Methodist
Way of Life

NOTICE
We notice God in Scripture and the world
God is near, and findable. But not completely.

The Bible is an ancient collection of writings in different styles. The authors recorded how they experienced God at work in their lives. It helps us to understand and experience God for ourselves. But we can never fully understand God; that’s why it’s called ‘faith’. 

We can notice God everywhere around us not just in church, in science and nature, in family and friends, in work, in books, in films, in leisure, in our local community, in the actions of others and in world events.

Sometimes we have to focus to notice God around us and in us.

FOCUS
As April is the month of Easter and Spring flowers fill our gardens, perhaps we should look around us at our neighbours and friends. Who needs a little cheering up? Can we bring a smile to someone's face? It might only take a kind word or five minutes of your time or you might feel a bunch of flowers or an Easter egg would do the trick.
The image of God is not always cheerful, it can show sadness and disappointment but our actions might bring back that smile.

In March during lent we remembered how Jesus supported the poor and the needy, and tried to do the same. A few coins in the Salvation army charity box or a copy of the big issue when we in town. There was a wonderful response to our request for men's socks to go to Open Door. Thank you very much indeed.

In February we celebrated St. Valentine's day by focusing on those we love for they surely reflect the image of God in their kindness and love. 

In January our focus was OURSELVES as we renewed our covenant promises to God and thought ahead to the new year.

At Christmas time as a church, we asked support for “All We Can” the Methodist charity which runs many efforts abroad to help people help themselves. We also asked people to write a card to one or more of those people mentioned in the pastoral notes.

Simple things to try from the Methodist website

• Read from the Bible every day, using a guide like A Word in Time to help you explore it. As you read, you could ask the question: ‘Where is God in this story?’.

• Spend time outside each day and be open to noticing God in nature or culture. The Methodist Prayer cards can be helpful visual aids for this.

• Sign up to the Friday Fix to explore how people notice God in music. 

• Keep a daily journal of what you notice about God and the world each day or week.

• Ask other people where they have noticed God and learn from each other’s different perspectives.

• Interested in exploring more about Christian beliefs about the Bible, and the world? Check out christianity.org.uk

• For Bible Month each year we focus on one book of the Bible. This year it is the book of Genesis. Next year is John. Check out resources from previous years.

• Listen to a Taketime meditation based on Mark 4:35-41: Calming a Storm; John 1:1-18: In the beginning; or Mark 3:1-6: Jesus heals man with deformed hand.

FLOURISH - GREEN TEMPLE
We care for creation and all God's gifts

At the Temple annual general meeting in September 2023, we decided to concentrate on flourish - we care for creation and all God's gifts, as an area of learning and growth. As Christians, we believe that God doesn’t just promise life, but life in all its fullness. We want all of God’s created Kingdom not just to survive but to flourish. God created not just humans, but every animal and plant. It’s only by recognising that we are part of creation and caring for the world around us that all creation can flourish. As with the other practices of a Methodist Way of Life it is expected that our path to caring for God's creation permeates all aspects of church life, from worship to energy and resource use to everyday things we can all do to help.

The importance of caring for our environment, the natural world, and our use of world resources has been a growing concern around the world. Many international organisations are calling for decisive and immediate action to avert a global catastrophe. In particular the accelerating effects of global warming caused by human activity have already caused devastation and suffering on an unprecedented scale, with communities and habitats being pushed beyond their limits. Taking action is likely to come with an individual cost, but the cost to the future of our world in doing nothing is immeasurable. God has made us responsible for this world we live in and we need to live up to the trust God has put in us.

New Environmental Policy

At our Annual Church Meeting in September we agreed an Environmental Policy.

Environmental Policy for Temple Methodist Church, Taunton

Policy statement

We, the people of Temple Methodist Church, recognise the urgency of the climate and nature crises and the fundamental injustice these represent. We will take the practical steps necessary to strive toward safeguarding the integrity of creation and sustaining the life of the Earth. We aim to use resources wisely so that climate change is mitigated, biodiversity protected or enhanced, finite resources conserved, and waste and pollution minimised.

Our principles and values

We affirm that God created the world and everything in it.

God has created an awesome and majestic cosmos which brings him praise and glory. We are just one part of his created order and Jesus has redeemed the whole earth through his death and resurrection. We have a special responsibility to care for the Earth so that human life and all God's creatures may be sustained in harmony.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1 NIV).

We believe that seeking climate justice is part of Christian discipleship and practice.

Following Christ's teachings means loving our global neighbours and caring for creation. The climate crisis both reflects and feeds off inequality, exploitation and greed: often the communities who are suffering the most from its effects, particularly in the Global South, are those who have done the least to cause it. We will aim to act in accordance with this understanding, making changes to improve our sustainability and to show solidarity with those across the world who are suffering in this crisis.

