How do we make our church buildings sustainable?  

There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer - and to help BUEN has organised a webinar to help churches of all sizes think how they can take steps to reduce their environmental impact. Convenor Dave Gregory explains more  

At the end of a very hot summer, I travelled down to Devon. Perhaps there was nothing surprising about that. You may have made that trip last summer too – or in years gone by – for holidays. But my journey had a different reason: to attend a reunion.

Forty years ago, along with 20 other folk I began to work at the Met Office – then in Bracknell. Over the next 15 years, I enjoyed my time researching weather and climate.

It was a time of change. Computers were becoming more powerful, allowing better and more complicated models of the atmosphere. We were beginning to understand how to cope with the chaos of the weather which made forecasts beyond a few days difficult. And there was an awakening of how humans were beginning to impact the climate as greenhouses gases increased in the atmosphere due to our reliance on fossil fuels.

It was good to meet with my old colleagues, to catch up and reminisce of our life within the Met Office – both its joys and frustrations. One of my former colleagues has worked on climate change since we first joined. As we talk about the hot summer, she commented “I’ve been trying to tell people what would happen for 30 years.” 

I could sense the frustration and could emphasise with it. I left the Met Office 25 years ago to begin ministerial formation. And through those years, I have tried to raise awareness of how climate change is impacting the Earth, and our responsibility as disciples of Jesus to share in God’s mission to all creation – to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”  (Mk 16:15)

At times it’s been hard. And to be honest, at the moment it feels the winds are against us. Over the next two weeks, the nations of the world will gather again in Antalya, Turkey for the COP31 climate change conference. With the current global political atmosphere, it is likely that making progress will be limited. They need our prayers.

And while it seems hard at the moment, we remember words that flow from Paul’s experience of sharing in God’s mission; “since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ” (2 Cor 4:1) 

Listening to Jesus’ words, seeing the flourishing of creation is part of God’s mission, recognised in the “mission resolution” that as a Baptist Together movement we will be coming to a decision on at the Baptist Assembly in 2027.

This reflects the action already being taken by many of our churches in sharing in God’s mission to all creation. More than 350 churches within our Baptist network have started their environmental discipleship journey with Arocha’s Eco-Church.  A journey, reflecting upon how to make personal discipleships, church life and mission more environmentally sustainable.

Part of the Eco-Church journey is working to make church buildings more environmentally sustainable. But where to begin? Regularly BUEN (The Baptist Union Environment Network) gets emails from churches asking for advice as to how to begin.  

“Our gas boiler is about to fail – should we replace it with a heat pump?”  

“Can you give any advice on the installation of solar panels?”  

These seem to be the first things that come to mind. And while these might be the right things to consider, they are costly, often beyond the budgets of many churches.

Before leaping towards such big choices, it’s good to take a step back. The answer to “how do we make our church buildings sustainable” is not a one size, fits all answer. As with any mission activity, it is context dependent.

• Is your building small or big?
• Is it used one day a week, or regularly through the week?
• Is the congregation small or bursting at the scenes?  
• And what resources do we have to take things forwards?

To help churches begin to explore these questions, BUEN has invited architect Nigel Walker to speak at a webinar on Tuesday 17 November starting at 8.00pm. Drawing upon his experience of working with churches, Nigel wrote the book Making Your Church Sustainable to help churches across the size spectrum begin to think how they can take steps to reduce their environmental impact.  

At the reunion, my colleague asked me “do you think the hot summer will make people think and want to do something about climate change?"

You could answer her by a quick click of your mouse or tap on a screen - by letting us know you will be coming along to hear Nigel. Click on the QR-code to let us know you will be there!
 

Dave Gregory is the convenor of the Baptist Union Environment Network (BUEN)