The Five Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion are:
The mission of the Church is the mission of Christ
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To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
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To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
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To respond to human need by loving service
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To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation
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To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth
In fulfilling the 5th Mark of Mission we are committed to a journey of working to reduce our carbon footprint and to support those who are caring for our environment.
The five marks of mission were first developed by the Anglican Consultative Council in 1984. Since then, they have been widely adopted as an understanding of what contemporary mission is about. The marks were adopted by the General Synod of the Church of England in 1996 and many dioceses and other denominations used them as the basis of action plans and creative mission ideas.
We're proud to say that concern for nature and the environment isn't something new to the people of Frome. There may be more emphasis on it and wider understanding but we remember also with thanks those who have been passionate about these matters in years past:
Eunice Overend (1919-2016) was a popular Frome science teacher who was well-known for her work with animals and the natural world. She was Peter Scott's first curator at Slimbridge after WW2. She advised the Ministry of Defence about conserving badger setts when they wanted to build new tank tracks on Salisbury Plain. Her work on understanding the life of badgers was of immense significance.
Her remains are interred in the North side of St John's churchyard.
You can find out more about Eco-church initiatives at https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/
and at
https://www.bathandwells.org.uk/faithandmission/environment/
where a copy of the Diocesan Environment Policy can also be seen.
An explanation of the impact of the 5th Mark of Mission on how the church can frame its mission and life can be found here.
During the 2021 Frome Festival there will be a Bio-Diversity Trail walk around Frome Churchyards: Full details can be found at
https://fromefestival.co.uk/event/?eventid=10
Date & Time: 10-Jul-2021 14:00 - 16:30
Event Code: 10006
Location: start at Holy Trinity Church
Price: Free
Description: Enjoy an afternoon exploring the churchyards of Frome and looking at the bio-diversity flourishing within them. Churchyards are among the few areas unaffected over the centuries by farming and development, and each provides its own unique blend of plants and habitats for wild-life. The trail commences with a short introductory talk at Holy Trinity churchyard at 2pm and will continue to Dissenters' Cemetery and Christ Church finishing at St John’s churchyard. Trail guides will be available in each churchyard. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.