EcoChurch concept

Does caring for creation matter to you and your parish?
Are you ready to align your actions with your words by adopting sustainable practices?
Have you considered how your parish’s carbon footprint impacts the environment or how reducing pollution could show solidarity with the Global South?
 
If you’re unsure where to begin addressing these local issues with global consequences, the EcoChurch Network is here to help.
 
The EcoChurch Network offers guidance to inspire awe for creation and promote care for the environment and humanity across various aspects of community life. Through an online self-assessment, your parish can choose from a range of actions to implement, fostering a learning process that deepens connections with God, the world, and others.
 
If your parish is new to environmental stewardship, don’t worry! The self-assessment is designed to encourage and guide you into a dynamic, ongoing journey. Start with simple steps, like switching to a green energy provider or sourcing sustainably grown coffee for church gatherings.
 
At the heart of this process lies spirituality. For instance, the “Worship & Teaching” area focuses not on direct environmental actions but on cultivating a renewed spirituality that inspires meaningful change. The EcoChurch Network doesn’t aim to impose rules but to expand your parish’s perspective, fostering a deeper appreciation for God, humanity, and the world.
Why the EcoChurch certification in the Middle East ?
  • Because we believe God reveals Himself through His creation, entrusted to humanity to nurture and protect.
  • Because life on Earth is a divine blessing, reflecting God’s love, and preserving it is an act of loving our neighbor and pursuing justice.
  • Because the ecological crisis compels us to respond to the Earth’s “groaning in labor” (Romans 8:22), choosing hopeful lifestyles that herald a renewed creation reconciled in Christ.
  • Because God’s people can pray and act to share this hope with the world.
  • Because we recognize that collective transformation is essential to building a just, ecological world vital for humanity’s survival.
Who is the EcoChurch certification for?
The EcoChurch label is designed for Christian communities committed to caring for creation. It serves as a tool for parishes, local churches, Christian organizations, movements, monasteries, institutions, associations, families, and youth.
 
Starting can feel daunting given the vast challenges and complex solutions. Through a step-by-step approach, the label aims to help communities begin or strengthen their efforts, support their progress, and visibly demonstrate their commitment.
 
The label is not an end goal but a tool for encouragement and growth.
 
Unlike a rigid certification, it uses an eco survey (a questionnaire on the community’s ecological practices) and a tiered system, making it accessible to all groups. It allows communities to assess progress, identify actions to implement—whether their environmental focus is just emerging or well-established—and requires regular updates to stay relevant.