Award
The independently assessed Eco-Congregation Awards are designed to recognise achievement and affirm good practice that promotes/contributes to sustainability and witnesses to the importance of caring for creation.
Churches can request an award assessment visit using this application form (doc 84kb). Applicants should be registered on the programme
Award Process
To apply for an award the church must have already:- Submitted an application form giving a summary of their activities and be able to provide a dossier giving further details / illustrations of their work
- Be able to facilitate a visit by eco-congregation assessors in order for them to see and hear about the church’s work first hand
First Award Criteria
In order to apply for a first Award, the church must have already registered with the programme by having:- worked through the churches’ environmental check-up (module 1) which is designed to help churches identify what they have already done/are doing and to prioritise future activities)
- gained the agreement of a church decision-making meeting to undertake an environmental ministry
- nominated an eco-congregation contact person (depending on their circumstances, including size, they may also have a green team)
- Helping the whole congregation to make the link between their Christian faith and environmental concerns (growing in faith and understanding: modules 2 – 6)
- Taking practical action in the church and/or church grounds (putting God’s house in green order: modules 7 – 9)
- Having a positive impact on and/or working with their local or wider community. This must include measuring the carbon footprint of their church buildings and have plans to reduce it. (changing lives: changing communities: modules 10 – 13)
- Involved a number of people from across the church community in working through Module 1 and in undertaking particular initiatives
- Formed links with/involved others in the local area
- Sought and gained support (time/money/advice) from other organizations / congregations / the local network
- Formed a ‘green team’ to plan, review and monitor progress
- Implementation of the recommendations made at the first award assessment, unless there are good reasons why this has not been possible.
- A continuation/deepening of existing projects (unless there is a good reason why they have finished). These should be more than just maintenance and demonstrate steady growth.
- New projects
- Evidence of reaching out to others eg through more local community involvement, involving other churches in the programme and / or supporting the local Eco-Congregation network.
- In addition, the congregation should be able to show that they have taken steps to make a measureable reduction in the carbon footprint of their church buildings.
- Moving On: having carried out the recommendations from the 2nd award, unless there are good reasons why this has not been possible.
- Continuing and initiating projects on a range of environmental issues.
- Supporting Eco-Congregation: showing evidence of having supported the movement through publicity / networking.
- Engaging in outreach work by carrying out environmental work within their own communities.
- Measuring, managing and reducing the church’s carbon footprint by 5% a year and is encouraging members of the congregation to do the same (using Module 13 or a similar foot printing tool).
From the outcome of the churches’ check-up, they may have formulated an action plan listing targets, work needed to achieve the targets, dates marking stages in the project and responsible personnel. However, some churches may adopt a more ad hoc approach.
To gain the first award churches must be able to demonstrate that they have undertaken initiatives in each of these three areas:
Churches must have undertaken one reasonably substantive piece of work or a number of smaller projects in each area. When there is overlap, for example a church involving the local community in improvements to their grounds, the church should be given credit for taking action in both areas.
While the suggestions below are not absolute criteria, credit is also given to a church that has:
For their first Award, churches may submit information on projects undertaken both prior to and since registering with Eco-Congregation.
Churches may apply for further awards three years after the date of their first award.
Second Award Criteria
For a second award, and in addition to the criteria for the first award, we ask the assessors to look for:
Third Award Criteria
To achieve a third award a church should have clearly demonstrated a long term commitment to promoting an environmental policy and show that it is an integral part of its way of life and future development.
In addition it must be evident that as an eco-congregation the church is:
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Churches in Scotland have already received Eco-Congregation Awards in recognition of the creditable environmental work they have done and their continuing commitment to integrating creation care into their church life:
Award-winning Churches
27 January 2010
Congratulations to South Leith Parish Church for gaining their first Eco-Congregation Award in January 2010!
