Our Diocese is an Eco church (bronze level) and several churches in the Diocese have already obtained an Eco church award. More details on what this means at the end of this post. Read how members in the south of France decided to learn more by visiting the French site of A Rocha.
Members of St. John’s (Menton), the British Association of Menton and other churches along the coast took a fun day out in mid-July to visit a special Christian community high in the hills northwest of Nice. The destination was A Rocha France at Les Courmettes, a nature reserve of a variety of natural habitats offering a breathtaking view of the French Riviera.
The mission of the A Rocha community and its international affiliates is to live out God’s calling to care for creation and equip others to do likewise.
The day was in turns one of joyful relaxation and inspiration. It began with a presentation by Rev Chris Parkman and his wife Sarah Walker, on the history and vision of A Rocha and its early roots in Portugal, along with examples of its work around the world. Jean-François Mouhot, A Rocha France Director, told us about the history of A Rocha in France and gave a tour of the immediate property on the estate’s vast expanse, centred around a significant early 1900s manor house and sanatorium which provides both office and residential accommodations for staff and visitors.
A leisurely picnic took place on a nearby area of open land, suggesting the vast nature of the setting. The convivial mood of the gathering provided the opportunity for people to share their impressions along with the nourishment.
The afternoon was devoted to a nature walk over a large terrain, led by Chalotte Léon, head of science in the community. In addition to serious explanations of the workings of nature down to the level of insects, there was an exercise in butterfly catching. Visitors were provided with butterfly nets and led though the process of inverting the net through to the actual capture on the ground in a glass jar. Joy was in the air as participants ran to and fro, swinging their nets in pursuit of elusive butterflies.
The fun day ended late in the afternoon with cheerful goodbyes with the A Rocha staff.
More information on A Rocha at Les Courmettes can be found at www.courmettes.com and https://france.arocha.org.
Eco church is an award scheme which provides a framework for churches and dioceses to express care for creation. The Diocese in Europe has been recognised as a bronze Eco Diocese and is now striving for silver! Read more below for more on Eco Church for chaplaincies.
And see the diocesan website for lots more information
