Dear MK Eco Church Network friends
As the daylight hours are getting longer, the prospect of Spring gets ever closer! You may be interested in the prayers about Spring on this website: https://www.faithandworship.
This February Update contains information about a range of issues, events and opportunities that hopefully will be of interest to you and others working on care for creation and climate justice.
An Eco Fair is being organised on Saturday 1st March between 2.00 – 5.00pm by churches in the Newport Pagnell Deanery and will be held in the Haversham Social Centre, MK19 7AN. The Centre is part of Haversham Village School. The MK Eco Church Network will have a table at the Fair, which will include a wide range of stalls about: ‘Reduce, Repair, Reuse and Recycle.
Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill update: As you probably know, at the second reading on 24 January the Climate and Nature Bill’s progress to committee stage was blocked and it was adjourned to Friday 11 July. However, it has caught the attention of government ministers, and some have spoken about exploring binding commitments that would make a meaningful difference for climate and nature. Wider support amongst MPs is still needed and more information will be provided closer to the time.
Creation Care Lent Resources for 2025
- The Whole Easter Story: Why the Cross is Good News for All Creation from A Rocha International is a new 40-day devotional Lent book by Jo Swinney. You can also join an online Lent book club with Jo Swinney and Jo Herbert-James on Wednesdays from 5 March to 9 April from 8 to 9pm. Book a place.
- Act on Poverty is Christian Aid’s six-week course and has been refreshed for 2025.
- Living Hope from the Church of England includes some inspiring stories from young environmental champions across the country.
- Climate Justice and Discipleship - a contemplative journey into action is the Diocese of London’s online Lent course on Tuesday evenings.
- The Church House Bookshop winter sale includes a few environmental books such as Words for a Dying World, Renewing the Face of the Earth, Live Simply and Care for Creation.
- Green Christian Lent 2025: https://greenchristian.org.uk/
lent-2025/
Ethical banking Lent action: Christian Climate Action are planning a campaign targeting dioceses and cathedrals that don’t currently bank with ethical providers. Ethical banking is one important way we can make a positive change and take action. If you or your church want support to switch banks, these resources might be helpful. As a diocese, we have had conversations with ethical banks, but they currently do not provide either the triple A rating or the complex range of services that we require. However, a few have indicated these services will be coming soon so we are waiting for this before we can move forward.
- Having a joined-up plan for land use across the country is invaluable. The government have opened a consultation on a Land Use Framework, open until Friday 25 April.
- At a local level, the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Local Nature Recovery Strategy Public Consultation is also open from now until Monday 24 March. Have your say on the statement of biodiversity priorities and a local habitat map.
- The Green Heart of Mission: A webinar from A Rocha UK on 11 March that may also be of interest: The Green Heart of Mission.
- Heat pumps in historic buildings: Addressing myths and misconceptions on Tuesday 11 March 1-2pm online. Historic England engineers will share practical advice, real-world experience, and case studies on heat pump technology. Details and registration.
- Our net zero journey so far. Tuesday 6 May 1-2pm online. Hear from several Diocese of Oxford churches that have made significant progress towards net zero carbon – the consultants they have used, pitfalls and opportunities they have discovered, challenges they have overcome and solutions they are finding. All welcome, register to join.
A Rocha Monthly Eco Tips: A Rocha UK have shared a 2025 calendar of monthly eco tips that can be helpful to put in church newsletters.
Fairtrade: A webinar was recently organised by the Oxford Diocese Greenshoots Network, and the recording of Maranda St John Nicolle’s informative presentation is on the Eco Hub and Christian Concern for One World (CCOW) also have a helpful Church Guide to Fairtrade. As you’ll appreciate, using and encouraging the use of Fairtrade products is part of the Eco Church Framework. Fairtrade Fortnight will be organised in September and there’s also the Big Brew in March, and of course Fairtrade promotion doesn’t have to be restricted to these times!
The next MK Eco Church Network meeting will be held at Queensway Methodist Church in Bletchley Saturday 5th April 2025 between 10.00am – 12.30pm. I hope you all have our next MK Eco Church Network meeting in your diaries. The first half of the meeting will focus sharing lessons about our Eco Church journeys, under the guidance of the Eco Church Group at Queensway. The second part of the meeting will include a presentation and discussions about opportunities for reducing, reusing, repairing and recycling.
Please do share this email with other people who may be interested in the issues covered.
Thanks and warm wishes,
Stuart Kean
MK Eco Church Convenor