Comment - July 2009
Size doesn't matter...
My mention in the previous column about the eco programme of the Chaplaincy of Acquitaine prompted Brian Morgan, the Diocesan Environment Officer for the Diocese in Europe to comment on the difficulties of keeping track of all the activities underway in such a large and developing diocese. My reaction to this is ‘size doesn't matter' as no matter the size of a diocese it is still no easy task to keep track of the wide range of environmental initiatives going on.
We are currently getting reports ranging from news of churches taking part in the nationwide Big Lunch on the 19 July to others fitting PVC panels to listed buildings. There are over 16,000 churches and for all we know they could all be up to some green good. Hopefully everyone knows who their Diocesan Environment Officer is, but if not click here so you can keep them informed. But let us know too so that the StF website can start to reflect what is going on and help encourage what could be going on.
Most churches will be planning their Harvest Festivals. Many of these services will be happening between 1 September and the second Sunday in October - Creation Time. This is an international time when churches throughout Europe, Australia, the United States and Canada are encouraged to have at least one service where they put the environment at the heart of their worship. So if you're having a Harvest Festival you are already doing something to be part of Creation Time. If you want to do more then www.ctbi.org.uk will help provide you with service material and www.ecen.org will give you the background to the history and hopes of Time for God's Creation.
Which brings me back to Brian Morgan our man in the green seat for Europe who recently put forward a motion to his synod which was carried unanimously -
This Synod calls upon all staff and chaplaincies of our Diocese to set aside annually one Sunday during Creationtide when every member of the chaplaincy is encouraged to
pray for the environment and commit themselves to a personal, specific and sustainable energy saving action
use the most practical (and safe) energy friendly form of transport to attend church that day
Furthermore this Synod call upon all Chaplaincy Church Councils to take note of the Diocesan Environment Policy (available on the Diocesan web site) and draw up and execute plans to shrink their chaplaincy's environmental footprint.
Now who will put this forward to their Synods, or better still General Synod?
David Shreeve - the Church of England's Environment Adviser
