Lifestyle: Church/Group

Living Lightly as a Church/Church Group

Want to know more or see what others have done?

View the 'Living Lightly' power-point (Living Lightly Home Page)

See the Stories of other churches

Include climate change issues, Environmental Care and 'Sustainable' Lifestyles in all aspects of your Church life.

Worship and prayer Prayer Corner

Childrens’ and Youth work

Church Premises. Read the many action stories from various churches.
Environmentally friendly graveyard/outside area Read the action stories.
Financial management of your church, etc.

Christian Environment Link (CEL) provides inspiration, ideas and stories from other churches already involved in the following:

Recycling, Buying recycled computer equipment, Food purchasing, Ethical Purchasing, Fairtrade, Low Energy Lighting, Transport, Water Efficiency, A Rocha Climate Stewards, Fairtrade vending, Ethical investment, etc.

Do an environmental check of your church and undertake measures to reduce the carbon footprint of your church property and way of being, using.
Eco Congregations: a comprehensive programme which includes an eco check/audit.
Christian Ecology Link: An Environmental Audit for Churches: This is a 2 page booklet covering: purchasing, cleaning, worship and education, community involvement, environmental projects, political pressure and the wider community.
The Cool Church Toolkit: This 3 page toolkit includes how to calculate your church carbon emissions, ideas for appointing an energy manager and a sample church action plan.

See also other: Church and Eco Action Packs:

The CoolChurch Toolkit: This 3 page toolkit includes how to calculate your church carbon emissions, ideas for appointing an energy manager and a sample church action plan.

Christian Ecology: This is a 2 page booklet covering: purchasing, cleaning, worship and education, community involvement, environmental projects, political pressure and the wider community.

EcoCongregations Toolkit: This kit is more comprehensive and has 12 modules. It starts with a ‘church check up’ of what the church is doing to care for creation and helps churches agree their own action plans. eco graveyard

A Rocha Environment Resources for individuals, groups and churches. Are you hard-pressed for time, but want to arrange a church service? Are you looking for home-group bible studies? Or maybe you want an inspiring audio-visual for outreach ?

Shrinking the Footprint (Church of England)

'Don't Stop at the Lights': Practical Action for Congregations 'Living more Lightly'
This is a new guide providing ideas for a year long programme of practical action to reduce congregations' carbon footprints. It inspires churches to become beacons in their community, offering case studies linked to the Church’s year. C of E publishing £14.99

'Living Lightly' an A Rocha UK initiative that provides ideas of practical changes you can make, further information on key issues, links to useful websites and resources, and an on-line community that you can share your thoughts and questions with.

Become an Eco Congregation

Work towards more extensive change. The comprehensive Eco CongregationToolkit has 12 modules. It starts with a ‘church check up’ of what the church is doing to care for creation and helps churches agree their own action plans. You could even consider going for an ‘Eco Congregation Award’. Read about how Seascale Methodist Church became the 1st church in Cumbria to achieve this award. See Also Hawkshead Hill Baptist Church story.

Personal Lifestyle Issues:

Encourage all church members to reduce their personal carbon footprint. This is your own personal measure of how much carbon dioxide you create and how much you contribute to climate change. See Eco Congregations Module 10 which provides easy and accessible suggestions; use a display in church for this purpose or show a Powerpoint presentation or DVD.

Other Resources, Ideas and Suggestions:

Drama, Quizzes: Use a drama or quiz in services and other church events to focus on the issue of climate change in a fresh and challenging way: See an intriguing poster: ‘A Conversation between Global North and South’ and other ideas:

Show a DVD or powerpoint display to the church , youth group or community event

Arrange car shares to church and encourage those in good health to walk, cycle or use public transport where possible.

Tell others about the issues through community outreach events, linking local and global issues and raising awareness of climate change action.

You could be involved with recycling: computers, hearing aids, mobile phones, printer cartridges, s pectacles, stamps, tools, etc.

Include a ‘green page’ of climate change/eco action ideas in your Church or Parish Magazine/newsletter/email letter or website.

See articles you can insert into your parish magazine.

Tell Others! Share your story on our 'Stories' page. See what else is going on! Exchange ideas with other churches and communities in the North West.

Find out about other groups in Cumbria and what they are doing.