News of wildfires across the world over the summer, devastating and fatal floods in Spain in the autumn,  and the expectation that, globally, 2024 will be the warmest year recorded, due to the continued growth of Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, continue to turn our focus to the issue of climate change and the call to share in God’s mission to all creation.

Yet, it can be hard for churches to know where to begin in taking steps towards reducing their carbon footprints and join with the need to move towards net-zero emissions to help safeguard creation for current and future generations.  

Nigel Walters’ short book Making Your Church Sustainable – A Practical Guide to Net-Zero (Canterbury Press, 2024) is a helpful place to begin thinking about how church buildings can be adapted.  Nigel is a conservation architect who has worked with church communities across the denominations. 

While the book draws upon the Church of England’s Net-Zero strategy, much of it can be applied to Baptist church life, demystifying ‘the topic of sustainability’ and providing ‘a wealth of practical advice for both affordable quick-wins and for more complex projects’ for churches, both small and large.  

The message is, start small and do what is appropriate for your church. For example, smaller churches whose buildings are only used infrequently through a week, with a lower carbon-footprint, might start by reducing drafts, installing LED lighting and switching to a renewable electricity provider, all of which will reduce their carbon footprint and may save money on their energy bills.

One Baptist church highlighted in Making Your Church Sustainable is Cemetery Road Baptist Church in Sheffield - a larger church, with a Victorian building. Mike Green, sustainability lead at the church,  shares something of their vision and journey to make the buildings more sustainable:

“Cemetery Road Baptist Church is journeying towards a significant transformation to become a more sustainable and welcoming space for our congregation and the wider community. Central to these improvements is a commitment to reducing our environmental impact and enhancing the building’s energy efficiency.

A key milestone in our sustainability journey was the installation of a substantial solar panel array on the church roof. This renewable energy system generates clean electricity, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and lowering our carbon footprint. To complement this, we have implemented a comprehensive energy efficiency programme, including upgrades to insulation, the replacement of inefficient lighting with energy-saving LED fixtures, and plans to improve heating and ventilation systems. 

We are grateful for the support of government and charitable organisations whose funding has been instrumental in making these improvements possible. Their investment in our community has enabled us to create a sustainable and affordable space that benefits both present and future generations.”

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