Eco-Congregation Blog

So what do you think the future will look like? Is the New Jerusalem urban or rural? Is our future to be a dystopia like Bladerunner or a heavenly garden?

I have long been impressed by the positive approach that the Transition movement takes to dealing with peak Oil. They start by trying to envision what the local community would look like in the best of all worlds and then developing a plan to get there. Their focus is on what WE can do rather than on what THEY should do. The vision below is typical of a Transition approach:

EarthAbbey is a movement of people helping one another to live more in tune with the earth. Their inspiration derives from Jesus whose life and mission was to bring about a peace which embraces all creation. Chris Sunderland who started EarthAbbey recently shared this prophetic word with me:

" A new commandment I give to you that you live in harmony with the earth"

In June the Rio+20 Earth Summit International Conference (www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.html) is being held to review the future of our world and sustainable development. Much is hoped for from this conference, while many remain pessimistic about the ability of world leaders to be able to agree on a successful way forward.

The below quote is part of a longer article reflecting on a Brazilian community that models “abundant kingdom homesteading,” and written by Fred Bahnson, the co-author of a new book on reconciliation with the land

A Rocha International has created a new Blog starting with monthly inputs from Dave Bookless. Here is what they have to say: "Do you ever wonder how much the Earth really matters to God? Do you sometimes struggle to answer other people’s questions about the biblical basis for environmental action?

I was sitting in church this morning when this initiative from the Bible Society was announced. The New Testament is available as a free download from the Bible Society website so that the whole New Testament can be listened to over 40 days at 28 minutes a day. There is also available a free CD ROM pack for church leaders including talk outlines, small group activities, prayers and film. The recordings have been made by a Christian drama company, Riding Lights Theatre Company, to further enhance the whole experience of being able to listen to the bible wherever you are.

This is a précised version of Professor Tim Gorringe’s annual lecture for Operation Noah; given at St Mary le Bow, on November 14th 2011

Is climate change an issue that touches the very heart of faith, or is it something we can politely agree to disagree about?

Marika & I have just returned from a week's holiday in a cottage in Northumbria. I wouldn't normally write about my holidays in this blog but the cottage was rather special.

The Fuffins at Hunting Hall Farm is not far from Lindisfarne. What was really special about it was that it is an eco-cottage. It has a ground-source heat pump, solar panels, organic cotton linen, wood burning stove and all sorts of little "green" features. These included an eco-drop for gauging how much water you are using in the shower and an Owl for monitoring how much electricity you are using.

Sadly I have had to edit the blog down to just Claire's concluding remarks but she clearly had a remarkable experience in Durban which included being evicted from the COP itself.

We had all been really looking forward to the culmination of our petitioning efforts, and the chance to present our success to the Archbishop, and hear him speak at our final concert in Durban, at the gigantic Kings Park Stadium.We attended the COY on Saturday morning, where I set up the photo petition, and got people excited about our campaign.The caravan team also sang at the end of the main morning session!

Hi, just a quick post for now - we're in Pretoria and heading on to Durban very bright and early tomorrow.

After Gaberone evening concert, we had an early start and headed to the local church on Sunday, where there was a really animated and passionate service on Climate Justice. Africans sure know how to sing and praise the Lord! I have never heard such a deep-reaching, heart-wrenching sermon, or met people so friendly and welcoming as that congregation - really overwhelmed by the experience.

OK, hi from Botswana! :) I'll pick up where I left off at the Victoria falls,

As we approached the entrance desk, we heard rumours that there was an exceptionally small amount of water going over the falls, and that it might not be worthwhile to pay our $20US entry fee to get in. Locals were saying that even at this time of year, the falls used to be full with water, but in recent years, they've almost entirely dried up at some times of year, which is very concerning.

Last blog from Chitimba beach, then on the road again. We had a very long drive day, and arrived late in Lilongwe after a beautiful sunset, pitching the tents in the pitch black once more. Thankfully we had managed to recover our solar torches that we had left out in the sun at lunchtime to charge, only to have them carried off by local village children!

A couple of really nice drive days! Tanzania is such a very beautiful place :) We enjoyed the scenery out of the windows, and the coolness of being at higher altitude in Iringa. Some of the African participants found the UK-type temperatures a little on the chilly side... The Old Farmhouse Camp was a tranquil minimalistic site, with3 clean, stone-built long drop toilets, lit by candles at night, and 3 surprisingly nicely-tiled showers heated by an oven-fire water system, which we had to keep burning as the 160 travellers welcomed a warm wash :)

The evening began with a draft statement from the conference to the COP (Conference of Parties) in Durban. This turned out to be quite a mission, with everyone wanting their own wording, and I imagine it reflected some of what goes on in drawing up some of the official UN texts!