Seven churches from three deaneries came together at Holy Trinity Minchinhampton on 2 March for an Eco Church gathering, sharing ideas, prayer, and practical action to care for God’s creation. Organised by Jennie South, Environmental Ambassador for Stroud Deanery, the event drew 21 participants from Stroud, Cirencester, and Wotton deaneries, including ecumenical representation from Stonehouse Methodists.
After opening with prayer, each church shared how they are putting care for creation into practice, speaking about the progress they have made and the challenges still ahead.
Several churches are working towards or building on Eco Church awards, including the hosts in Minchinhampton who noted that their church has achieved a Silver Eco Church Award – although, under the new criteria, further progress would be needed to retain it.
At Wotton-under-Edge, an Eco group has been reporting to the PCC since 2017 and the church is now close to achieving their Silver Award. Meanwhile, at Stonehouse Methodist, a congregation of around 24 celebrated achieving Gold in October 2024. They shared how their journey has included simple acts of community hospitality alongside their environmental work, including offering coffee to passers-by on Monday mornings.
Other churches shared how environmental thinking is gradually becoming embedded in church life. In Tetbury, PCC committees are encouraged to include eco considerations in their discussions and decisions. Fairford described how an Eco group, launched in 2022, has grown into a thriving team that includes people who are not regular churchgoers. At Moreton Valence, a small rural church, environmental action is promoted by a small group, despite the challenges posed by developments along the A38.
Sharing practical ideas proved to be one of the most energising parts of the morning. Churches swapped suggestions for making churchyards richer habitats for wildlife, from installing swift and bird boxes to organising bug hunts for families. Others spoke about creating nature trails, planting trees, and using display boards to explain why some areas of churchyards are left uncut to encourage biodiversity. One parish even used a drone survey to map its churchyard and develop a clearer mowing plan.
Environmental care in worship and church life was also part of the discussion. Participants explored the growing movement for sustainable church flowers, reducing plastic on graves, and tools such as carbon footprint surveys to help congregations reflect on their lifestyle choices. Stonehouse Methodist shared insights from their lifestyle survey, noting the importance of patience when moving from Silver to Gold. Tetbury promoted the upcoming ‘Letters from the Global South’ exhibition, and Minchinhampton stressed the importance of sharing environmental messages widely.
The gathering closed with prayer in the churchyard. One attendee said, “It really was the most fabulous morning, and I came away buzzing with new ideas.” Another said, “It was fantastic to have seven churches involved and sharing thoughts and praying together; really energising,” while a third noted, “It was great to hear from so many enthusiastic people with Creation care high on the agenda at the different churches, large and small.”
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