Since 2006 Baildon Methodist Church has become one of the rare nationally triple- certificated Eco-congregations. Our three Eco-congregation plaques are above the hatch in Wesleys. To achieve these accolades, we have been visited by external inspectors to check that we have met the requirements for the awards.
We have:
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Included regularly in our worship services the recollection and recreation of our awe for God’s creation and celebration of our delight in it; our confessions have included lamentations for our sin in destroying half the earth’s biodiversity, our sacred heritage from God. We have imbued our church with a deep longing and love for all Gods works. As well as rejoicing in our own individual salvation we have preached the need for the salvation of the whole earth in line with God’s covenant in Genesis 9 “with the earth”.
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Done all in our power to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions: replacing fossil fuels by the minimised use of renewable electricity, not overheating any parts of the building, insulating as much of the building fabric as possible and ensuring that any new building development is done to the highest possible ecological standards. At the heart of this has been our successful ten-year campaign resulting in the construction of the Fold which emits no carbon dioxide and uses very little electricity.
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Sequestered carbon dioxide in the trees in our church garden and added to the emissions of oxygen by the plants that we grow.
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As individual Christians, lived lightly on the earth and emitted as little carbon dioxide as possible in our homes, lifestyle and travel.
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Involved our young people in activities to minimise destructive climate change
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Publicised locally and nationally the new evangelism of Ecotheology, that is, the following, studying and worshipping of God as if God’s creation mattered.