Bloomsbury Newsletter Two

PR.04.08

01/09/2008

Published by the CofE's Mission and Public Affairs Division in association with the Communications Office

Diocesan Environment Officers, World Development Advisers and Diocesan Mission Advisers who attended a Mission and Public Affairs meeting held in London's Bloomsbury Baptist Church in May this year requested more regular briefings about environmental work going on in the C of E. The Bloomsbury newsletter is happy to carry news of events and ideas in your area; contacts below. There is also a regularly updated rolling news section at the top of the Shrinking the Footprint StF website see http://www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org/.

Time for God's Creation 
All stipendiary clergy received a bookmark promoting A Time for God's Creation in their payslip mailing - to encourage parishes to choose at least one Sunday between 1 September and 4 October to put Creation at the centre of their worship and reflection.
Scripture readings http://www.transformingworship.org.uk/       Ecumenical worship resources: http://www.ctbi.org.uk/

Time For God's Creation Eucharist Service St Paul's Cathedral, 14 September, 6 pm
Celebrant and speaker the Bishop of London Richard Chartres with Dance by Ballet Rambert. All Welcome

Lambeth Conference (July 16-Aug 3 at University of Kent www.lambethconference.org)
Bishops and spouses from across the Anglican Communion pledged to offset their flights by supporting Anglican projects in Burundi and Bangladesh.

"Quotes" from the Environmental programme:                                                    Professor Christopher Rapley, Director of the Science Museum and climate change expert "We're looking for moral leadership. As a scientist, I'm looking in your direction." 

Wangari Maathai Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of the Kenyan Green Belt organization in a specially recorded message "We have the moral responsibility to protect God's garden. Why is it that we do not take action? Why is it that the church cannot take this message to the pulpit?" 

Rt Revd George Browning, former Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn, and chair of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network, issued the following Call to Action from the Network.

•  
  • We call upon the leaders of our communities to take every opportunity through teaching preaching and the celebration of liturgy to stir a passion for this fifth mark of Mission.
  • We urge Provinces, Dioceses and congregations to undertake environmental audits and to set targets which reduce the carbon footprint.
  • We encourage every local congregation to do all in their power to support and develop their local flora and fauna.
  • We encourage the rapid expansion of fair trade outlets throughout the Communion so that people in the developing world may receive a just price for their agricultural product.
  • We affirm the goal of locally generated energy which eliminates dependency upon nationally generated "dirty power".
  • We call upon the international community to set emission targets with immediate effect
  • We urge members of faith communities who enjoy "western lifestyles" to take action to reduce their personal impact on global warming by:  for example
  • Use of public transport, insulation of homes, collecting rain water, installation of photo voltaic cells,  radically reducing consumption, not wasting purchased goods, commitment to all forms of recycling, reduction in the use of energy, sharing resources, making each home and locality as sustainable as possible.
  • We recommend that all Provinces within areas of greatest greenhouse gas emissions (E.g. USA Canada Japan Australia etc) become familiar with and support the Genesis Covenant (http://www.genesiscovenant.org/) as an opportunity for collective action, maximising opportunity for cooperation at a national level.

StF website has more details on Bishop George's statement to the Lambeth Conference

General Synod
The following motion moved by the Bishop of London on behalf of the Mission and Public Affairs Council at July's General Synod and successfully carried.

‘That this Synod, recognizing that climate change poses both an environmental and human security challenge:
(a) endorse the recommendations as set out in Climate Change and Human Security: Challenging an Environment of Injustice (to read the paper click here)
(b) call on the Archbishops' Council and all diocesan synods to act on this report and its conclusions with a view to developing an integrated and holistic response to climate change; and
(c)  ask the Mission and Public Affairs Council to report back to this Synod by July 2010 on progress made towards developing such a response.'