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6 December 2009
Congratulations to Dunbarney and Forgandenny Church on gaining the first Eco-Congregation Award
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24 November 2009
Congratulations to Birse and Feughside Church on gaining the first Eco-Congregation Award
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15 November 2009
Congratulations to Radnor Park Church, Clydebank for gaining their first Eco-Congregation Award.
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24 September 2009
Congratulations to St Mary's Episcopal Church for achieving an Eco-Congregation Award!
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20 September 2009
Congratulations to St Columba's Episcopal Church for achieving an Eco-Congregation Award!
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30 August 2009
Congratulations to Hope Park Church, St Andrew's for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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10 July 2009
Congratulations to St Columba Church, Helensburgh for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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9 July 2009
Congratulations to Westray, Papa Westray and St John's, Hamilton who are the first churches in Scotland to have gained their third Eco-Congregation Award
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22 June 2009
Congratulations to Milton of Campsie Parish Church for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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15 June 2009
Congratulations to Queensferry Parish Church, South Queensferry for achieving an Eco-Congregation Award
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26 May 2009
Congratulations to Abbotsford Parish Church, Clydebank which is the 11th church to achieve a Second Eco-Congregation Award
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26 May 2009
Congratulations to Cadder Parish Church, Bishopbriggs for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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20 April 2009
Congratulations to Jamestown Parish Church for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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22 December 2008
Congratulations to St Andrew's and St George's Church Edinburgh for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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16 December 2008
Congratulations to Old and Abbey Church, Arbroath for achieving an Eco-Congregation Award
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10 December 2008
Congratulations to Kinnoull Parish Church, Perth for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award!
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6 December 2008
Congratulations to St Ninian's Cathedral, Perth for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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30 November 2008
Congratulations to St Michael's Parish Church for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award!
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19 November 2008
Congratulations to St Cuthbert's Episcopal Church Colinton in Edinburgh for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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6 November 2008
Congratulations to Cramond Kirk Edinburgh for achieving their firstEco-Congregation Award
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22 September 2008
Congratulations to Greenbank Parish Church for achieving anEco-Congregation Award
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15 July 2008
Congratulations to Fairlie Parish Church, which is the 10th church to gain a Second Eco-Congregation Award
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30 June 2008
Congratulations to Knightsridge Local Ecumenical Parish, which is the 9th church to achieve a Second Eco-Congregation Award
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25 June 2008
Congratulations to Torphichen Parish Church, which is the 8th church to gain a Second Eco-Congregation Award
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15 May 2008
Congratulations to Dunscore Parish Church, which is the 7th church to gain a Second Eco-Congregation Award
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1 April 2008
Congratulations to Auchtergaven and Moneydie Parish Church in Perthshire for gaining their first Eco-Congregation Award!
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1 April 2008
Congratulations to Wardie Parish Church, which is the 6th church to gain a Second Eco-Congregation Award
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7 March 2008
Skene and Trinity Parish Church in Aberdeenshire gained an Eco-Congregation Award. Congratulations!
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22 February 2008
Congratulations to Kilmore and Oban Parish Church, which is the 5th church to gain a Second Eco-Congregation Award
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27 November 2007
Congratulations to Springburn Parish Church, Glasgow, for achiving their first Eco-Congregation Award
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9 November 2007
Congratulations to St Andrews Erskine Church, Dunfermline for achieving an Eco-Congregation Award
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23 October 2007
Congratulations to Belhaven Church, Dunbar for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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3 September 2007
Congratulations to Dalgety Parish Church for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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16 August 2007
Congratulations to the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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2 August 2007
Kemnay Parish Church in Aberdeenshire gained an Eco-Congregation Award. Congratulations!
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2 August 2007
Congratulations to Netherlee Parish Church in East Renfrewshire for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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2 August 2007
Kirkwall East is the fourth church to gain a second Eco-Congregation Award
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2 August 2007
Congratulations to Balfron Parish Church for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award!
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23 May 2007
Congratulations to Murrayfield Parish Church in Edinburgh for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award!
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3 May 2007
Cadzow Parish Church in Hamilton gained an Eco-Congregation Award. Congratulations!
