What's New in Climate and Sustainability

Dear Friends,

2. Other Upcoming Events

now through 1 September -- NUNEHAM COURTENAY -- Family activities at the Arboretum
Special family-friendly activities (Geo-Caching and Explorer Packs) at the Harcourt Arboretum. Free with admission (£3.50/free for children), though there is a deposit required for hiring some equipment. For further details, see the Science 2010 website.

27 to 30 August -- CHELTENHAM -- Greenbelt
Christian arts festival with a strong focus on justice. The "green" Christian groups will have a forum where they will be sharing information and conversation throughout the festival. Information and tickets online from http://www.greenbelt.org.uk.

September -- BERKS, BUCKS and OXON -- "Inspired by Creation"
Diocese of Oxford's competition asking for photographs, poems and prayers that capture the ways in which people are "inspired by Creation". Where do you encounter God in Creation? For further information or to enter, click on the Earthing Faith website here.

1 September to 4 October -- EUROPE -- Creation Time 2010
The time set apart by the European churches to consider the wonders of God's creation and our responsibilities towards it. See the "Resources" section for worship materials for the season.

4 to 5 September -- WALLINGFORD -- Green Fair
Sustainable Wallingford will be running a Green Fair in "Centre 70" at this year's Bunkfest. Includes stalls with insulation, solar energy, rain harvesting, green architects and sustainably produced good as well as talks on insulation, solar power and efficient use of energy in the home. Come along and find out more. 

4 to 5 September -- WARWICKSHIRE -- Small is . . . .Festival
Sponsored by Practical Action and Engineers without Borders UK, a festival to celebrate small, practical actions in environment and development -- based on the ideas of EF Schumacher. For more information, see the Practical Action website page here.

16-19 September -- SOUTHWELL MINSTER (Notts) -- Green as  a Leaf: Renewing a Theology of Creation
Featuring a great range of keynote speakers: Simon Conway Morris, Michael Northcott, John Rodwell, John Milbank, Simon Oliver, Alison Milbank, Margaret Barker, this conference brings together theologians, philosophers, scientists and cultural critics to explore the specifically theological resources that can be brought to bear on our relation to the natural world. Download a registration form at www.southwell.anglican.org/DeptforDevGreenasaleaf.html

18 September -- BIRMINGHAM --  Growing Organically- Using church land as a model for environmental change
A conference covering the importance of church land management. It will also give practical examples of projects and open up opportunities to see what conservation potential church land may hold. Main speakers: Professor Sir Ghillean Prance and Bishop James Jones; informative and interactive workshops. 10:00 am to 4:40 pm, Carrs Lane Church Center, Birmingham, B4 7SX. Cost: £10/£5.Please book in advance.  Please bring a packed lunch, drinks and light refreshments will be available. For directions please visit: www.arocha.org/gb-en - Further info: kajsa.brittsjo@arocha.org

22 September -- YOUR CHURCH? -- Ringing bells for biodiversity
On 22 September Heads of State will assemble at the United Nations to discuss the biodiversity crisis. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity is encouraging the ringing of bells all over the world as an urgent 'memo' to rouse the world to action on saving species. The UK organisers of the International Year of Biodiversity hope that church bells throughout the UK can join in. Might your church take part? Contact CCOW if you are interested.

22 September -- EUROPE (including your church and home?) -- European Car Free Day
Each year many of the towns in our area celebrate this day. Is there something that your church could do in support?

3 October -- YOUR CHURCH AND HOME? -- Operation Noah "Oil Fast"
Operation Noah is responding to the recent crises around oil extraction by pointing out that capping one well isn't enough to resolve the environmental issues: we need to cap the demand that leads oil companies to increasingly risky extraction activities. They've designated 3 October as a day for Christians to try to live without oil (insofar as is possible) -- a first step on what they're calling a "Carbon Exodus," a "determined and sacrificial journey out of our dependence on fossil fuels." Find out more on the Operation Noah website.

4 to 8 October -- UK -- National Lift Share Week
Does what it says on the tin . . . can you work out ways to encourage people to share cars? Resources available here. Reading will be focusing on its car share scheme during this week. Find out more here. 

9 October -- MAIDENHEAD -- Energy Saving Exhibition
Save the date!

9 October -- ABINGDON -- Eco-Fair
Abingdon's first eco-fair will have "fun activities and practical ideas to help us all live well without damaging the planet." The fair will focus on five areas: energy, food, waste, travel and biodiversity. An event for the whole family, it will also have a cafe serving local food. 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Abingdon Guildhall, Abbey Close OX14 3JE. Further information http://carboncutters.blogspot.com.

