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August 2008
Creation Challenge newsletter
After two very busy gatherings for our churches – Conference and General Assembly – there’s plenty of news to share and opportunities to engage with environmental issues. So after you’ve enjoyed the summer get ready for September when we can all participate in Creation Time and Harvest Festivals. See later in this edition for resources for both!
We can also announce the results of the energy usage survey that the Mersey Synod undertook on behalf of the whole URC.
If you haven’t got enough cotton bags to save yourself from using plastic ones – see this offer from Commitment for Life!
As always the network exists to support the work of individuals and churches throughout our denominations so please share any news, tips, experiences or questions that you have where churches' and your own engagement with the environment are concerned.
Best wishes,
Dave Coaker
Creation Challenge, Coordinator
Actions
Bethesda Methodist Church suggests you look at finding a home for an owl! If you are committed to reducing your electricity use and/or wish to know how much various appliances in you home are consuming this green gadget is well worth considering. A small explanatory leaflet is attached or you can find out much more information on the web: www.theowl.com
Paul Phillips from Rushcliffe wants to let us know that Climate Stewards is not the only Christian based carbon offset scheme. EquiClimate - is a carbon offset scheme operated by the non profit Christian electricity and gas supply company Ebico Ltd.
Plant a tree – isn’t just for carbon offsetting, do it anyway!
(If you have any other suggestions for actions individuals or groups could take please let us know!)
Church Action
Wylde Green URC - Children and youth - Building on a sense of wonder - Meriel Chippindale reflects on the five years since their green group was formed.
Tips/Resources
Hope for Creation: a time for worship and action Churches Together in Britain and Ireland has put together a programme of resources to encourage and assist churches to observe a Time for Creation in 2008, between 1 September and 4 October.
Choose Life: an anthology of liturgical material on climate change from the UK for Creation Time 2008 from the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN)
MRDF’s Reclaim Harvest features work in Ethiopia, where deforestation and soil erosion have made farming almost impossible. But MRDF support has provided training, seeds and tools that enable communities to manage natural resources sustainably.
Christian Aid harvest appeal resources tell the story of Ally Ouedraogo and his community reaping harvests on the edge of the Sahel in Burkina Faso. Climate change is hitting this region hard, but with great determination and with help from Christian Aid, Ally’s community is reclaiming its land from the advancing desert.
Christianity, Climate Change and Sustainable Living is a series of five Bible studies published by The Jubilee Centre in Cambridge in cooperation with Tearfund.
Between the Flood and the Rainbow: Climate Change and the Church's Social Teaching. A Study Guide on Climate Change based upon key themes in Catholic Social Teaching.
ecocell: a journey in practical discipleship exploring: Waste, Shopping and food, Energy in the home, Water, Transport and travel, and Next Steps using the See-Grieve-Hope-Act cycle.
Operation Noah Day Puppet Show by Ruth Jarman
Reviews
A Moral Climate – the ethics of global warming by Michael S Northcott, DLT 2007.
The Ethics Of Climate Change – Right and Wrong in a Warming World by James Garvey, Continuum 2008.
Market Whys And Human Wherefores – Thinking again about Markets, Politics and People – by David Jenkins, Continuum 2004.
The Transition Handbook - From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience – by Rob Hopkins, Green Books 2008.
Have you read something you’d like to review for us?
News
Mark Dowd of Operation Noah gave a sobering key note address to the URC General Assembly highlighting the potential migration and refugee issues that will result from climate change.
Environmental Issues Network of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland met in June. Read a report of their meeting.
Events
Hilfield Project is based at Hilfield Friary in
The play 'Another Kind of Silence' is about the author Rachel Carson who famously wrote Silent Spring, about the American chemical industry and it's effects on Nature, in 1962. It is a Full Circle production. It will take place a St James' United Reformed Church, the 1st Eco-Congregation in the Thames North Synod of the URC, on Saturday, 6th September 2008 time TBC. Phone Steven for details on 020 8504 5325.
Christian Aid: Transformation Events A series of one-day events to enable people to polish up their campaigning skills. They take place at Perth, Exeter, Lancaster, Belfast, London, Wrexham, St Albans, Birmingham and York between 6 September and 11 October.
European Christian Environmental Assembly, 24-28 Sept - The seventh ECEN Assembly will take place in Milan.
The Courage to Change – are we Responsive Pilgrims? Tue 30 Sept-Thur 2 Oct Residential Conference at High Leigh Conference Centre , Hoddesdon, Herts, offered by The Guild of Health , a non-denominational Christian charity committed to a broad spectrum of wholeness. Cost is £150, ebhshel@btopenworld.com
Climate Change & Farming - 17 Nov - the Agricultural Christian Fellowship (ACF) Annual Conference at the Arthur Rank Centre.
Transport - A journey to a fairer future - Sat 22nd Nov - 11 am. A CEL conference with Michael Northcott (Professor of Theology, Edinburgh University) and Stephen Potter (Professor of Transport Strategy at the Open University).
Eco-congregation Awards
Trinity Methodist, Woking has gained an Eco-Congregation Award; as have:
Leytonstone, United Free Church
Bramhall Methodist, Stockport who are taking positive action to make the Methodist policy their own.
Barking United Reformed Church, Essex
Please get in touch if you have material you would like to submit
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