MK Eco Church Network – June 2025 Update
Milton Keynes Parks Trust Community Litter Picks: https://www.theparkstrust.com/
- Thursday 19 June at 10.30am Great Linford Manor Park.
- Friday 18 July at 10.30am Canal Broadwalk
- All are welcome to join Christian Climate Action’s prayer vigil on the pavement outside the Carriage Gate entrance to Parliament (opposite Parliament Square) any time between 11am and 3pm. Whether or not you are able to see your MP, you can join the prayer vigil.
- A number of faith groups are working to provide a “Faiths Space” in the QEII building next to Westminster Central Hall.
Replacement or Renewal of creation? It’s not the end of the world! Thursday 26 June, 7.30-9pm. John Ray Initiative webinar with Dr Grace Milton. Details and registration.
Climate Café, Saturday 12 July, 2.00-4.30pm will be held at in the Guildhall at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone, Milton Keynes. Open University lecturer Dr. Charlotte Weatherill will give a talk about Rethinking Climate Vulnerability entitled "All in the Same Boat?" Please do join us!
Three advocacy calls for you to support:
- For the Prime Minister to give emergency debate time to the Climate and Nature Bill on 11 July;
- For the removal of section 3 (which would weaken wildlife protection) from the proposed new Planning and Infrastructure Bill; and
- For sea bed trawling to be banned in marine protected areas - horrifyingly it is allowed currently.
- Wildlife habitat management planning: Watch Wild Oxfordshire’s recent webinar. For slightly simpler information, there are some example plans on the Oxford Diocese Eco Hub. Wild Oxfordshire also have a collection of links to guidance on species and habitats (not only relevant in Oxfordshire).
- Nature activity resources: Education Nature Park offers a wide range of activity resources suitable for children at various key stage age groups. These could be useful for Churches Count on Nature or other outdoor events this summer.
- Climate-friendly holiday trips: Flight Free UK shares ideas for holidays without flying. The Man in Seat 61 helps with booking international rail travel. Even if a special trip requires a flight, see the tips shared by Responsible Travel and Which magazine to help reduce the impact of holidays.
- The Season of Creation Ecumenical Steering Committee has a large collection of resources on their website: https://seasonofcreation.org/
resources/
- A Rocha has recently launched a new page on its website: https://arocha.org.uk/the-
season-of-creation-2025-peace- with-creation/
- The Church of England website has a page of resources for Creationtide: https://www.churchofengland.
org/about/environment-and- climate-change/creationtide/ creationtide-resources
- The Methodist Church ‘Creation Time’ webpage has a range of resources, including hymns: https://www.methodist.org.uk/
for-churches/resources/ seasons-and-themes/themes/ climate-and-creation/creation- time/
MK Eco Church Network – July 2025 Update
Events:
Climate Café, Saturday 12 July, 2.00-4.30pm will be held at Church of Christ the Cornerstone, Milton Keynes. Open University lecturer Dr. Charlotte Weatherill will give a talk about Rethinking Climate Vulnerability entitled "All in the Same Boat?"
Milton Keynes Parks Trust Community Litter Pick - Friday 18 July at 10.30am Canal Broadwalk. https://www.theparkstrust.com/
Sign up for MKCAN’s Community Forums on the Sustainability Strategy Consultation. Join MKCAN for a dynamic series of five forum events exploring Milton Keynes’ Draft Sustainability Strategy. These five events will be held online and centred around the '5 Es' of the Strategy Documents: Economy, Energy, Emissions, Engagement, and Environment. A sixth meeting will be held on 14 August at 2pm to 3pm. This is an IN-PERSON meeting at MK Civic Offices where you can give feedback to the Council Officers who are leading the strategy (there is an option to attend online). Sign up for MKCAN's Community Forums
Service at the Tree Cathedral, Sunday 21 September at 4.00pm at the Tree Cathedral, Pagoda Roundabout West, MK15 9ED. The service will be arranged by the Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership and will include music performed by the Bradwell Silver Band.
Join The Big Switch for Creation this Creationtide in September. The Church of England will be making the ‘Big Switch for Creation’ and everyone can be part of it. Switching to an ethical green tariff is a small and powerful action that we can all take to reduce carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels. An easy guide to choosing a green tariff to help you make the switch will be published at the end of July and should be in the August Update.
Creationtide 2025: 1 September – 4 October. Creationtide is a moment to worship God as Creator, and there is work underway to introduce a new special day in the liturgical calendar – the Feast of God the Creator. While the plans for this develop, the Oxford Diocese are inviting churches to participate in this year's Creationtide through:
- celebrating Creation Day in church on either 1 September or 7 September
- coming to their Creation Care Conversations event in Princes Risborough on Saturday 13 September at 10am
- joining their special online service, with their link diocese of Växjö, on 18 September at 6.30pm
- (for worship leaders) attending their Harvest Festival and Creation Care workshop on 11 September to explore ideas for including Creation Care in services for Harvest Festival
- praying for policy-makers ahead of upcoming international climate talks in Brazil this November.
Information
- News from the Oxford Diocese. Closure of Parish Buying Energy Basket. The Church of England energy basket (with energy supplied by Total) closes forever on 30 September and instead they have offered energy basket members a product called Parish Energy. Parish Energy is approved by the Church of England and provides energy from Ecotricity and Corona, via a new broker, Mitie. Some parishes registered with the Parish Buying scheme have been contacted by the previous suppliers – either the former broker, 2buy2, or the former supplier, Total. As an Energy Basket member, if you have registered an Expression of Interest with the new scheme Parish Energy you will receive your Letter of Authority with indicative pricing within the next few days. If you opt to join the scheme, they will take care of the move from Total on your behalf and you do not need to send any form of cancellation. If you do not wish to proceed with moving to Parish Energy, you need to proactively move on to a new energy product when the current Parish Buying basket ends on 30 September. If you don't do this you will be moved by Total on to their Standard Variable Tariff. If you have inadvertently signed up to 2buy2 or Total, please contact David Richards. For anyone not using Parish Buying for energy, a brief summary of Parish Energy is available on the website and more information will be released in September.
