Dear MK Eco Church friends,
Here is the May 2025 MK Eco Church Network Update with news about a lot of interesting events, webinars, advocacy opportunities and a treasure trove of funding opportunities! There’s also a reminder for Church of England churches to complete the Energy Footprint Tool by 30th June!
Please share this Update with other people who may be interested.
Thanks and best wishes,
Stuart Kean
MK Eco Church Convenor
Starting Small: Creation Care for Beginners, 21st May at 3.30pm Visitor Centre at Christ Church Oxford, hosted by Archdeacon Jonathan. This will be an event on for churches that aren’t yet engaging with eco church but might be interested in getting started. The event will be event will followed by Evensong in the Cathedral for those that wish to join. To register please click this link: 21 May creation care for beginners,
Caring for Creation: From Passion to Action, a day-long meeting on Saturday 24th May 2025 from 10.00am – 4.00pm at Ripon College Cuddesdon, near Oxford. Speakers include Rev. Dr. Mike Perry (Bishop of Salisbury’s Adviser on Climate Justice and Dr. Elizabeth Perry (Programmes Director for the Anglican Alliance). Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (CRES) study day that’s open to non-students. For details check: Caring for Creation: from passion to action.
Sign on to Operation Noah’s open letter calling on church leaders to take action on church land use, to ensure that church land is part of the solution and not part of the problem. Operation Noah have written a report Church Land and the Climate Crisis and are currently collecting signatures to be included in an open letter to be handed in to national church leaders of all major UK denominations on World Environment Day on 5th June. Sign your name and inspire church leaders to lend their voice behind this campaign.
Great Big Green Week 7th - 15th June. MK Climate Action Network, of which MK Eco Church Network is a member, will be organising a series of events during the GBG Week in the Centre: MK, at Eagle Walk (between H&M and Pizza Express). MK Eco Church Network will have two slots: Monday 9th June 1.00-4.30pm and Wednesday 11th June 1.00-4.30pm. We’re hoping to be able to sell Fairtrade products, provide information about sustainable living and collect peoples’ views about Milton Keynes green spaces.
Milton Keynes Parks Trust Community Litter Pick, Thursday 19th June at 10.30am Great Linford Manor Park. https://www.theparkstrust.com/
Christian Leadership in an Environmentally Challenging World, Wed 11th June: An online event for church leaders from the Theological Colleges Environment Network: Christian Leadership in an environmentally challenging world. Keynote speakers Bishop Graham Usher & Dr Martin Hodson.
Creation Care Conversations: Saturday 21st June at St Edberg’s, Bicester. This event aims to offer space and time to chat with others on the journey, so you can share ideas, challenges and experiences. For more details: 21 June Climate Conversations in Bicester.
Replacement or Renewal of creation? It’s not the end of the world! Thursday 26th June, 7.30-9pm John Ray Initiative webinar with Dr Grace Milton. Details and registration.
Heating our churches 1: Effective heating and Heat pumps, Wednesday 25th June, 1pm. A Diocese of Portsmouth webinar with church energy specialist Matt Fulford to consider what heating system might be best for your church. For details of this and other webinars in the ‘Net Zero Carbon Webinar’ series check out up-coming webinars.
Notice for churches in the Oxford Diocese!!: Please don’t forget to complete this year’s Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) by 30th June to be eligible for grant funding.
Act Now Change Forever – Lobby of MPs, Wednesday 9th July. The Climate Coalition is organising an event in Parliament Square, London to lobby MPs, which will involve many partners including the Church of England, Christian Aid, Tearfund, Green Christian and Cafod. The Climate Coalition are developing a set of narratives and policy asks to bring to MPs concerning climate finance, restoration of nature and investing in green solutions. Sign-up: https://www.
Climate Café, Saturday 12th July, 2.00-4.30pm will be held at Church of Christ the Cornerstone. Open University lecturer Dr. Charlotte Weatherill will give a talk about Rethinking Climate Vulnerability entitled "All in the Same Boat?"
Churches Together Ride on 13th September. Cycling Citizens MK is an alliance of MK community and business organisations interested to help people cycle more - https://www.cyclingmk.org/. They are encouraging supporters to join a Churches Together Ride on 13th September enjoying visiting up to 18 MK Eco Churches, and having fun collecting rewards. Please join the event on 13th September and click the link to register. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/
Climate Stewards 360 Carbon Tool and offsetting projects - Recording. Listen to the recording of a talk to the Oxford Diocese ‘Greenshoots Network’ given by Adrian Frost of Climate Stewards who demonstrated the 360 Carbon Footprint Tool (which is compatible with the CofE Energy Footprint Tool) and he introduces some of Climate Stewards’ offsetting projects. https://vimeo.com/1074247684/
Funding opportunities - Some excellent resources courtesy of Hannah Mann, Environment Programme Manager with the Oxford Diocese:
- Church of England resources, guidance and fundraising webinars on how to apply for funding – these are organised by type of funder you are applying to: Fundraising for Net Zero Carbon and the Environment | The Church of England
- Landfill funds are open to churches if you can demonstrate wider community benefit – you need to put in your postcode to see if you are eligible, the ones that are applicable to our diocese are FCC Communities, Veolia and Biffa
- Annual cycle of SSEN funding: again if you are able to demonstrate community benefit: Powering Communities to Net Zero fund - SSEN
- Demonstrating social value of churches: if you haven’t used this tool before, it can be hugely beneficial in grant applications to demonstrate your church’s value in the community: The House of Good: Local | National Churches Trust
- Oxford Diocese EcoHub: Resources directory includes a number of funds and fundraising links.
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