Berry Uniting Church

As COP26 gets underway in Glasgow with a strong faith presence advocating for action, closer to home Berry Uniting Church has received three prestigious environmental awards for their commitment to climate action and advocacy.

Five Leaf Eco-Awards Founder and Director Jessica Morthorpe presented the church with three awards: the Five Leaf Eco-Awards Basic Certificate, Eco-Worship Award and Climate Activism Award.

The Climate Activism Award, a new award in the Five Leaf Eco-Awards program, was the first ever presented. Berry Uniting Church received this award in recognition of their long history of advocacy on climate change, particularly in partnership with the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC), including participation in campaigns like the ‘Sacred People, Sacred Earth’ Rally and bell ringing to sound the climate alarm in March this year, and the ‘Faiths 4 Climate’ Day of Action earlier this month, their banner declaring the church’s concern about this issue to their community and their engagement with your local MP on this issue.

The Basic Certificate and Eco-Worship Award were also awarded, in recognition of Berry Uniting Church’s energy audit, energy efficient lighting, switch to greenpower, water tank, paper saving measures, reminders to switch off lights etc, eco tips in their newsletter, beeswax wrap making workshop, Season of Creation services and integration of environmental themes into worship, green film nights, and solar panels.

John Brentnall, who received the awards on behalf of the church said:

“It has been a long journey but I’m proud and absolutely thrilled that our little faith community has achieved so much and been rewarded with these Five Leaf Eco Awards.”