Stories
Ngā Kōrero
Contact us to add your story to the collaborative Eco Church NZ puna mātauranga / pool of knowledge.
Windsor Park Baptist rangatahi plant for the future
The Windsor Park Baptist Earth Team recently welcomed rangatahi for a native tree planting day at Centurion Reserve. Together they planted 207 native plants, learnt practical restoration skills, and prepared to share their knowledge with others during the church's upcoming Matariki Serve Day.
Young people taking action for conservation
As part of World Vision's 40 Hour Challenge, the Good News Project 2026 gave young people from churches in Auckland and Christchurch a taste of hands-on conservation, discovering how caring for creation is one way to put their faith into action.
Albany Presbyterian Church Fernhill Escarpment nature walk
Members of Albany Presbyterian Church recently explored the Fernhill Escarpment in Albany, guided by knowledgeable botanists who helped them discover the richness of Aotearoa’s native bush—from towering podocarps like rimu and kahikatea to tiny ground-cover plants often overlooked. The walk deepened participants’ appreciation of the natural world and reminded them that learning to love and understand creation is the first step toward caring for it.
Kāpiti Anglicans Lenten Pilgrimage
On 1 March 2026, twenty Kāpiti Anglicans walked a Lenten pilgrimage from Kenakena through the Waikanae Estuary to Ōtaihanga Domain, reflecting on the deep roots of faith on the Kāpiti Coast. We remembered the witness of Te Āti Awa and the early church once built near Kenakena Pā, giving thanks for history, creation and shared fellowship on a beautiful autumn day.
Celebrating creation in community at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Kaikōura
St Peter’s Anglican Church in Kaikōura has been buzzing with life this season — from a joyful Blessing of the Animals service to flourishing gardens and community working bees. Read how the parish is nurturing people, place, and all creatures as part of their Eco Church journey.
Golden light on new beginnings: Our Regenesis story
After a decade of restoration work in Landsdowne Valley, South West Baptist has begun a fresh six-year planting partnership at Westmorland West – continuing its restoration story with new energy, new partnerships, and a hillside ready for renewal.
A morning of mahi and connection in the Gully
What began as simple weeding and clearing has grown into something much deeper. On a warm Sunday morning in Whanganui, youth, families, and neighbours gathered for hands-on restoration—and found themselves building community, nurturing their faith, and practising kaitiakitanga together. Discover how a small gully regeneration project is transforming both the land and the people who care for it.
Season of Creation at Alexandra Corps
Across September and October, Alexandra Corps joined churches across Aotearoa in celebrating the Season of Creation, reflecting on the theme Peace with Creation. The Corps community embraced practical care for the environment — from a Kids Church worm farm project to a community planting day at Eden Gardens — and joined fellow Eco Church, Alexandra, Clyde and Lauder Union Parish for outdoor worship in the gardens. Together, they expressed their ongoing commitment to caring for God’s creation.
Taranaki Cathedral’s Season of Creation journey
During the Season of Creation, Taranaki Cathedral embraced the call to care for creation in creative and meaningful ways. From lamenting ecological loss to sharing a spring feast around a flower-lined table, the community discovered new expressions of hope, connection, and renewal.
Discovering Wharemauku: A parish pilgrimage with their local stream
On 8 March 2025, members of the Kāpiti Anglican Parish set out on a unique local pilgrimage—tracing the Wharemauku Stream from its quiet headwaters to its mouth at the sea. Along the way, we paused to reflect, test water quality, and learn about the stream’s ecological and cultural significance. This journey deepened our sense of place and strengthened our connection with the whenua and wai that flow through our parish and community. Through learning about the history of the stream and its importance to the Puketapu hapū of Te Āti Awa, we also engaged with mātauranga Māori—acknowledging the depth of indigenous knowledge tied to this landscape.
Season of Creation Retreats 2024
Anne Albers shares her reflections from the Season of Creation Retreats #1 and #2 to mark the beginning and the end of the liturgical season. And Rebecca Webb shares a poem she wrote from the first retreat.
Visiting Flagstaff Community Church: An embodiment of faith in action
On a beautiful spring morning, Kristel, Selwyn and I had the pleasure of visiting Flagstaff Community Church in Dunedin. When we arrived at Flagstaff Community Church, Rev. Brendon McRae welcomed us, dressed in his Hunting and Fishing gear, clearly in the midst of working on the church's native regeneration project. He is a pastor who truly embodies the phrase "faith in action." Not only is he deeply invested in the spiritual growth of his congregation, but he is also equally passionate about the church’s role as kaitiaki of God’s good creation.
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