10 October -- CHARLBURY -- Showing of "Dirty Oil" 
CAWAG [Charlbury Area Waste Action Group] and ChOC [Charlbury's Own Cinema] present "Dirty Oil" a film about the impacts of oil extraction from the Alberta Tar Sands. 7:30 pm, Memorial Hall, Charlbury. Tickets cost £4.50. Charlbury's contribution to the 10:10 day of action.

14 October through 25 November -- OXFORD -- Seminar series on certification and sustainability
Weekly seminars on certification processes for timber, diamonds, Fair Trade and more. Sponsored by the James Martin 21st Century School.  For full details, go to the Oxford website here.

15 to 17 October -- RINGSFIELD HALL nr. Beccles (Suffolk) -- Christian Ecology Link Retreat
Theme: "Gardening in Gethsemane: Being with nature on the way to resurrection." More information here.

20 October -- LONDON -- Christian Aid supporter day
Join supporters from around the country to pray, share and act on ending poverty and fighting climate injustice. 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, Westminster Central Hall and the Houses of Parliament. Register online at http://www.christianaid.org.uk.

11/12 November -- CHARNEY BASSETT (nr Abingdon/Wantage) -- Retreat
Join Ruth Valerio ("L is for lifestyle") and other Christians concerned for our world as we seek God's guidance: given the environmental crises of the present, how do we think about Christian lifestyle? What can we do to support each other in prayer and action? This retreat is being jointly organised by a wide variety of Christian groups including CEL, Operation Noah, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, CCOW, and others. For more information, email maranda@ccow.org.uk.

Eco- Congregation E-Group Email: 16 July 2010

1. Events Highlight -- Walk to Church Sunday and "Inspired by Creation"
2. Upcoming Events
3. New Resources
4. Fairtrade and the Environment: Dominica (and a travel note)

1. Events Highlights -- Walk to Church Sunday and "Inspired by Creation"

Walk to Church Sunday
This Sunday, the 18th of July, St John Bosco Church in Woodley is encouraging as many of its congregants as possible to walk to church . . . and then to tell the Prime Minister about it. The aim is to do something that reduces the carbon footprint locally and then to use the local action to send a message of support for Government measures that would seek to reduce the UK's footprint . .  .and to ask the Government to show leadership in pressing for a global deal. The congregation's letter to the Prime Minister is attached -- might this be something that your church could do (perhaps on 19 September, which is designated as Car Free Sunday)? If you would like to know more, contact Rita Belletty.

Inspired by Creation
The Diocese of Oxford, meanwhile, is inviting people to share the places where they have been "Inspired by Creation." Inspired by Creation will give you the opportunity to win prizes by entering a photograph and/or a poem/prayer that captures the place where you encounter God through creation. Register now by filling in the form at http://www.earthingfaith.org/inspired/  Then use the summer to take a photograph or write a poem/prayer that is inspired by the place where you encounter God through creation. In September you will get a reminder to come back to the Earthing Faith website, when you will be able to enter your photograph and/or words into the competition. If you would like to pass the information about this contest on, you can download fliers and further details from the website  http://www.earthingfaith.org/inspired/

2. Other Upcoming Events

19/20 July -- OXFORD --  Introduction to Permaculture Design Course
Oxford Permaculture is offering an introductory permaculture design course for people who want to make their community more sustainable and resilient to changing climate and to develop practical skills for food growing and eco-renovation. The course will include theory and practical sessions.  10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily, Barracks Lane Community Garden. Cost £95/£60. For information or to book, go to http://www.oxfordpermaculture.org/.

22 July -- WITNEY -- ‘Artopia’
Artopia is designed to encourage people to think about the kind of climate future they hope for in a creative way, and to develop positive conversation about climate change. The event is a participatory Art display. Organisers will be working with local artists and youth and community groups to deliver workshops combining artistic techniques with informed discussion on climate change. There are workshops from 10am - 5pm and an open evening from 7-9pm, all at the Corn Exchange. Youth groups, community groups and artists are invited to get involved. Might your church be interested? Further info:  Mary Frampton 0207 802 9972

23 July -- LONDON -- ‘Don’t mine us out of existence’ (Vedanta)
There is controversy around UK-based mining company Vedanta's activities in Orissa, India. In the lead up to Vedanta’s AGM on 28 July, Amnesty International UK hosts a panel discussion and film screening about the impact of Vedanta’s activities and plans, which threaten the Dongria Kondh community’s right to water, food,
health and work. Speakers include Delhi-based environmental and human rights activist Sreedhar Ramamurthy (Environics Trust) and Peter Frankental (AIUK). 6.30–8.30 pm, Human Rights Action Centre, 17–25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA. Admission free.

