We are pleased to share that the church has now achieved an Eco Church Silver Award. Thanks to everyone who supported the caring for creation approach at services, initiatives in and around the church, and the Great Big Green Week event on 2nd June. More details about Eco Church at ecochurch.arocha.org.uk or through this QR Code….
Thank you to everyone who helped to organise and run the event in and around the church on Sunday 2 June for Environment Sunday as a lead up to the Great Big Green Week. If you have an interest in biodiversity and the climate crisis and have ideas for a future event, or would like to be involved, please let us know – hethepccsecretary@outlook.com.
Climate Change – what we can all do and notice of new EV Car Clubs
Maintenance of the Parish Churchyard
Eco Church is an award scheme for churches in England and Wales who want to demonstrate that the gospel is good news for God’s earth. All diocese in the country are registered under this scheme.
Some ideas of things we can do:
• Adopt the Eco Church vision “Our vision is for churches of all denominations to care for creation as an integral part of loving their neighbours and following God faithfully”
• As individuals, pray regularly for help to regenerate our eco system; start to make small changes – repair and reuse, recycle, avoid use of fossil fuels, walk, cycle…..
• As church, hold more special services relating to God’s earth and regularly include prayers, hymns and sermons about God’s creation
• Invite people to the village to talk on the issues and what we can do
• Write to our local MP and councillors expressing our concerns and asking what they are doing
We have an “insect hotel” and several bird boxes in the trees. The “wild areas” are being maintained.
Further details to come, but if you would like to be involved, please let us know.
We looked into the possibility of installing a waterless composting toilet for the church, but this has proved to be too expensive.
A representative of “Wild Oxfordshire” visited the churchyard in March 2021 to advise us on how best to proceed with turning parts of it into “wild” areas.
In the first year the grass in the designated areas will only be cut and then raked off at the end of August. This will encourage native flora and fauna. The PCC will be maintaining a record of flowers, plants, insects, reptiles and animals using the churchyard – so please let us know if you spot anything. The representative of “Wild Oxfordshire” pointed out yellow meadow ants and solitary bees during her visit.
There are other maintenance tasks, so if you would like to be involved in any way, please let us know.
British Native Flowers to watch out for in the Churchyard in July and August:
Buttercup – Common Red Poppy – Shepherds Purse – Red Clover – Bramble – Goose Grass – Daisy – Ox-eye Daisy – common Yarrow – Long rooted cats-ear – Field Bindweed – Self-heal – Red Dead-nettle – Plantain.
Thank you to Pauline O’Gorman for producing a comprehensive list of wildflowers and Flora for the signs.
June 2021 Churchyard Images
April 2021 Churchyard Images
March 2021 Churchyard Images
Many thanks to Tamsin for the above photos.
The Climate Emergency
The Climate Emergency is the greatest global crisis ever.
The PCC would like to do something positive as a church and quite a lot should be possible without spending much money! We are looking at having an independent energy audit and making part of the churchyard more “wildlife friendly”.
Our aim is to turn part of the churchyard into a natural, flowery space, to encourage wildlife and make it more attractive and interesting for visitors. Our long-term vision is to preserve the churchyard as a special, sacred place, remembering that if we turn it entirely over to nature we forget the work of past generations who cared for it and we could impede access to graves and for on-going burials.
The Action Plan:
1. Write an accessible document on how to look after the churchyard for wildlife.
2. Seek advice from local wildlife trusts.
3. Map the site and start to fill in what we know and what we find out about plants, animals and built features.
4. Plan what we want to do and how we will manage the site. Talk to people and reach an agreement on management.
5. Inform people about the plans and invite them to become involved.
6. Review the plan. Is it working? Check to see how practical it is and how people feel about it.
The first area is the part of the graveyard at the front (south end) of the church to the west of the footpath. The second area is the part of the graveyard immediately behind the church (north end). Signs will be erected.
It would be good to involve Muddy Church and local families/children making bug hotels, etc. If you would like to be involved in any way (practical, guidance or funding) please let us know.
This link is to ECO Church which provides further information and ideas.
Quote from the Bishop of Reading:
Its increasingly clear to an increasing number of people that our planet & human race are facing an existential crisis.
What are you doing personally and what can we do as a church? The following is an extract from Pathways. 
We are already doing some of these in Hethe and we have electricity from renewable sources supplied through the Church Parish Buying scheme.
The Climate Emergency will be added to Hethe PCC Agendas in the future. If you can offer any advice, interest or support please get in touch hethepccsecretary@outlook.com.
For further information from the Diocese visit http://oxford.anglican.org/environment
Prayer
Creator of our common home,
You fill the earth and sea and sky with life
Forgive us our neglect of your creation
The choking waste of our pollution
The damage done by careless habits
And our indifference to future generations.
Help us to amend our lives
To refuse more plastic if we can’t reuse it
To lift our voice for lasting change
And to live well and gently on the earth
To the glory of your Son, the living Word
Through whom you made this fragile world.
Amen
Rt Revd Steven Croft