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25 April 2007
Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen achieved an Eco-Congregation Award. Congratulations!
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12 April 2007
Congratulations to Bowden Church in the Scottish Borders for achiveing an Eco-Congregation Award.
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12 October 2006
Congratulations to Carlops Church in the Scottish Borders for gaining an Eco-Congregation Award
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6 October 2006
Congratulations to St Andrews, Uddingston, and St Cuthbert's, Cambuslang for gaining their first Eco-Congregation Awards.
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20 September 2006
Pardovan, Kingscavil and Winchburgh gained Eco-Congregation Awards. Congratulations!
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| Date of Award | Church | Church website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2006 | Papa Westray (C of S) - SECOND AWARD! | ||
| August 2006 | Westray (C of S) - SECOND AWARD! | ||
| May 2006 | Abbotsford, Clydebank (C of S) | www.abbotsford.org.uk | |
| May 2006 | Iona Abbey (Ecu) | www.iona.org.uk | |
| March 2006 | Stirling Methodist Church (Meth) | www.stirlingmethodist.org.uk | |
| March 2006 | Burnside Blairbeth Church (C of S) - two congregations | ||
| March 2006 | Dyce Church (C of S) | ||
| March 2006 | St John's, Hamilton (C of S) - SECOND AWARD! | www.stjohnshamilton.org.uk | |
| January 2006 | St John's, Edinburgh (SEC) | www.stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk/green | |
| January 2006 | Blackhall, Edinburgh (C of S) | www.blackhallstcolumba.org.uk | |
| January 2006 | Craigsbank, Edinburgh (C of S) | ||
| November 2005 | St John's, Cupar (C of S) | ||
| November 2005 | Cupar Old Church (C of S) | ||
| November 2005 | Stockbridge Parish Church, Edinburgh (C of S) | ||
| November 2005 | Peterculter Church, Aberdeenshire (C of S) | ||
| November 2005 | Knightsridge Church, Livingstone (Ecu) | www.life-pages.com/butterflygarden.html | |
| September 2005 | Wardie Church, Edinburgh (C of S) | ||
| April 2005 | Dunscore Parish Church, Dumfries (C of S) | ||
| March 2005 | St Andrew's, Brechin (SEC) | www.episcopalbrechin.org | |
| March 2005 | Dunblane Cathedral (C of S) | www.dunblanecathedral.org.uk | |
| February 2005 | Langside Parish Church, Glasgow (C of S) | ||
| December 2004 | Fairlie Parish Church, Ayrshire (C of S) | ||
| November 2004 | St Matthew's Church, Perth (C of S) | ||
| November 2004 | Wellington Church, Glasgow (C of S) | www.wellingtonchurch.co.uk | |
| September 2004 | St Machar's Cathedral, Aberdeen (C of S) | www.stmachar.com | |
| August 2004 | Falkirk Old & St. Modan's Parish Church (C of S) | ||
| June 2004 | Kilmore and Oban Church (C of S) | ||
| March 2004 | Inverurie West Church (C of S) | ||
| January 2004 | Perth North Church (C of S) | ||
| November 2003 | St Fergus RC Church, Paisley (RC) | ||
| October 2003 | Kirkwall East Parish Church, Orkney (C of S) | ||
| October 2003 | Westray Parish Church, Orkney (C of S) | ||
| October 2003 | Papa Westray Parish Church, Orkney (C of S) | ||
| September 2003 | Torphichen Parish Church, West Lothian (C of S) | thekirk.torphichen.org | |
| May 2003 | St John's Church, Hamilton (C of S) | www.stjohnshamilton.org.uk | |
| December 2002 | Dalbeattie Parish Church, Dumfries and Galloway (C of S) | ||
| October 2002 | Callander Church, Perthshire (C of S) |
C of S = Church of Scotland
RC = Roman Catholic Church
SEC = Scottish Episcopal Church
Meth = Methodist
Ecu = Ecumenical