MK Eco Church Network – September 2026 Update

• Ann MacKinnon
• 26 Sep 2026

MK Eco Church Network – September 2026 Update

Dear MK Eco Church Network friends,

My apologies that this Newsletter is coming a bit later than usual, but I hope you’ll find some useful items useful.

The main item to highlight is the next MK Eco Church Network meeting which will be held on Saturday 17 October between 10.00 and 12.30, but coffee will be served from 9.30. More details can be found in the Newsletter below, including about registration and car parking.

I’d also like to recommend the 3 articles written by Revd George Mwaura, found at Item 12 below which can be found on the CTMK website. George’s latest powerful response to watching the People’s Emergency Briefing film and his perspective as a Kenyan living in the UK provides a challenge for every Christian.

Please share this Newsletter with other people who may be interested.

Thanks and best wishes,

Stuart Kean

Convenor, MK Eco Church Network

email: mkecnetwork@ctmk.church

MK Eco Church Network – September 2026 Newsletter

Events

1. The next MK Eco Church Network meeting will be held on Saturday 17 October between 10.00am – 12.30pm at St Michael’s Church Woburn Sands. The address is St Michael’s Church, Church Rd, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes MK17 8TA. The first half of the meeting the Eco Church Group at St. Michael’s will talk about “The Journey so far….” Following discussion there will be a talk given by Judith Heinemann on “How can we support the recovery of nature in our local areas?” There will a second talk and demonstration about sustainability in floral arrangements given by Theresa Wedderburn, Branch-out MK CIC. There is limited car parking close to the church. Alternative public car park is off Russell Street (MK17 8NU), then walk up Club Lane to High Street and up Church Road to St Michael’s Church. Anyone with mobility needs should contact Wendy Ardern (Tel: 01908 586406) to make arrangements in advance. Please register using the Ticket Tailor link, so that the organisers can have an idea about how many people will be attending: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ecochurchnetwork/2421693
2. Milton Keynes Parks Trust – Community Volunteering
   1. Tuesday 29 September, 11.00am. Community Litter Pick: Stony Stratford Nature Reserve.
   2. Saturday 10 October, 10.00am – 12.30pm Community Volunteering: Orchard Antics at Woughton Orchard. Join in a hands-on session at the Woughton Community Orchard to help clear some of the bramble and brush that affects the orchard, and prepare the orchard for its Golden Celebration on Apple Day!
   3. Saturday 24 October, 10.00am – 2.00pm. Ouse Valley Park, near Holy Trinity Church. Community Volunteering: Bug Hotel Building. Celebrate Make a Difference Day by building bug hotels and creating habitats at Trinity Meadow in Old Wolverton.
   4. Friday 30 October, at 11.00am. Community Litter Pick: Waterhall Park.
   5. Tuesday 10 November at 11.00am. Community Litter Pick: MK Rose, Campbell Park.
   6. Saturday 14 November at 10,00am. Wetland Arc Project: Community Tree Planting. Help the environment and make your mark on the local landscape by planting trees with us at Old Wolverton.

For details: https://www.theparkstrust.com/events/?Event+Category=Volunteering 

3. Good Money Sunday is 4 October 2026

This year’s Good Money Week is 28 September – 4 October 2026. It’s an opportunity to encourage reflection and action in your church and wider community around a good and just use of money. Resources are available https://justmoney.org.uk/good-money-sunday/ 

4. Milton Keynes Repair Café dates and venues from September 2026 – July 2027

For general information click here. 

5. COP31 UN Climate Summit, 9 – 20 November. There are six weeks to go until the next UN Climate Summit in Türkiye and the negotiations are already well underway. Please pray that these discussions are fruitful. If you want to keep abreast of what is happening, please sign up with the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit, who are producing regular updates: the link for signing up is here

Take Action

6. Join the Great Switch for Creation and choose a green electricity tariff this Season of Creation. The Oxford Diocese is once again asking churches to join the Great Switch for Creation. Choosing a green electricity tariff is a practical response to caring for God’s creation, one rooted in faith and a commitment to loving our neighbour. By taking a small step, to light the way, our small steps will lead to a cleaner, fairer future. Find out more and pledge to make the Great Switch.
7. Wetland Arc Project Survey: The Parks Trust has started an exciting project, the Wetland Arc Project that meanders along the Great River Ouse and the landscape is made up of several areas managed by the Parks Trust: Tombs Meadow and Millfield, Stony Stratford Nature Reserve, Ouse Valley Park, Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve, Stanton Low and Linford Lakes Nature Reserve. The Parks Trust is developing a Masterplan for the whole area and would love to hear your thoughts and those of your family and friends! They have created 2 surveys a short and a more detailed survey which will inform the masterplan which will be produced towards the end of 2027: the link to the shorter survey is here and the link to the more detailed survey is here. Please do make the most of this opportunity.
8. Zero Fossil Fuel Lobbyists in COP 31 Delegations

