Many thanks to Ruth Bushyager, Bishop of Horsham, for leading the Dawn prayer meeting in Horsham Park for COP26, and to all those who attended in the wind and rain. Please continue to pray for COP26 as exhausted delegates travel home, reflect and decide their next steps. There is some good news to celebrate and be thankful for, and much we can still pray about and do which will make a difference. Join me at these free online events to find out more, scroll down for full details.
Climate Sunday: Impressions from COP26 - Churches Together in Britain and Ireland - Thursday 18 November 7pm-8pm.
A Rocha UK reports back from COP26 - What was agreed in Glasgow and what can Christians do next? Monday 22 November 7pm-8pm.
Community Energy Horsham - Sussex Green Ideas Wednesday 17th November 7pm-8pm - A very exciting local project.
Climate Sundays - So pleased to hear from Rev Alan Mayer, Associate Priest at St Mary's Horsham, that they celebrated Eco Sunday on 7th November, and devoted the whole of the main service to Ecological issues and praying for COP26. Alan's sermon to a very full church on the issues received a round of applause (very unusual in an Anglican church!). Alan hopes St Mary's will become a beacon for local initiatives as it works towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral, well before the Church of England deadline at the end of the decade.
You can watch local Climate Sunday recordings and use these online resources to inspire your church: https://www.climatesunday.org/
Creation Care - St Mark's Church launched Creation Care on 10th October, 13 households have already registered for the scheme and during a church service next week (or privately if they prefer) we will present 7 Bronze Awards and 1 Silver Award, celebrating what they have achieved and inspiring others to take part. Feedback so far included: "It was really worthwhile taking part. It made us really think about what we are doing but also what steps we can plan to take in the future. Really encouraging to engage with this scheme!" https://creationcare.org.uk/
The Eco Churches display will be at Sussex Green Hub, at the United Reformed Church in Horsham, on Saturday 27th November and 18th December 10am - 4pm, I'll be there to answer any questions and would love to meet you.
Please send me any Eco News to share and follow our Facebook page for more news, as only a selection goes in to these newsletters!
May God bless, protect and guide you as you care for His wonderful world.
Join us to hear more about what happened at the UN Climate Change conference COP26, the outcomes, significant moments and what happens next. There will be a panel of Climate Sunday delegates sharing their impressions and reflections from the conference, as well as an opportunity to ask questions and hear briefly about where the Climate Sunday campaign will go once COP26 is over.
The view from Glasgow:
A Rocha UK reports back on COP26
Join us on Monday 22 November at 7pm - 8pm
to hear from the A Rocha UK team who were at COP26
What was agreed in Glasgow and what can
Christians who care for creation do next?
Hear from Andy Atkins and Hannah Eves from A Rocha UK on what it was like on the ground in Glasgow, what the conference achieved and what part nature-based solutions to the climate crisis played at COP26.
We’ll also hear from Seth Appiah-Kubi from A Rocha Ghana, another member of the international A Rocha delegation at COP, about campaigning at COP26 to preserve the Atewa Forest in Ghana and how the Christian community in the UK can support this campaign.
Sussex Green Ideas Zoom event
Wednesday 17th November 7- 8pm
“We the Power” film & discussion
The film explains how people power brought about change in European policy on renewable energy. It shows what a combination of practical projects and campaigning can do. There will then be an opportunity to discuss the film – and what practical projects and campaigns are underway locally.
If you are inspired by the film and would like to get involved practically, Community Energy Horsham could be for you, a group of Horsham residents currently investigating locations for solar panels on public buildings in Horsham. Then, working with established organisations and structures, we will offer local people the opportunity to invest in them. In addition to providing a return to investors, we anticipate a return to the community in funding for environmental and social projects. It’s working in Lewes and Brighton – why not in Horsham?
Pop-Up Horshamthis new shop in West Street is an exciting mix of start-ups, entrepreneurs and environmental awareness and education provided by Sussex Green Living and Horsham Repair Cafe. Pop in and see the changing environmental displays and some unusual Christmas shopping ideas.
Petitioning - The Time is Now
To bring about climate justice, we need change at all levels: as individuals, churches and societies.
The Time is Now for a healthy, green and fair world. A group of over 140 organisations have drawn up a declaration addressed to the Prime Minister, to send a strong and unified message.
An excellent resource by Tearfund alongside Christian Aid, Church of England, Green Christian, Operation Noah, Hope for the Future, Eco Church, A Rocha UK and other organisations.
Step by step, the Climate Emergency Toolkit guides your church or Christian organisation through simple but powerful actions that have an impact far beyond your own walls or community.
Horsham Eco Churches encourage and inspire other churches on their journey, to share ideas and find out more about caring for God’s world.
The free online survey and resources equip your church to care for God’s world in your worship and teaching, management of buildings and land, community and global engagement and personal lifestyles. Actions taken count towards a Bronze, Silver or Gold Eco Church Award. Complete the free survey you may find you already qualify for an Eco Church Award! https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/
Sussex Green Living volunteers collect and hand sort many types of specific single use plastics and other resources for recycling, to avoid landfill or incineration and raise funds for local good causes.
Trafalgar Infant School, Greenway (Junior) Academy and the Holy Trinity Church Community in Horsham together save specific plastics and rubbish from landfill and incineration, while raising money for those communities.
Join the discussion, as we encourage and inspire churches and communities on their Eco journey, to share ideas and find out more about caring for God’s wonderful world.
