“The Green Church label is a crossroads of Christian commitments”

What is the assessment of the Green Church label, six years after its creation?

Alexis Guerrit (1): As the label renews, we see new communities, new Christian structures arrive. In a beautiful diversity, which makes this adventure a real crossroads of Christian commitments. With a very assumed ecumenical dimension, which distinguishes us from equivalent movements in neighboring countries.

Juliette Maupas (2): Among the Protestant churches, for example, we have seen many evangelical communities join us, while historically it was above all the Lutheran and reformed parishes that had mobilized. It is the strength of ecological awareness: it allows you to seek from both of them which is positive.

Did the movement go to last?

Jacqueline de Bourgoing (3) : With the passing years, we can see fatigue in certain parishes. Small teams are not always well supported by local officials. Unless they understand that this concern is also an opportunity to invite youngest or even renew social action.

AG: We are a bit of the hair to scratch institutions to accompany awareness on the colossal environmental challenges that await us. This is also done by identifying the dynamic spaces that already exist, such as the important mobilization of scout movements in all the churches around this theme.

JM: In ten years, we have gone from fairly isolated initiatives to a wide variety of proposals, routes, tools, movements mobilized on these ecology issues. We came out of the clearing of the beginnings.

What is missing to advance even more?

JB: More links are needed between parishes and community projects. And a more flexible dynamic, to pool existing resources and advance faster together.

AG: Me, I dream that in ten years, places like Notre-Dame de Paris, Mont-Saint-Michel and even the sanctuary of Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées), which all welcome many visitors, are labeled Green Church. We work there. We need spaces where to show what Christians are able to do together in the name of their faith.

1. Secretary General.
2. Responsible for the network of ambassadors, responsible for monitoring communities in north-western France.
3. Delegated president, CEF.