Shrinking the Footprint 
The Archbishops' Council continues to work in partnership with the Carbon Trust and Energy Saving Trust to identify how best to help dioceses and parishes address climate change.  Two projects have recently been completed:
 
Greening the Spires
The Carbon Trust funded a detailed energy audit of six cathedrals and 24 parish churches, which was carried out by Faber Maunsell.  This has provided a deeper understanding of energy consumption and the potential for carbon reduction across the C of E portfolio. The study demonstrated that substantial energy and carbon savings could be achieved through simple changes to use of lighting and heating, to the way that a building is operated and through better understanding of heat loss.  Whilst every site is different, in almost all cases implementing the energy saving opportunities identified was possible without needing to affect the fabric or to install micro-generation equipment, such as PV cells.

Project Carbon:
Clergy House Sustainable Energy Project                                                                                                                                                                                         In In parallel with Greening the Spires, the Marches Energy Agency carried out green ‘makeovers' of eight different clergy houses, from old "hard to treat" parsonages to recently built curates houses.  Clergy houses are responsible for around 8% of the Church's institutional carbon dioxide emissions and there is great potential to improve this stock.The project set out to demonstrate, through a series of case studies, what is practical and achievable.  The makeovers identified the options, methods, savings and funding opportunities on distinct housing types and will enable the wide replication of these actions across the housing stock.  The project was funded by the Energy Saving Trust and was also supported by Current Cost, Ecclesiastical and the Churches Purchasing Scheme, Knauf Insulation, Windhager UK and Worcester, Bosch Group (which donated seven solar systems and three Greenstar boilers).

The next step is the production of general guidance for dioceses and parishes on how best to make the necessary changes. It is hoped that a series of events to provide Diocesan representatives with information and guidance will be announced shortly.

Exeter Diocese has produced a very useful background brochure to Shrinking the Footprint for distribution to clergy, synod and congregations.                        Contact: martyngoss@exeter.anglican.org

Buying Green Energy -  StF regularly gets requests for information on green tariffs and recommends the following article in Green Futures. Click here

www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org

Don't Stop at the Lights - leading your church through a changing climate                                                                                   

This new book from Church House Publishing is aimed at clergy and church leaders. Theological themes are explored for each church season with practical suggestions and case studies, contacts etc. The authors are Claire Foster and David Shreeve. Their previous book How many lightbulbs does it take to change a Christian? is being published in the States this Autumn. More details here

Archbishop of Canterbury interview
The current issue of Green Futures magazine includes an interview with the Archbishop of Canterbury. This is available at http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1771

Diocesan news
Devon churches at Downing Street
Members of the Devon Churches Climate Change Coalition handed in their ‘Hope Rising' banner petition to No. 10 Downing Street in July.  An open letter was also handed in to the Prime Minister outlining the Coalition's strong concern that the Government aim for an 80% reduction in carbon emissions in its Climate Act. martyngoss@exeter.anglican.org

Churches Together in Cumbria published 8000 copies of an illustrated document entitled God, Nature and Climate Change in August and in November the Carlisle Diocese is to discuss Environmental Policy, already agreed by Bishop's Council. http://www.churchestogethercumbria.co.uk/

New DEO for Winchester                                                                                  Welcome to Frances Ter Haar, Diocesan Stewardship Officer based in the new Diocesan Office, Old Alresford Place, Alresford, Hants, SO24 9DH. 

Cambridge Conference  
A Rocha is hosting a day conference on the environment for church leaders and officers entitled ‘Mission in a changing climate'. Wednesday 12 November 9.30am - 4.00pm
St. Barnabas' Church, Cambridge Tickets are just £15 (before 1 October) or £20
Speakers include: Revd. Dr. David Wilkinson, Prof. Bob White, Dr. Simon Stuart and Revd. Margot Hodson
Bookings and information : Lynda Taylor 01223 575172, Hilary Marlow  01223 369050 or arocha.cambridge@googlemail.com

Chelmsford Eco-Congregation workshop
Saturday 27 September 9.30 am - 12.30 pm, Chelmsford Cathedral , St Cedd's Room, Chapter House. No charge, retiring collection for EcoCongregation.
Eco-Congregation is a modular programme designed to help churches of all types weave environmental care into every aspect of church life.  Churches begin by completing the Church audit which is then used to draw up an action plan.  Resources are available to help the church to implement this plan.  The church can then apply for the Eco-Congregation Award.

Ends

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