MK Eco Church Network – May 2026 Update
Dear MK Eco Church Network friends,
June will be a busy month including the Great Big Green Week running from 6 – 14 June, which will feature a range of events being organised by MK Eco Church Network members.
The highlight will be ‘Celebrating Ten Years of Eco Church’ that will take place on Sunday 7 June from 2.30pm – 4.30pm when Andy Atkins, Chief Executive of A Rocha, will be giving the key note talk. I hope as many of you as possible will make this event that will be held at Christ the Cornerstone. I also hope many of you will attend the People’s Emergency Briefing (PEB) film screening, being organised by MK Climate Action Network, which will be followed by discussion being held on Friday 12th June, between 4.00 – 6.00pm at the Sky Cinema, in the MK Gallery – please do register as the free tickets are going fast!
Best wishes,
Stuart Kean
MK Eco Church Network Convenor
email: mkecnetwork@ctmk.church
MK Eco Church Network – May 2026 Update
Events
- Celebrating Ten Years of Eco Church: Sunday 7 June, 2.30pm-4.30pm at Church of Christ the Cornerstone, Milton Keynes. We will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of Eco Church and Chief Executive of A Rocha UK, Andy Atkins, will be giving a keynote talk. Refreshments afterwards will be served in the Guildhall where there will be displays and stalls featuring Eco Church stories from around Milton Keynes. All are welcome. Find out more and register.
- The Great Big Green Week: 6 – 14 June: The plans for churches in Milton Keynes I’m aware of include the following – Everyone is welcome to attend/participate:
- Friday 5 June is World Environment Day and Churches Together in MK will be organising a prayer vigil in MK Rose at the World Environment Day pillar
- Saturday 6 to Monday 15 June there will be an Exhibition of Eco Crafts in the cloisters at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone between 11am- 6pm daily
- Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 June at Church of Christ the Cornerstone it is hoped to have a display in of at least 8 posters outlining achievements made by Eco Churches in Milton Keynes. Thanks to the churches that have submitted posters.
- Sunday 7 June at 2.30 – 4.30pm Andy Atkins, Chief Executive of A Rocha, will be speaking at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone.
- Sunday 14 June during the 9.30am Open Door informal service, the St James congregation will be taking part in the Count on Nature and all are welcome.
- Churches Count on Nature runs from 6-14 June 2026. Register your event on the Caring for God’s Acre website! Register by 23 May to receive the resource pack in time for your event. https://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/get-involved/event-register-26/
- The People’s Emergency Briefing (PEB) film screening and discussion on Friday 12 June, at 4.00 – 6.00pm at the Sky Cinema, MK Gallery, 900 Midsummer Blvd, Milton Keynes. The PEB film is a summary version of the National Emergency Briefing on the climate and nature crisis that was held for MPs last November. The film presents a clear, measured overview of how the climate and nature crisis is affecting everyday life in Britain – and what the evidence says about risks and responses. There are currently over 850 screenings planned across the UK. Click to register for free: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/miltonkeynesclimateactionnetwork/2196884
- Milton Keynes Parks Trust – Community Volunteering
- Saturday 23 May 10.00am to 12.30pm – Restoring Heritage Habitats at Stanton Low Park
- Wednesday 3 June 10am to 12pm, and 1pm to 3pm – Himalayan Balsam Bashing at Loughton Valley Park
- Wednesday 10 June 10am to 12pm, and 1pm to 3pm – Balsam Bashing at Bancroft
- Sunday 21 June 11.00am Community Litter Pick at Peartree Bridge
For details: https://www.theparkstrust.com/events/?Event+Category=Volunteering
Webinars
- Churches Count on Nature webinars
From 26 May, and 8-12 June, all 12-1pm Details of each webinar and registration - A Rocha UK Eco Church online prayer forum Thursday 4 June 12-1pm. Registration
Advocacy Opportunity
- Green Christian has announced that it is supporting Zero Hour’s new campaign, ‘Secure Your Future’, which aims to restore nature, protect communities, and bring an end to oil and gas. The centrepiece to the campaign is the launch of a new private members bill: the Nature + National Security Bill. This new Bill, when made law, would connect key ecosystems through a Strategic Nature Network (SNN). The SNN would be recognised as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, which would mean the SNN is designated as infrastructure of national importance. This thriving natural backbone would charge up our soils, water and natural defences from extreme weather. The Act would establish a new Resilience and Adaptation Commissioner to protect communities and ensure decisions across Government prepare the UK to function in the face of escalating climate impacts – all whilst making sure that people benefit from affordable food, safer homes, and better health. Please will you write to your MP, today, asking them to enter the Private Members’ Ballot and pick the Nature + National Security Bill? Write to my MP
9. Send your creation prayers to General Synod – The CofE Net Zero Programme has asked if you can you add your hope or prayer for creation to the national net zero carbon programme’s Trees of Hope? These will be taken to General Synod in York in July, as a visible representation of the commitment to caring for God’s creation across our dioceses. If you would like to add a hope or prayer from your church, please fill in this form by 5 June. The NZC Programme team will then write this on to a leaf and add it to the Trees of Hope.
Resources
10. Sky gardening challenge – No garden, no problem! This year the National Trust are inviting everyone living in flats or apartments to create a ‘sky garden’ on their balcony or windowsill. They have created a balcony gardening guide, also applicable to small areas of church land, and are hosting workshops in various locations.
11. The Oxford Diocese Environmental Programme has made a couple of LinkTree collections of handy weblinks: one for resources about wildlife, and another for broader environmental action.
News and information
12. Climate Trunk debunks ‘1%’ myth
The latest images from a new initiative, which depicts climate issues in powerful graphics and graphs, are both sobering and yet accessible. We found this one particularly helpful when challenged about why the UK should take action when we only contribute 1% to global emissions.
13. For David Attenborough’s 100th birthday (today) a song has been recorded by climate choirs across the world using his witness statement and vision for the future words from his 2020 A Life On Our Planet series.
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