The Eco Justice Hub is coordinated by Jo and Pete Herbert-James. Jo and Pete are based in south London where Pete serves as one of the pastors at Balham Baptist Church and Jo works as Head of Engagement with A Rocha UK (which exists to equip churches across the UK to live well in creation, including running the Eco Church programme). They have been studying, working and living in London for over 20 years (with a few years in Wales), with Pete previously serving with The King’s Cross Baptist Church and London Baptists, and Jo working for many years with Tearfund, as well as co-founding The Justice Conference UK. They are both passionate about seeing the local church and individuals live out a just lifestyle as an integral part of the church’s partnership with God’s mission, with our healthy relationship with all of God’s creation as foundational to this.        

They have a shared love of cycling, good food, and beaches.    

If you’re interested in learning more about how you and your church can practice life more sustainably, they would love to chat with you - you can also ask them about their zero-waste wedding!

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Resources for Eco Justice

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BUEN

The Baptist Union Environment Network - ‘BUEN’, meaning good in Spanish - is a new initiative that aims to raise awareness and respond to the environmental crisis.  We are building a network of environmental partners across our Regional Association life who can journey alongside churches to enable them to declare with God in worship, life, and action that ‘creation is good’ (Gen 1:25).

Their website has a number of resources, and if you are looking for inspiration, they have stories of what individuals and other Baptist Churches are doing.

https://www.baptist.org.uk/Groups/349554/Baptist_Union_Environment.aspx  

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A Rocha UK / Eco Church

Eco Church is a programme run by A Rocha UK, the UK’s only national Christian conservation charity. Eco Church has grown into a community of thousands of churches across the UK who are on a journey to becoming more sustainable.  

At the heart of the programme is a survey that churches work through, at their own pace, and look to achieve a bronze, silver and gold status. The awards are always encouraging, but the main point is equipping churches with research-backed resources to take steps in their own unique context at their own pace.

https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/

A Rocha UK also has many other resources for churches and ways to get involved, including running an urban nature reserve in west London; Wolf Fields, where people can arrange visits, volunteer and join events.  

Wild Christian is their email for individuals and households who want to take steps to live more sustainably, and their Partners in Action programme works with Christian land managers to help them manage their land for nature. You can visit and volunteer at many of these partners and A Rocha UK’s two nature reserves. Lots more information on their website.

https://arocha.org.uk/

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Lent Series

The Whole Easter Story - if you are looking for a Lent series, either for your church or for individuals, this explores the whole of the Easter story, including what the cross means for wider creation. Balham Baptist Church adapted and used this as their teaching series for Lent 2025, if you’d like further information or discounted books, please speak to Pete and Jo.

https://arocha.org.uk/the-whole-easter-story/  

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Season of Creation

Season of Creation (or known as Creationtide by our Anglican brothers and sisters) is a globally and ecumenically observed season where Christians take time to reflect, pray and act for God’s world. Each year, a different focus theme is set and resources produced to go with it.  

https://seasonofcreation.org/

A Rocha UK have a specific page for UK Churches which includes prayers, worship music and more: https://arocha.org.uk/what-we-do/season-of-creation/    

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Climate Stewards / Carbon Calculators

If you want to calculate your carbon footprint, either as an individual or as a church, Climate Stewards are a Christian organisation that help you do just that. They also offer a way for you to compensate for your unavoidable carbon emissions by supporting their community carbon projects.

https://www.climatestewards.org/  

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Events

 Creation, Mission and Outreach - Tuesday 3rd Feb at St Andrew's, Waterloo

Learn how church witness concerning creation can draw people into Christian faith, and develop ideas for integrating mission and the environment in your own church setting. With mission and environment expert Revd Dr Cate Williams.

Tuesday 3rd Feb at St Andrew's, Waterloo, from 12 noon to 4pm. Cost £40 per head, including lunch.

For more information and booking, visit: https://staugustinescollege.ac.uk/events/creation-mission-and-outreach/

‍Key Annual Dates for the Environment

22nd April - Earth Day

22nd - 29th April - Earth Raise, (matched funding opportunities for environmental projects)

5th June - World Environment Day

2nd week of June - Churches Count on Nature (CCoN) (national church nature count)

July - Plastic Free July

1st September - 4th October - Season of Creation  

November - Annual Climate Change COP (Conference of the Parties, the annual UN global decision-making conference on climate change)  

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