Church and Society Commission
Eco-Congregation Ireland Launched
On Tuesday 24th January 2006, the Church of Ireland launch of Eco-Congregation Ireland was held in Church House, Dublin. Developed in co-operation with four churches ? the Church of Ireland, the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church ? the Eco-Congregation Ireland programme is available to all parishes and congregations with a keen interest in environmental issues, offering resources and support to help them to take practical action in the context of their faith.
Speaking at the launch, Revd David Humphries, Chairman of the Ecological and Environmental Panel of the Church in Society Committee, encouraged all Church of Ireland parishes to sign up to the project. Primarily an internet initiative, all the resources provided by Eco-Congregation Ireland are free and can be downloaded from the website http://www.ecocongregationireland.org. A simple environmental audit is provided to help congregations assess what they are already doing and to determine future priorities. They are then encouraged to download the appropriate resource modules which aim to integrate environmental care into different areas of church life.
Acknowledging that this is an area that many parishes and churches are unwilling to prioritise, Revd Humphries urged everyone to take seriously the effect that we have on the world around us. ?That very important piece of teaching in the Book of Genesis, of mankind as stewards of God?s creation, is hard to ignore, especially in these days of global warming and other ecological disasters pending,? he said.
Revd David Humphries, Chair of the Ecological and Environmental Panel, introduces Eco-Congregation Ireland
Rt Revd Michael Jacskon, Bishop of Clogher and Mr Robert Cochran, Chair of the Methodist Council on Social Responsibility at the launch.
Revd Patrick Harvery, Most Revd Richard Clarke and Rt Revd Richard Henderson study the Eco-Congregation Ireland pack