What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8, NIV).

Our Actions

At the Church AGM in September 2023 the Green Temple group was formed to work on the Flourish Station of The Methodist Way of Life - We care for creation and all God's gifts

In November 2023 we registered to take part in Eco Church, a project run by A Rocha UK.

In January 2025 we received the bronze level award of the Eco Church scheme and we are working towards the silver award.

Worship and Teaching

We will communicate our biblical understanding of responsibility to God for all that is entrusted to us through creation, making the links between poverty, wealth and environmental degradation. We will strive to equip leadership, staff, volunteers and church members with the skills, knowledge and confidence to respond to this responsibility.

We will:

• •   Annually include an environmentally focussed service as part of the Season of Creation in October

  •   Pray for our environment regularly in church services

  •   Create a book of prayers for use in services and for individual prayers.

  •   Support relevant training for our local preachers, worship leaders and enablers

Buildings and Energy

We recognise the most important environmental impact will be an ongoing reduction of our carbon emissions. We will seek to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as much as we can, working toward net zero carbon.

We will aim to reduce our carbon footprint year on year in line with our denomination's commitment of becoming a net zero carbon emissions church by 2030.

We will:

• •   Calculate the church carbon footprint annually to monitor and inform progress towards net zero emissions.

  •   Include an assessment of environmental impact in all procurement decisions.

  •   Work with staff to minimise their carbon footprint while travelling between sites.

  •   Maximise recycling

  •   Reduce landfill.

  •   Use fairly traded or local produce wherever possible.

Land and Nature

We will respond to the nature crisis and loss of biodiversity through practical action, collaboration and campaigning 

We will:

• •   Raise the awareness of the congregation and users of the premises through notice boards, weekly notice sheet and The Link.

  •   Create and maintain a Green Temple Notice board

  •   Organise at least one event each year such as the Art Exhibition (2024). Quiz evening (June 2025) inviting speakers (November 2025).

  •   Engage in citizen science surveys e.g. The Big River Watch, RSPB Garden Birdwatch, The Big Butterfly Count

Community and Global Engagement

We will highlight and raise awareness that the climate and nature crises affect the poorest first and worst so our responsibility is to them and the places they live, wherever they are in the world, to promote justice for people and nature.

We will:

•   Support organisations working to alleviate poverty e.g. Christina Aid,

•   Toilet Twin 11 cubicles in the church building.

•   Build local partnerships with other groups and organisations e.g. Citizen Somerset, schools, other churches.

Lifestyle

We recognise that we have an impact on the world through the choices available to us and our use of money and resources. We will strive to support our church family and wider community in bringing about positive change and care for God's Earth. We will seek to encourage our church community and beyond to live gently on the Earth and be prepared to challenge systemic injustice.

We will:

•   Undertake a congregation lifestyle questionnaire

•   Encourage individuals to calculate their carbon footprint

•   Encourage the use of refill shops and other suppliers of eco-friendly products

Monthly focus over the next church year (preliminary thoughts)

September Harvest and The Big River Watch

October Season of Creation - Environmentally focussed service

November Carbon Footprint and Climate Change talk

December

January RSPB Garden Birdwatch

February

March

April

May Christian Aid Week

June Quiz

July Plastic Free July

August The Big Butterfly Count

Monitoring and Implementation

The Green Temple Group will report regularly to the church stewards and church council meetings.

Date policy adopted:  

Date of review: ACM 2026

See news and tips from other churches and individuals in the Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Circuit on the Eco Church page on the circuit website, and also in our monthly Circuit Link magazine.

Simple things to try

• Find out, learn about what is happening and what you can do.

• Pause, ... consider the possible impacts of your actions.

• Try to provision and use only what you need (reduce waste) .

• Share stories and tips with others.

at church ...

• Include care of God's creation in worship.

• Include some aspect of 'flourish' in church group activities.

• Be resource aware (energy, utilities, produce, logistics, consumables).

• Enjoy the Eco Church articles in Circuit Link.

at home ...

• Where possible buy local produce,
  check packaging for place of origin.

• Grow some plants,
  either some insect friendly plants in your garden or a pot plant in your room.

• Switch off electrical items not in use,
  don't leave non-essential things on 'standby'.

• Add the care of God's world to your personal prayers.

• Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle what you can - it can also save you money.

• Don't leave taps running.

• Support a charity helping others around the world coping with climate change.

• Read about what others are doing (or not doing) to ensure the world's natural habitats, and take action.

Useful Links

• Methodist Church Website

• A Rocha UK

• Eco church stories

• Calculate your carbon footprint

• Saving Energy - Age UK

• Somerset Council - bins, recycling and waste

• Carbon Trust

• UK government net zero strategy

• Wildlife Trusts

• Nature Conservancy