First Steps – Towards a Sustainable Church
Step 1 – A – is for Assess
Where are you on your Creation Care journey?
- Are you just beginning to learn about environmental issues?
- Or are you already well-involved?
- Or somewhere in between.
Step 2 – B – is for Balance
Balancing your resources, or weighing up your options, is really another part of assessing, but it takes it a stage further.
- Weigh up what you want to do.
- What you’re interested in.
- How much time you have available.
Step 3 – C – is for Communicate or Chat
Maybe chat is better than communicate. Communicate sounds rather formal, whereas chatting with people is more likely to convey your enthusiasm and interest!
- Do you know anybody else in your church who’s interested and concerned?
- Have you spoken to your vicar?
- Speak to family and friends, inside or outside the church, to share your interest and concerns.
- Is there an opportunity to speak to people on the PCC? Are they interested?
Step 4 – D – is for Do!
Finding things out and talking to others only gets you so far. What can you realistically begin to put into action? There are lots of things that can be done, often not very time consuming.
- Learn: there are lots of great videos and web resources about all aspects of Creation Care. Look at the Tools & Resources page as a start.
- Form a team if there are several of you interested.
- Sign up to receive information.
- Consider training: The Winchester Diocese Bishop’s Commission for Mission (BCM) Creation Care course will really help you on your journey. Contact Wendy Atkinson for information.
Step 5 – E – is for Expand Your Ideas!
Environmental issues, climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution and so on are such big issues that we can feel daunted and overwhelmed. But there is a lot that can be done, and God is bigger than us all and will help us along the way.
- Be adventurous and step outside your comfort zone as much as you can.
- Imagine what you can do to help care for God’s creation.
- Start small with what you know you can do, then take bigger, more adventurous steps of faith.
Step 6 – F – is for Faith, Friends & Family
Your faith in God is the bedrock, but you’ll find friends, some old and some new, as you get involved. You may well find family members are already active in Creation Care.
- Faith gives you courage and confidence to try something new.
- Family and Friends are those you meet on the way, who will help and encourage you.