Sunflowers and Solar Crosses: Tamworth Southside UC Wins Environmental Award
Tamworth Southside Uniting Church received the prestigious Five Leaf Eco-Awards Basic Certificate on 9 March.
Butterfly and bird friendly gardens, a community produce garden, and a solar cross are among a range of environmental initiatives undertaken by Tamworth Southside Uniting Church that have seen them receive the prestigious Five Leaf Eco-Awards Basic Certificate on 9 March.
The award recognises Tamworth Southside’s dedication to caring for God’s creation and celebrates the church’s many actions, which also include establishing a church eco group, publishing over 140 articles on environmental themes in their church newsletter, creation themed worship, and advocating for action on climate change.
As well as serious actions and changes, the church has embraced creativity and fun, expressing love for creation through the works of their Faith and Art group, and holding a feel-good community sunflower day to raise money for a Ukrainian orphanage. The event included cake stalls, games for the kids, drinks & BBQ and plenty of sunflowers for sale. Left over flowers were given to the Tamworth Hospital & taken to friends who needed cheering up.
Rob Henderson from Southside’s Eco Group said, in accepting the awards: “We are thrilled to receive this encouragement and recognition of all we have done.”
Rev John Brentnall from Berry Uniting Church (who received their awards in 2021) visited the church to congratulate the congregation and present their award. He said, “It’s wonderful to see what Southside have achieved, and to encourage them on the journey.”
Founder of the awards, Jessica Morthorpe, says she is looking forward to seeing Tamworth Southside Uniting Church earn more awards in the future, and encourages other churches interested in earning awards to apply,
“Many churches have already done enough to earn Five Leaf Eco-Awards, they just don’t realize it,” she says, “If your community is doing something to be proud of, even if you think you have only done a little, please let us know. We can’t give you an award if we don’t know what you’ve done!” Churches can enter the awards by filling out the survey here: www.fiveleafecoawards.org
Photos: Tamworth Southside Uniting Church members receive the award from Rev. John Brentnall (far left above) from Berry Uniting Church (who received their awards in 2021); The Sunflower Community Event and Fundraiser (below); and The Solar Cross on the roof of the Church.
The Five Leaf Eco Awards
The Five Leaf Eco-Awards are an ecumenical environmental change initiative for Australian churches and religious organisations founded in 2008 to assist, inspire and reward churches for environmental action. The Five Leaf Eco-Awards are non-competitive, with churches completing tasks from a list of flexible criteria to earn each certificate. There are currently seven awards of varying difficulty available. The Five Leaf Eco-Awards operate nationally and across denominations. Find out more or apply for an award on behalf of your church here: www.fiveleafecoawards.org