Eco-Congregation

Dalgety Parish Church is an Eco-Congregation, with its 2nd Award. We are not resting on our laurels but, with a small group, actively reviewing our ‘green’ credentials and seeing how we can develop a wider awareness, in the congregation and community, of our relationship to our created world.

Understanding the reasons for things like climate change or global warming, will help us better care for the environment.

We have a God-given responsibility to be good stewards of what we have been given and by reviewing where we are, we plan to have a better understanding of what we can do. As a congregation we have a care for our creation and environment and as individuals we have a care for our life through our lifestyles. Being an Eco-congregation is not just about ‘green’ issues. It focuses us on tackling environmental issues but it also boosts our mission, contributes to community-building and stimulates our church life.

Being environmentally aware, is a faith issue for each individual, what each of us can do to respond to God’s blessings to us and what each of us can do to take God’s mission into the world.

Dalgety Parish Church is a member of Eco-Congregation Scotland (and the West Fife Eco-congregation Network) which offers a programme to enthuse and equip churches to weave environmental issues into their life and mission in an enjoyable and stimulating way. Dalgety Parish Church subscribes to their aims:

  • Growing in faith and understanding
    making the link between environmental issues and Christian faith
  • Putting God’s house in green order
    Taking practical action in the church
  • Changing lives, change communities
    Influencing attitudes and taking action in the local or global community

The Bible tells us of God and creation (Genesis), of his covenant with the world (Genesis); it records Jesus’ authority over nature (Matthew) and exhorts us to have days of rest (Exodus). It talks of protecting the environment (Deuteronomy) and the process of re-creation (Corinthians). In 1st Kings we hear about God working through nature and in Genesis we see that Man is part of nature and that he has a responsibility in this world (Genesis, Matthew); Man learns from nature (Matthew) and the Bible also tells us about the sanctity of the living body (Genesis, Luke) – aspects that bind faith and life.

In tying Biblical aspects to Eco issues, we encourage people to reduce, re-use and re-cycle; we encourage people to learn about environmental aspects such as climate change, the impact of rubbish in landfill sites, energy conservation and the impact on overseas producers by buying Fairtrade products. Eco and environmental issues should be an “all-age” concern with young people being brought up to regard Eco as part and parcel of normal daily life.

Dalgety Parish Church has produced a booklet which includes a liturgy to tie all the elements together and a handy ‘Hints & Tips’ leaflet about ‘green’ issues. We have also published a ‘Personal Eco checklist’ to see how ‘green’ we are and areas where we can take some action to improve our understanding of creation and the environment. Ask for copies!