Eco-Congregation Blog

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!

Dear EcoCongregation ,

David has kindly invited me to share my African Climate Justice Mission blog on this site, and I will be sharing posts from my blog here, as I travel with a caravan of 160 young Africans and young people from around the world, to take a message of Climate Justice and sustainability to our world leaders at the United Nations (UN) Climate negotiations in Durban this year.

The Rev. Margot Hodson, is a board member of A Rocha and an author. Her most recent publication is the latest in the Grove Ethics series of booklets and is entitled: "Uncovering Isaiah's Environmental Ethics." It explores the rich natural imagery of the book which seems ideally suited to provide a source for an environmental ethic, and suggests how we can use these images, given that they were metaphors for theological ideas.
The book, priced at £3.95, can be obtained from Grove Publishing (http://www.grovebooks.co.uk/cart.php?target=product&product_id=17478&cat...)

The A Rocha USA blog site of 3rd September (www.arocha-usa.org/_blog/A_Rocha_USA_Blog) carries a piece by Robert Campbell, Pastor of Santa Margarita Community Church, an Evangelical Free Church on the Central Coast of California. Starting: "I tend to think of my garden as an ecological anti-depressant", he goes on to explore why he believes in the planet's goodness, and the knowledge of the power of God to restore his creation, giving a certain hope for the future. In these, often depressing, times it a salutary reminder of our faith. As the refrain goes: "Our God reins!"

Bob Hopkins, founder of the Transition Movement, gave a talk at a conference in June 2011, which has now been put on the Transition Culture web site, along with the accompanying slides. It can be found at http://transitionculture.org/2011/07/21/my-talk-at-the-resolve-conferenc..., and is a summary of what has been happening to date. It should be of interest to both those wanting to find out about the Movement and also to those already involved and looking for ideas. The talk itself is about 30 minutes so make yourself a cup of something, sit down and enjoy.

You really want to save the world, but how on earth do you get started?

Anita Kelly clicked the 'Submit' key and found herself on a training course in Kent, designated as a 'Climate Champion' a British Council led initiative. She has now returned to West Harrow where she is seeking to engage her church. She has started a blog to detail her experiences, and others may well find it of help when planning similar initiatives.

Her blog can be found at: http://www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org/action.php?BN

I have always been interested in the environment, and I have always been a Christian, so volunteering with an organisation that is both is wonderful. However in my early days I struggled, I had never had to put the two together and now I was alongside people for whom this was the most natural thing in the world, with the bible underpinning all that they do in the environment. On mentioning this to friends I found myself with an application form being shoved into my hands.

I am a keen cyclist so this idea really appeals! In a bid to improve air quality Chichester Council is promoting a series of cycling events during June. For the last two years, with the Churches Together in Chichester, it has encouraged congregations to cycle to church. The council have supported this with a free Bike Doctor and the offer of match funded bike racks to the larger congregations.