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Resources for Churches

Resources relating to environmental issues for use in churches comprise several types:

Theological materials – which help us to understand what scripture says about how God intends humans to relate to the rest of creation, and the principles which can be applied to the challenges of climate change and resource depletion.

Worship materials – hymns, prayers and reflections to use in services and small group studies.

Resources devoted to carbon or ecological footprint measurement and reduction, specifically tailored to the needs of churches and their congregations.

Here are some sources of materials which may be of use:

 

Eco-congregation, an A Rocha UK project, is a tool to help churches begin to address environmental issues in all that they do. It is suitable for all kinds of churches to use.  Their website encourages churches to use the resources provided to look at three main areas of church life:

• spiritual: worship and teaching (this might include services, preaching, work with children and young people, small groups)
• practical: things to do with buildings, land and church management
• mission: reaching out to the local and/or global community.

View the website here.

 

Hope in God’s Future

An excellent resource, published in 2009, which addresses the subject of climate change and the Christian response to it, is Hope in God’s Future subtitled Christian Discipleship in the context of Climate Change.  

The first section of this comprises a report which was produced by a working group on climate change and theology convened by the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. 

The second section consists of a study guide with reflections, sample group sessions, prayers and a list of follow-up resources, which have been added to help people engage with the subject.

The resource can be downloaded here.

 

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland produces resources each year designed to be used at Creation Time, which in 2011 runs from 1^st September to 4^th October.     

The resources can be downloaded here.

 

A Rocha, the Christian environmental and nature conservation movement, produces resources for use at harvest time in worship services or in small groups, and their website also lists a selection of books on environmental topics written from a Christian perspective.  View the website here.

 

Sermon ideas, biblical reflections and notes can be found on the Church resources page of Operation Noah’s website here.

 

The Methodist Church has created a section on their website devoted to assisting churches of all sizes to reduce their carbon footprint.  

There is a comprehensive list of ideas to consider and links are provided to case studies which demonstrate what churches have achieved. View the website here.