future free training on lobbying

Christian Aid campaign toolkit 

A Rocha UK

Green Christian

Faith for the Climate

Operation Noah

Christian Climate Action

Anglican Alliance  

Tearfund Re-boot campaign

The Climate Coalition Declaration

Blogs to follow

David Bookless

Ruth Valerio