24 July -- CHARLBURY -- Film and Local/Seasonal Meal
ChOC, Sustainable Charlbury and CAWAG join together to show "Food, Inc." with a local/seasonal meal beforehand. 7:00 pm, Memorial Hall. Tickets are £10: email  charlburyfeasts@cwag.org.uk

29 July -- LONDON -- Christian Aid's Environmental Work
"Christian Aid's Climate Change & Adaptation Work with Links to Emerging Renewable Energy Issues," a talk by Richard Ewbank, Climate Change Programme Coordinator at Christian Aid. Sponsored by the London Regional Issues Group. 6:30 pm, The Carpenters Arms, 12 Seymour Place, Marylebone. (These events are aimed at going into some depth about the topics covered -- should be interesting).

29 July -- WITNEY -- Environmental fun day
Learn how you can help save money and the environment with fun activities, stalls and advice. Come along to see the energy bus and bike-powered energy stall, get info on the new waste and recycling service in West Oxon, bring your energy bills to find out how to save money with green techniques, meet local environmental action groups, and more! Refreshments available. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, The Corn Exchange. For more information, go to http://www.westoxon.gov.uk

31 July -- OXFORD -- Learn how to lay a green roof . . .
Barracks Lane Community Garden will be installing a green roof on Saturday 31st July and needs around 16 volunteers (doing 2-3 hours each) interested in learning how green roofs are installed to help out. Normally people pay for a workshop to learn how to install a green roof – so this is a great opportunity to learn for free!  It will be hard physical labour but with the promise of seeing what has been put in place to support the roof, and bedding the meadow turf, at the end of the day. Kay and Gareth who are supplying the substrate and turf, and who have worked on the overall design, are some of the UK's leading experts on green roofs, and very enthusiastic and willing to share their considerable knowledge, and will be there all day. If you can help out, please contact Kate Jury on: katiejury@mac.com or 01865 201 882

1 September to 4 October -- EUROPE -- Creation Time 2010
The time set apart by the European churches to consider the wonders of God's creation and our responsibilities towards it. See the "Resources" section for worship materials for the season.

16-19 September -- SOUTHWELL MINSTER (Notts) -- Green as  a Leaf: Renewing a Theology of Creation
Featuring a great range of keynote speakers: Simon Conway Morris, Michael Northcott, John Rodwell, John Milbank, Simon Oliver, Alison Milbank, Margaret Barker, this conference brings together theologians, philosophers, scientists and cultural critics to a Norman cathedral and to the historic Brackenhurst estate in Sherwood Forest to explore the specifically theological resources that can be brought to bear on our relation to the natural world. Sponsored by Southwell Minster, Southwell and Nottinghamshire Diocese, the University of Nottingham Theology Department Centre of Theology and Philosophy and Nottingham Trent University Department of Environmental Sciences Download a registration form at www.southwell.anglican.org/DeptforDevGreenasaleaf.html

18 September -- BIRMINGHAM --  Growing Organically- Using church land as a model for environmental change
We live in a time where havens for wildlife are becoming smaller and more isolated. - This conference will cover the importance of church land management. It will also give practical examples of projects and open up opportunities to see what conservation potential church land may hold. The main speakers will be Professor Sir Ghillean Prance and Bishop James Jones, followed by informative and interactive workshops. Carrs Lane Church Center, Birmingham, B4 7SX - 10:00am Registration- 4:40pm Finish- Prices: £10 - £5 Concessions - Please book in advance. - Please bring a packed lunch, drinks and light refreshments will be available. For directions please visit: www.arocha.org/gb-en - For any other queries, please email: kajsa.brittsjo@arocha.org

22 September -- YOUR CHURCH? -- Ringing bells for biodiversity
On 22 September Heads of State will assemble at the United Nations to discuss the biodiversity crisis. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is encouraging the ringing of bells all over the world as an urgent 'memo' to rouse the world to action on saving species. The UK organisers of the International Year of Biodiversity hope that church bells throughout the UK can join in. Might your church take part? Contact CCOW if you are interested.