Webinars
- Watch the Churches Count on Nature 2025 lunchtime webinars. Did you miss the series of lunchtime webinars for Churches Count on Nature 2025? Hosted by environmental charity Caring for God’s Acre, they covered a range of subjects from burial ground management, to amphibians and reptiles in churchyards, to the challenges and opportunities that accessibility in churchyards can raise. Watch the recordings here.
Resources
- Small steps are helping to care for creation and community. Churches across the country are reporting that taking ‘small steps’ towards net zero carbon is helping them both care for creation in their neighbourhood, and their local community too. The latest Net Zero Carbon 2030 Impact Report, covering the period from January 2024 to December 2024, highlights stories from churches and cathedrals who have installed solar panels, LED lighting, heat pumps and more, taking the changes step by step. And in doing so, they’ve welcomed in new people from the surrounding community and grown in confidence that they are caring for their environment. For some inspiration read the report and watch a new video.
- Schools have been taking part in Climate Action Countdown 2025. Schools across the UK have come together for a week of fun, inspiring climate action. Created by climate charity Let’s Go Zero with support from 20 climate organisations including EcoSchools, Fairtrade, Surfers Against Sewage, WRAP and WWF, the week ran from 23 - 27 June and schools had access to curriculum-friendly climate lessons designed to help schools take simple, powerful steps towards a zero carbon future. Missed out this year? Keep an eye on Let’s Go Zero’s website for information about 2026.
Acknowledgements: Grateful thanks go to the staff working in the Oxford Diocese Environmental Programme for several of these items and also to their colleagues in the CofE national Environmental Programme.
MK Eco Church Network – August 2025 Update
Join the Big Butterfly Count! The Big Butterfly Count ends on Sunday 10 August. All you have to do is choose a place to spot butterflies and moths and watch for 15 minutes! Details of what’s involved can be found on this website: https://butterfly-
MK Climate Action Network feedback on 14 August between 2.00-3.00 with the MK City Council about the draft MK Sustainability Strategy. MKCAN members have held five forums to collect members’ comments about MK City Council’s draft Sustainability Strategy. The meeting will be held both as an In-Person meeting at MK Civic Offices as well as online where you can give feedback to the Council Officers who are leading the strategy. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/
Season of Creation, 2025 Theme: Peace with Creation: 1 September – 4 October:
Host a Creation Day: Make a special day part of your church's calendar by celebrating Creation Day. Resources for Creation Day. A lot of resources are already available to help you plan activities at your church during the Season of Creation, which you could link with planning your Harvest Festival services. More resources will become available on these websites:
- The Season of Creation Ecumenical Steering Committee has a large collection of resources: https://seasonofcreation.org/
resources/ - A Rocha has recently launched a new page on its website: https://arocha.org.uk/the-
season-of-creation-2025-peace- with-creation/ - The Church of England website has a page of resources for Creationtide: https://www.churchofengland.
org/about/environment-and- climate-change/creationtide/ creationtide-resources - The Methodist Church ‘Creation Time’ webpage has a range of resources, including hymns: https://www.methodist.org.uk/
for-churches/resources/ seasons-and-themes/themes/ climate-and-creation/creation- time/
Churches Together Ride on 13 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 a selection of MK Eco Churches, and having fun collecting rewards. Please join the event on 13th September and click the link to register. https://www.
Service at the Tree Cathedral, Sunday 21 September at 4.00pm at the Tree Cathedral, Pagoda Roundabout West, MK15 9ED. The service will be arranged by the Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership and will include music performed by the Bradwell Silver Band.
The Climate Coalition plan nationwide lobby week 13-20 September Following a successful Mass Lobby in July, the climate action charity, The Climate Coalition, is organising a new part of ‘Act Now, Change Forever’. Between 13-20 September, join others across the country for Lobby Week, a nationwide push to meet your local MP in your own community and ask them to take action on behalf of nature and the climate. A group of 6 people from MK, including 2 MK Eco Church members, had a productive meeting with Chris Curtis MP for North MK, during the mass lobby session, and we hope to meet him for a follow-up meeting in September.
MK Climate Action Network AGM, 28 September at 2.00 - 4.30 pm at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone. The aim is for people to network, learn, and offer ideas and commitment to the future of MKCAN, get new member groups. There will be tables for members, including MK Eco Church Network, to promote their organisations and stalls selling’ bric-a-brac, refreshments and plants each with a lead organisation e.g. Bucks Canal Forum, Climate café and Planting Up. There will ‘Spotlight Talks where groups ‘publicise their organisation’ to those present, speaking for a maximum of 2 minutes. It is hoped there will be live music and because it will be an AGM, there will be some necessary business.
Milton Keynes Parks Trust Community Litter Picks https://www.theparkstrust.com/
- Monday 15 Sept 2025 at 10.30am at Lodge Lake
- Tuesday 28 October, at 10.30am Family litter pick at Broughton Brook
- Monday 10 November at 10.30 am at MK Rose
- Wednesday 17 December at 10.30 at Shenley Wood.
Top eco reads to inspire you this summer. The Cof E Environmental Programme have suggested 9 books to stimulate your thinking: https://www.churchofengland.
Stuart Kean
email: mkecnetwork@ctmk.church
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