St Peter & St Paul, Temple Ewell, is a small, rural church located near to Dover in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It first registered for the Eco Church scheme in April 2021 and has recently received a Silver Eco Church award.
Encouraged by the Diocese Bold Outcomes and Mission Learning Community the church has undertaken a wide range of initiatives to support creation care in a rural context. They have focused on efforts to support biodiversity and hospitality in their churchyard, allowing areas of grass to grow longer and wildflowers to flourish, providing safe habitats for all sorts of creatures and using Noticeboards and QR codes so that people can learn more about wildlife and biodiversity. They have built networks with the local community and CofE school, held regular Eco-Quest Services for the children, Pop-up-Café’s in the churchyard, lunches with guest speakers and encouraged the local community and wildlife to share a safe space of wellbeing that people will love, and in which they can flourish and pray.
Revd Ian Parrish commented on their achievement: “We are delighted to have achieved the Silver Eco Church award and find the Eco Church framework and Missional Learning Community’s process of engaging with mission such a helpful resource for informing our mission to care for creation and in noticing and naming God’s activity.
"None of this is possible without the collaboration of volunteers in the congregation and community and support of the diocese."
Canterbury Diocese is registered as an Eco Diocese and encourages churches to engage with the Eco Church programme.
Eco Church is an environmental award scheme for churches, and is run by the Christian charity A Rocha UK, which works to care for our natural world.
It provides a framework for churches to respond to God’s mandate to care for creation.
Read more about Eco Church in our diocese.