On 26 November 2022, an intrepid group of Eco Champions braved the train strikes and journeyed to Liverpool as the next step towards Eco Church Gold. The group visited Christ Church Toxteth Park, a Gold Eco Church in the Diocese of Liverpool, to hear their story, explore different aspects of church life, and begin talking with one another about how we might journey together towards Net Zero.
One area of innovation that Christ Church has excelled is in tackling its heating costs. As a large church building situated on the edge of Sefton Park, it costs a considerable amount to heat and so they looked to a new way to keep costs down and keep attendance up! Working with the local Green Party, the church has erected a tent inside their church building - photos below - which volunteers then insulated, allowing the church to meet and host a variety of activities inside the tent. In addition to the building and extension of the tent, the church has also set up a community composting site, allowing local residents to compost their food waste in the ward. Christ Church is also campaigning for systemic changes such as banking reform and an end to fossil fuels.
"The tent is now warm, spacious and functional."
Photos provided by Christ Church Toxteth Park, Diocese of Liverpool
Our Eco Transformation Officer, Dr Matthew Barber-Rowell said:
"The trip was a real success. The Christ Church story told us that it is possible to become a Gold Eco Church even with a large building that is tough to heat. There was real encouragement for churches in the Diocese of Manchester. There is more to come too. On 31 January 2023, we are hosting a Bronze Eco Church event and on 7 February, we are hosting an event focussed on Silver. We are meeting online for these events. They are another chance to connect with people from across the Diocese and continue our Eco journey."
So, are you on the Eco Journey? Are you wondering what to do? Do you want to meet others on the road with you?
If you want to register for the events in 2023, please head to our Eventbrite page here.