At the Belfrey, we are committed to environmental justice, including climate justice. We seek the welfare of our planet and to celebrate good stewardship of God’s creation.

Recommended resources

'God Doesn't Do Waste' by Dave Bookless - The story of going green and how God takes all our messiness and transforms it into something of infinite worth.

‘Saying Yes To Life’ by Ruth Valerio - Includes discussion questions and a prayer at the end of each chapter to aid action and contemplation.

Creation Care - Take a questionnaire to find out how your household can make changes to better care for God’s Earth.

St Nicks - Find out about the St Nicks Environment Centre and its environment-related activities in York.

Diocese of York - Find out about the work of the Diocese on environmental justice.

The Groves Repair Cafe - Repairs to clothes, kettles, electronics, toys and much more. Usually runs the last Saturday of the month at St Thomas’ Church Hall, Lowther Street YO31 7ND.

Climate and Environmental Emergency Declaration

As part of our churches ongoing commitment to steward creation well, and to look after the world we’ve been entrusted with, the leadership and PCC of the Belfrey declared a climate emergency in 2021.

On the basis that:

This is God’s world, we are called to care for it and we have not done well.

The world is facing a severe crisis of environmental degradation and climate change that affects our ability to sustain human civilisation in its present form;

The main cause of the crisis is human activity;

The crisis is inextricably linked to global injustices and inequality;

The crisis indicates a failure of human beings to follow God’s mandate to care for the world and to seek justice among its peoples;

We, the Parochial Church Council of St Michael le Belfrey, York want to publicly declare a Climate and Environmental Emergency, and commit ourselves to:

Examining our lives individually and corporately in relation to this crisis, and seeking to live faithfully to God;

Bringing forward by April 2022 an action plan to minimise our negative corporate impact on the environment and climate and to help restoration where possible;

Encouraging our members to make relevant lifestyle changes appropriate to their circumstances;

Encouraging action on this emergency in our neighbourhoods, workplaces and other spheres of activity;

Using whatever influence we may have to bring about positive actions by local and national government and by corporations.

St Michael le Belfrey PCC 7th November 2021