{"id":1778,"date":"2025-04-03T08:25:20","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T08:25:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urc.org.uk\/?p=57144"},"modified":"2025-04-03T08:25:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T08:25:20","slug":"two-synods-raise-tally-of-bronze-eco-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/?p=1778","title":{"rendered":"Two Synods raise tally of Bronze eco awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

Southern and Thames North Synod\u2019s efforts to tackle climate change have each gained a Bronze Eco Synod award from A Rocha UK. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Southern is now the sixth across the URC to reach Bronze status and Thames North becomes the seventh.<\/p>\n

Ian Moore, Green Apostle for Southern who also serves as a trustee forA Rocha UK, explained some of the steps his synod took to gain the Bronze award: \u201cWe\u2019ve done lots of work over the years, for example putting the synod\u2019s financial investments with Epworth (a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on investing for both people and planet). We\u2019ve updated our manse policy that puts the goal of energy performance certificates at C or better for all manses, and of course lots of local churches have carried out their own work.\u201d<\/p>\n

One such church is Oxted URC which gained Silver Eco Church Award in January for taking steps such as launching a 60-step plan<\/a><\/strong> that people can take towards a more sustainable future which has been circulated widely within the church and its community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I see in the most engaged churches, like Oxted, is how caring for God\u2019s creation has become a natural part of how the whole church lives,\u201d continued Ian.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love how enthusiastic people become, often as much about the smallest touches like Toilet Twinning as about the big projects like solar panels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Currently 30% of local churches within Southern Synod have joined A Rocha UK\u2019s Eco Church award scheme.<\/p>\n

Thames North Synod was praised by A Rocha UK for its work towards championing the environment \u2013 from annual Green Days which in 2024 had a nature focus, to a comprehensive environment policy which includes references to net zero, protecting and encouraging biodiversity, and engaging and supporting young people about the climate and nature crises, and an eco-fund to support local churches. Out of the synod\u2019s 105 churches, 54 are registered with the scheme and 27 have received an award: 20 bronze and seven silver.<\/p>\n

Roo Stewart, URC Head of Public Issues, said: \u201cThe successes of both synods have undoubtedly been through the work of the Synod officers, local churches receiving Eco Church awards. Also, a run of brilliant Green Apostles like Alex Mabbs, Nadene Snyman, David Pickering, Ian Moore, Terry Hinks, Maggie Hindley and a vibrant Thames North Green Team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis new award means that we now have seven synods within the URC that have received a Bronze Synod Award, and we are hoping that all of our synods will reach Bronze Award level very soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

The National Synod of Scotland is part of Eco-Congregation, which operates differently.<\/p>\n

Youth Assembly and its Executive also received a commendation from A Rocha UK<\/strong><\/a> in 2022 in recognition of the leadership that it has shown in encouraging the whole church to act swiftly to develop how it cares for the environment.<\/p>\n

Congregations that would like to know more about greening their church or  joining Eco Church (in England and Wales) or Eco-Congregation (in Scotland) can find out more information at urc.org.uk\/greenerchurch<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Southern and Thames North Synod\u2019s efforts to tackle climate change have each gained a Bronze Eco Synod award from A Rocha UK. Southern is now the sixth across the URC to reach Bronze status and Thames North becomes the seventh. … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1779,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[10],"class_list":["post-1778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-urc-news","tag-urc"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t