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A Rocha Sowing Eco-Congregation Seeds

Christians should be involved in conservation for four reasons, according to A Rocha, an international Christian nature conservation organisation now working in New Zealand. These are: love (to show our love for God), obedience (to obey God we must be good and responsible stewards of the natural world), justice (often it is the poor who suffer first when the environment is damaged) and hope (while those who care about the environment can easily become depressed, the Bible provides much-needed grounds for hope).

Founded in Portugal over two decades ago, A Rocha works in 18 countries to demonstrate God’s love for Creation. Working alongside individuals and organisations with many beliefs and backgrounds, A Rocha is committed to community-based conservation projects.

A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand is A Rocha’s newest national organisation. Established just a year ago, it already has local groups in the Waikato, Palmerston North and Christchurch.

Richard Storey, chair of A Rocha Aotearoa NZ, says “A Rocha is having a profound influence globally; both in the church and in the secular conservation world”. “Its message that Christian faith compels believers to care for the environment is changing thinking.”

“We live in a country where environmental awareness is very high, and there are many conservation groups,” Richard says. “Even so, there continues to be a deep divide between the Church and the environmental movement. Many Christians who care about the environment feel their faith and their environmental concern are separate or even in conflict. A Rocha’s message is that caring for the Creation is an essential expression of faith in the Creator, which helps these Christians bring two parts of their lives together. Furthermore, caring for God’s Creation is an essential part of the Church’s mission, and the Church needs leaders who will promote such care. Many non-Christian New Zealanders think that Christians don’t care about the environment. We want to show New Zealand that the Church does care.”

One programme that A Rocha runs for churches is called “eco-congregation”. Hugely popular in Britain and Ireland, this free ecumenical programme helps congregations understand environmental issues and make appropriate practical and spiritual responses.

Many of the denominations using the programme speak of it as a tool kit that helps churches begin to address environmental issues in all that they do. Churches are encouraged to use the resources to look at three main areas of church life: spiritual; worship and teaching (this might include services, preaching, work with children and young people, small groups, practical things to do with buildings, land and church management), and mission.

As well as taking action in their own church life, eco-congregations are working together in networks and promoting the programme to other churches.

A recent report to the Church of Scotland’s Assembly said the eco-congregation programme’s small actions add up to big results, with 187 Scottish congregations having environmental projects underway.

If you are interested in using or finding out more about the eco-congregation programme, visit www.ecocongregation.org or contact A Rocha www.arocha.org