So, carbon zero is a definite priority. The Methodist Church wants to be CO2 zero by 2030. Now, if the Church sold off all its buildings, in terms of property it would be carbon zero. Similarly, if we sold off all our buildings we would be too. But there is an absurdity in that – we would need somewhere surely from which to base our various outreaches etc, and to worship, and if we did sell all our buildings, and they were used by others, then no carbon would have been saved at all – it would just be produced by others and not us. We could feel pleased about this but we wouldn’t actually have reduced carbon at all, just ‘passed the buck.’
Also,we are always told that the church is primarily the members. So are we all being asked to be carbon zero by 2030?
There are heaps of documents on the Methodist website and we all need time to digest them and to begin the journey, to know what restrictions regarding old buildings are there, to pray to continue to get a sense of where God is leading us.
I have also heard an argument which, crudely, might run something like – by 2030 many members will have died so we will have to sell up etc…. but I don’t think that should be a main driver of policy at this stage, even though I have thought it myself at times. It doesn’t have the ring of a godly approach…..
So on the way day context is needed, some input into what the Methodist Church is actually saying – that structure – something we can work within -this I feel is vitally important as it gets us away from pinning certain things on/accusing local individuals, and also shows us what help is out there; also there may well be useful case studies we can draw on. We also need a space to express what our hearts are saying – not about looking back and being wistful, but what we prayerfully think God is saying through this. I don’t know whether 2030 is realistic but we have been asked to make it our goal. And it is an opportunity ….