Saturday 21st March 2026 – 10:30am
Bertie Stirling began by welcoming everyone. Hope involves action, hope is not optimism. Prayer is like hope, hope involves action and prayer involves action. Hope: an ability to work for something because it is good…something makes sense regardless of how it turns out. In our daily lives we decide, we do, we respond.
A Rocha UK – Regina Ebner has left and Andy bought a farm near Gretna to demonstrate farming the nature friendly way.
Two webinars coming up. 14th April 2026 at 5pm – Fundraising and Grants Officer Jeremy Sharpe will give some ideas on applying for grants and funding. There will be another in May regarding government grants, some specific to NI. Two creation care conferences recently. PCI in September and one in Newry would indicate that Churches are becoming more aware of the significance of Creation care. Brian Anderson East Belfast Mission got the ECI Endeavor Certificate.
The farm surrounding Hugh’s Meadow Nature Reserve continues with regenerative farming and after 3 years they are seeing the results of that. Completely grass/silage feed. Three quarters of the animals are outside during winter. Its gathering momentum here and it is working well for them.
Knock Methodist Church are working towards their ECI Endeavour Certificate. They are exploring a Harvest Creation Service, pollinator garden and solar panel maintenance. They also now have proper bins, children’s work about eco matters, reusable cups for coffee etc.
Citizens Assembly for Lough Neagh – next Friday whole day as part of Imagine Belfast at the Crescent Arts Centre. National Emergency Briefing video being released on 7th April 2026. 45 minutes long. Idea is that different groups host a public viewing and invite MPs along.
St Johns Newtownbreda’s allotments have been revamped and are back in use. Ripple effect in that Guides have taken on an area etc. There is a wildflower area and they have made an application for funding for solar panels.
Knock Presbyterian Church have a new build ongoing, and are waiting to see what happens with the new build/greening the church grounds. The new Belfast Churches group will meet twice a year and their will be a talk on a particular subject so it will be different to this group. Next meeting is 28th May 2026 at St John’s Newtownbreda and they will have Prof Jim McAdam there about Lough Neagh, all welcome.
Bangor Vineyard is hoping to find a piece of land to establish a social enterprise but land is at a premium. Their whole church has a passion for it but they have no land.
Lowe Presbyterian Eco Group continue with their monthly eco tips in announcements and on Facebook. The Lowe kids planted daffodil bulbs in pots which are at the front door. A new bike rack has been installed. Their second‑hand handbag stall at the Christmas Fair raised £180 and was hugely popular. They continue to use Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar, and eco‑friendly refillable, washing‑up liquid in the kitchen. At the Fun Day, Daphne collected all the drinks cans for recycling to support a charity she’s involved with. For the youth weekend, everyone was asked to bring a reusable water bottle to reduce waste. They were delighted to host the Repair Café again in October — it was another brilliant day, coinciding with International Repair Day, and they welcomed back the apple‑press team, which the kids absolutely loved. In the Girls’ Brigade they recycle all uniforms and badges were possible to save money for parents and reduce waste. Rachael also gave a talk to GB girls about recycling. Our committees have been more formalised since new minister started and the Eco Committee reports to Church Committee and is on the agenda of every meeting. Some of us also took an interest in the proposals to fence off part of Wedderburn Pitches in Erinvale which the church uses for their football camp in summer but also there is concern about the environmental impact of this. A member of the eco-club helps out with Belfast Hills Partnership clearing invasive species, planting etc.
Regent Street Presbyterian Church, although they have limited space, are trying to raise awareness for creation care. They have an official eco group who are planning an eco-service on 26th April.
Kilbride Presbyterian Church are seeking approval for solar panels and also have started to recycle soft plastics.
Hillsborough Presbyterian Church have set up their eco group with people who have particular knowledge/expertise. Looking after their neighbourhood, Big Garden Watch, Big Plastic Count, community litter picking/gardening, Their solar panels are up. Collecting old reading glasses. They are checked by optician and taken to Africa. Tools for Solidarity collection for sewing machines, fabric and tools. Hope to make their ECI Gold Award application soon.
Orangefield Presbyterian Church and Church plant in Harbour Estate. Orangefield environmental group are putting up solar panels, changing how the do tea and coffee and installing LED lighting. We should encourage lobbying as often the voice of faith is absent and that has the potential to make a difference
Abbey Presbyterian Church don’t have an eco group, but have permission to go for ECI award so need to get a group set up. Monkstown Village Initiatives got NI Pollinator award again and received a visit from Emma Little-Pengelly. Their community garden is involved in teaching kids where food comes from, school uniform bank etc.
Clonard and Parish of St Anne’s have large garden but with a small elderly congregation, who will tend to it? They would like to see it made into a community garden.