Overview
A 10-month course taking place via online meetings and requiring approximately 1 hour preparatory/follow up work between sessions.
There are three levels of training for those seeking to engage in environmental mission and ministry. This Gold level training will usually be available across all five episcopal areas with the majority of the delivery being online.
Training may be undertaken without it necessarily leading to one of the formal categories of engagement. Depending on previous training and experience, students may choose to enter training at different levels. Those with little training or experience would begin at Saving Creation Bronze. Have a chat with your incumbent to help you figure out which is best for you.
The Gold level course is for anyone wishing to:
- Gain an intersectional understanding of the ecological crisis
- Gain an in-depth understanding of the nature of mission and learn about eco-evangelism, pastoral care, and prophetic activism, and incorporating creation and social justice in worship
- Consider how to equip and support others in discipleship and advocacy
- Consider how to lead a project with an environmental focus at parish, deanery or diocesan level
- Begin to create their own resources
- Receive training in the skills required to be an effective Eco Mission Enabler and practice these
Being an Eco Mission Enabler
The Eco Mission Enabler Role entails:
- Local working agreement (annual renewal) with a relevant diocesan office holder
The Eco Mission Enabler Role could potentially entail taking on one of the following roles:
- An Area Environment Champion, leading in an Episcopal Area and being able to support Parish Environment Officers. Supervised and supported by the diocesan Carbon Net Zero Programme Manager.
- A Deanery Environmental Officer, offering support to a number of parishes in the Deanery. Supervised and supported by your Area Dean.
- An environmental advisor role within the diocese. Supervised and supported by the Diocesan Environment Officer.
- A trainer to help others develop their understanding of environmental issues. For example, delivering Saving Creation course training, Carbon Literacy Training. Supervised and supported by the Lay Training Team.
- An Eco Mission Enabler within the parish. For example, leading an environmentally focused outreach project, supervised and supported by their incumbent.
What kind of mission could an Eco Mission Enabler undertake? Here are some ideas:
- Coordinating the carbon net zero ambition for a group of churche
- Working across a group of churches to support them to achieve Eco Church awards
- A ministry of nature/creation engagement with children, perhaps in the local schools
- A ministry of environmental activism with the young people of local churches
- A project working with other local faith groups on, for example: a community tree planning project or a fuel poverty project in the local community
- Delivering carbon conversations courses for the local community
- Running a community gardening initiative on church or local community land for people with mental health issues or learning difficulties
- Being the coordinator for an outdoor worship or Forest Church initiative in a deanery
- Running an environmental engagement project with local business
- Facilitating a walking, prayer and reflection group for retired people in a community
- Working with a local wildlife trust to develop churchyards into “nature reserves”
How to sign up
If you are interested in attending this course, please complete the Lay Ministry Pathways Application Form. We will then be in touch about next steps.
You will need to provide an up-to-date completion certificate for the Basic Awareness safeguarding course before the course starts, and for the Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse and Foundations in Safeguarding courses by the end of the course. These courses can all be completed on the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Portal.