Here is the process we ask churches to take:

Either set up a special church meeting or set aside time in an upcoming meeting to talk about the Sustainable Practices. This could be a leaders meeting or a church member’s meeting.

This first meeting is a chance for everyone to be told about the Sustainable Practices, what the seven practices include and why they are important. Copies of this booklet can be printed out or emailed to everyone so they have a chance to read it in advance.

PowerPoint presentations are available for download from this website to help communicate what the Sustainable Practices are all about.

Before the end of the meeting, set up a task group of two or more people to go away and work through the practices, looking at what the church is already doing and coming up with suggestions. Their brief could include:

• Exploring the questions at the end of each sustainable practice in this resource.
• Identifying specific ways the church already uses the practice.
• Listing new actions to improve what the church currently does.
• Talking in depth with the key volunteer youth leader to get their opinion and input.

Although it’s crucial to reflect on how far the church already embraces the practices, the focus of the application is on the future, not the past. The task group will need to list two actions the church intends to take to fulfil each of the seven practices in the upcoming year.

It’s important to include your youth leader in the process, but they should not lead the process or the task group as this may make it awkward to explore some of the issues.

The task group should write their conclusions down and distribute their findings to church leaders and members.

Take time in a second church meeting for the task group to report back and to make their recommendations. Talk through the different action steps and how to implement them in the coming year.