Seascale Methodist Church celebrates Eco-Congregation Award
Frank, Lord Judd was the guest speaker at a special service on May 18 to recognise the achievement of Seascale Methodist Church in qualifying for a national Eco-Congregation Award. Churches are given the award on the basis of their commitment to environmental care through worship, stewardship of church grounds and buildings and through work in the local and global community. The service was conducted by Rev Philip Peacock. It included a moving performance of ‘On The Eighth Day’ written by John Bell of The Iona Community, in which God is represented as looking at everything He had made, and behold, things were definitely not as good as he had left them after the first Seven Days of Creation. Also part of the service was a Christian Aid video which showed the devastating effect of climate change and environmental degradation on the world’s poorest people. The picture, taken after the Presentation Service, shows Lord Judd, Rev Philip Peacock and the Seascale Eco-Congregation Organiser Keith Bradshaw
Seascale Methodist Church Eco-Congregation – Summary of Activities
The life and worship of the Church
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Bible Study - a group has completed the Psalm bible studies by Dr John Biggs from the Eco-Congregation material.
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Energy Study Pack – a Ladies Ecumenical Group has been through the Methodist Church Energy Study Pack published in 2003.
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Special services – special Creation Care, Harvest Festival and All-age services have been arranged to involve the whole Church family, The J-Team (4-10), The K-Team (11+), The Children’s Club and The Brownies.
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The 2007 Harvest Festival took as its theme: ‘All good gifts around us – near and far’. The church was encouraged to promote fair trade at home by highlighting milk production and vegetables grown at two local farms. The work of The Farm Crisis Network was publicised and a donation sent to the FCN from the proceeds of the regular church coffee morning on Saturdays. Traidcraft was taken as an example of Fairtrade abroad.
The management of the Church buildings and grounds.
Maintaining the gardens and church surrounds
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Faithful gardening and carting for the grounds has been carried out for many years.
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The careful use of energy, including
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low-energy light bulbs
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making sure that the boiler is properly maintained
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and that the heating is on a reliable time switch
Recycling of all Church waste paper
Work with the local and global community
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An ‘eco-quiz’ was prepared for the Village Harvest Supper in October 2006.
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A village Tidy Day and Beach Clean was initiated and organised in June 2007, working with the Parish Council, the Primary School and the other churches
Encouraging environmental groups who use the premises
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The West Coast Support group of The Cumbria Wildlife Trust regularly use the premises, and church members try to attend the meetings
Acting responsibly as individuals on recycling, energy and transport matters
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Some members are involved in the local Rail Users’ Group which promotes the Cumbria Coastal Line from Millom to Whitehaven
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Some have joined the Northern Rail Station Adopters’ Scheme to take responsibility for individual stations on the local line
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Some Church members work as volunteers on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
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When the New SUSTRANS Hadrian’s Cycleway from Ravenglass to South Shields opened in July 2006, 75 cyclists on the inaugural ride called in for refreshments at Seascale Methodist Church
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A group from the church responded to the recent Government Consultation on ‘Our Energy Futures’.
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By phoning Copeland Borough Council, members try to ensure that the recycling facilities on the Village Car Park are emptied regularly. Plastic bottle recycling was introduced partly as a result of constant pressure from the community
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A plastic milk bottle top recycling scheme is to be launched on 7 December 2007, with provision in the church grounds for collection of suitable tops.
Promoting Fairtrade products
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Traidcraft and other Fairtrade products are used at all Church events where refreshments are served. A regular stall is staffed at coffee mornings and after morning services once a month. The local grocery shop stocked Fairtrade products as a result of enquiries.
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See also Harvest 2007, above.
Recent introduction of a display of relevant leaflets and brochures covering many of the aspects described above.