Get Growing

Growing Churches - Growing on church land - Growing with their Community

We support churches in creating eco congregations on their land in order to deepen worship, welcome their community, and combat climate breakdown

Find out more about the new Hazelnut Community Network - join one of our free information sessions

The Hazelnut Community Network offers resources, training, support and input.

We are designing resources with everything you need to run a session in your garden. They are designed to give you lots of ideas, you can then contextualise them for your community.

Sections will include:

  • Theme based on the season

  • Teaching ideas with bible texts and stories

  • Prayers for use outdoors or in church services

  • Crafts

  • Projects to do in the garden

  • Wellbeing

  • Big questions based around ecological breakdown

Over the last couple of years, we have trained over 200 people on how to start Christian communities based in nature.

Our is training gives you all you need to go from idea to launch. Our training is delivered on Zoom over 4 weeks. It’s a fit for all shapes and sizes.

Here are some examples of what it offers:

  • Expert advice through lots of Q and A

  • Starter documents like budgets, safeguarding, and health and safety

  • How to begin a community garden no matter the experience.

  • Ideas on how to worship in a garden

  • Practical ideas for building a successful project

  • Help with thinking through what your project will look like.

Example of a training session

We know how daunting it can be to start something. That’s the beauty of a network you don’t have to go it alone.

As part of the Hazelnut Community, you will have access to quarterly Zoom meetings to discuss upcoming resources, and how they can be used, and hear other ideas from the network. It’s also a great place for Q and A.

As a member of the Hazelnut Community, you will have access to world-class speakers. Our contributors will speak on a range of Christian eco topics that will broaden your thinking on a range of interesting topics. These sessions will be open to anyone in your community. Below are links to our upcoming contributed as well as some great talks from the past couple of years.

Example of input we offer

Click on the pictures below for information on some of this year’s speakers.

Hannah Malcolm

Hannah Malcolm
Rosie Hopley

Rosie Hopley

FAQs

  • We want to keep our costs affordable so that everybody who wants to is able to join. By joining you can access all of our resources, training, support, and input.

    • Small groups with up to 10 members pay £10 per month.

    • Churches with up to 30 members pay £25 per month.

    • Churches with between 30 and 100 members pay £35 a month.

    • Churches with over 100 members pay £50 a month.

    Churches that are multi-church benefices can pay one amount for all of your churches. The amount to be paid is the amount of members across all churches.

  • Through the spring we are holding a number of Zoom info sessions prior to our launch. You can find those dates at the top if this page.

    Our official launch date is 6th June 2024!

  • The value of new resources, world-class input, support, and training outways the monthly cost.

    But there is added value for a church as it saves time in planning for a leader and adds creativity that does not need to be created from scratch.

  • Bursaries are available. When signing up there is an option to request a bursary.

  • Yes! Hazelnut is a Partner in Action with A Rocha UK, and we are big fans of their work. A Hazelnut Community sits well alongside Eco Church and helps with many of the categories.

  • Absolutely. One of our Hazelnut Communities is located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The issues we face in ecological breakdown are worldwide. As we face living in these times the conversation must be one of listening and engaging beyond our own contexts. All are welcome.

  • We want to equip Christian communities to engage with creator, creation, and community regardless of the amount of land you have. From growing in pots to windowsills we will help you think creatively!

  • It will depend on what you aim to do. We encourage groups to start with something manageable and grow as needed. There is very little start-up money needed.

  • Then this is perfect for you. We are passionate about empowering people to give it a go. Everyone is welcome from first-time growers to experienced gardeners.

  • Our resources are flexible and can fit in with where you are at. You could start as a home group, a monthly group, or bi-monthly. Start with who is keen to join and always welcome people from you community to join as well. Before you know it you will be growing with people who don’t usually come to church.

  • No. we want it to be properly ecumenical. Join if you are liberal, conservative, high church, low church, rural, estate, urban, suburban, cathedral, or some keen allotment folks. All are welcome!