Last year, a record 1,600-plus fossil fuel lobbyists infiltrated COP 30 in Belém, Brazil. Working alongside petrostates, they blocked a roadmap for a fossil fuel transition. Add your name to our letter to COP 31 country delegations and urge them to keep all fossil fuel lobbyists out of COP 31 negotiations. Zero Fossil Fuel Lobbyists in COP 31 Delegations | The Climate Reality Project

9. Urge the PM to Rewild to Recover

Rewilding Britain is inviting people to call on the UK Government to Rewild to Recover from extreme weather? We’re demanding that they:

• Rewild our response to extreme weather: Put nature recovery at the heart of how we prepare for and prevent climate shocks.
• Reinvest in our landscapes: Create a Climate Shock Fund to restore nature and make Britain more resilient against floods, fires, water shortages and days of extreme heat.

10. An interactive prayer for Fairtrade Fortnight

Fairtrade Fortnight started on Monday and runs until 4 October. To mark it, Christian Concern for One World has created an interactive ‘chocolate prayer’ for local and global farmers. You can download the prayer here.

Information

11. Good news on energy bills for churches

From Thursday 1 October there will be a change in VAT on electricity for six months. All churches that qualify as charities for the 5% rate currently will qualify for this 0% rate and should not have to do anything more. However, you will want to check that the new rate is applied on your bills. Ecotricity have produced an FAQs on this. A church not already on the 5% rate that ought to be needs to advise all its energy suppliers of the church’s charitable status by sending them a VAT declaration. Find out more about this process.

12. Plug in solar panels

Will £400 supermarket solar panels save you money? The expert guide in the i-Newspaper

13. A Christian Response to Europe’s Heat and Drought

Revd George Mwaura, United Reformed Church Minister at Christ the Cornerstone LEP in Milton Keynes, has written three very thought-provoking articles about climate change and the response of Christians to it. This includes his reflections after watching the People’s Emergency Briefing. George is also the current Chair of Churches Together in Milton Keynes.

14. The Cost of Living in a Fossil Fuelled World

Communications Officer Cameron Conant with Operation Noah asks, ‘What is the cost of living in a fossil-fuelled world?’ As it turns out, more expensive than many of our politicians can imagine.

Resources

15. New resource for celebrating Harvest

Climate Stewards has highlighted a new resource recently released by the Arthur Rank Centre, to support schools, faith communities and churches to mark this year’s season of Harvest. This new resource recognises that Harvest is no longer the celebration it once was. Entitled ‘a year like no other’, it is an invitation to acknowledge the enormous pressures that farmers in the UK are facing. One of the biggest pressures is coming from our changing weather; although other important factors such as rising costs, increased disease, and farmer wellbeing are adding additional pressure. The resource offers ideas for a new type of a harvest display, gives space for lament, encourages us to hope, and to take practical action.

16. Plastics Toolbox

A Rocha has produced a new resource to contribute to global efforts to fight plastic pollution in the oceans as an individual, family, group or church. It brings together science, theology, education and lifestyle with a variety of resources. You could do a Bible study, use a factsheet to learn more, talk to others, do a nurdle hunt and think about next steps for your location. Here are some resources: Plastics Toolbox – Resources

17. Methodist Action for Hope

If you’re thinking about net zero for your church, but want to know how technologies work in a church setting, this is a reminder there are case studies available on the Getting Your Building Down to Net Zero webpage. For those considering PV projects, a reminder that Methodist Insurance have guidance on both panels and batteries available. They also have a questionnaire for churches to complete- the advice is to complete this early on in the project and start the conversation with Methodist Insurance, so any requirements can be discussed.

18. A Time for Creation

Churches are being invited to use prayers for times of extreme weather set out in a newly expanded Church of England service book. A Time for Creation has been revised.

19. Green Christian Prayer Guide for September: Prayer Guide – GreenChristian
20. Pray through Creationtide with us…. The Oxford Diocese invites you to pray through Creationtide with us, using this prayer calendar on our website.