ECO churches within the diocese of Guildford have been celebrated at a special event to mark World Earth Day, on Tuesday.
The diocese has five Gold Eco Churches, awarded by the Christian environmental charity A Rocha UK — the very best amongst all Church of England dioceses. Two-thirds of all churches in Guildford diocese have signed as much as the Eco Church scheme, 105 of which have received an award for his or her environmental work, either bronze, silver, or gold.
A celebration was held within the orchard of All Saints’, Guildford, over the Easter weekend, at which awards were presented for various community projects. The orchard accommodates roughly 150 hedge saplings and ten fruit trees, restored to develop natural habitats for local plant- and wildlife.
Representatives of the five Gold Eco Churches — across urban, suburban, village, and rural areas — spoke on the event about various projects designed to scale back waste, encourage biodiversity, switch to green electricity. In some cases, congregations have chosen to not serve meat at church events.
Lucy, aged ten, who attends All Saints’, Ockham, said that she had “taken a stand” by encouraging her church to stop using disposable cups when offering hospitality. She is encouraging the community to make other small changes of their every day lives, akin to not running the faucet while brushing their teeth, to avoid wasting on water.
The Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Revd Andrew Watson, said that talking to fellow bishops from the Global South was a reminder of the urgency of the climate crisis.