3 October -- YOUR CHURCH AND HOME? -- Operation Noah "Oil Fast"
Operation Noah is responding to the recent crises around oil extraction by pointing out that capping one well isn't enough to resolve the environmental issues: we need to cap the demand that leads oil companies to increasingly risky extraction activities. They've designated 3 October as a day for Christians to try to live without oil (insofar as is possible) -- a first step on what they're calling a "Carbon Exodus," a "determined and sacrificial journey out of our dependence on fossil fuels." Find out more on the Operation Noah website.

9 October -- MAIDENHEAD -- Energy Saving Exhibition
9 October -- ABINGDON -- Eco-Fair
Save the date! Two opportunities to learn about how you can save energy and be environmentally responsible. Further details in the next newsletter.

10 October -- GLOBAL -- Micah 2010 -- "What's your promise?" and 10/10 Work Parties
Here's a great opportunity to combine prayer, promises and action, the global and the local. To start off with, you can be part of a global day of promises and prayer organised by Micah Challenge, the international Christian movement to combat extreme poverty and hold governments accountable for their promises in the Millennium Development Goals. They're asking everyone to promise to do one thing that will help those in poverty. This can be environmental: climate injustice is a key cause of poverty! You can register your promise in advance at http://www.whatsyourpromise.org.uk or gather lots of people's promises on the 10th itself in your church. Then you can join millions of Christians in prayer that God will use these promises for good. If you register your promise online or send in those you gather in church, they  will also be given to MPs -- so it really is a great chance to show the concern around climate and poverty issues. For more information, go to the "What's your promise?" website (link above).

On the same day,  350.org and the 10:10 campaign are asking people everywhere to engage in environmental activities locally: they're hoping that "in every corner of the world . . . communities will put up solar panels, insulate homes, erect windmills, plant trees, paint bikepaths, launch or harvest local gardens." If doing such activities on a Sunday is problematic for your observation of the Sabbath, why not share a communal meal, organise a walk to church or some similar activity.

20 October -- LONDON -- Christian Aid supporter day
Join supporters from around the country to pray, share and act on ending poverty and fighting climate injustice. 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, Westminster Central Hall and the Houses of Parliament. Register online at http://www.christianaid.org.uk.

3. New Resources

Worship and Theology

Worship Resources for Creation Time 2010
This year, as ever, CTBI will be publishing resources for Creation Time. These will include sermon notes, prayers, material for use with children, etc. The materials, which will focus on biodiversity, will be available on the CTBI website here. At present, there is only the flyer for Creation Time; the other materials should arrive shortly.

Climate Change Day of Prayer Resources
Just a reminder that the Climate Change Day of Prayer resources from 2009 are still available on the CTBI website. They include a really fine compendium of quotes and prayers . . . well worth looking at!

The John Ray Initiative's latest newsletter contains detailed reports of the talks at their conference on "Food Futures," which contained much theological, as well as practical, reflection on the way Christians engage with food issues. Lots of food for thought!

Practical Action

What might the financial impact of installing solar panels be for UK churches? Read a press release that suggests that the new feed-in tariff could result in earnings of millions of pounds.  There's more information on generation (including details of the feed-in tariff) on the Sustainable Blewbury website here. If your church would like some inspiration in terms of what others are already doing, here's an article about Park URC's plans to go solar now . . . .

And if you want more inspiration, take a look at the winners of the Ashden awards for sustainable energy.

Major publisher Earthscan has a series of free, live, interactive web events on environmental issues. Go to their website to see what's coming up . . . but also to catch past webcasts on topics such as "Sustainability in everyday life: personal change and change in others," "Climate Change and Business Success," and "Climate Change and Health Services."

Methodist Conference pledged this year to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050. Read more about the resolution and how the church intends to carry it out here.

Lots of practical information and advice on the Low Carbon Communities Network webpage . . . .

Updates on climate science. What are the findings since the last IPCC report? The Nordic ad hoc group on Global Climate Negotiatons gave four Nordic scientists the task to carry out an update of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), focusing on the physical climate system that in the IPCC work is addressed by its Working Group I. You can read the report here.

More on the fall-out from "Climate-Gate": a letter in Science upholding the integrity of climate scientists, the Russell report says that scientists did not withhold data, but the New Scientist would like to see more rigour in the reviews . . . .

An image can be worth a thousand words. Glacial retreat is one of the areas where claims and counterclaims have often been made. Photographer Gary Braasch's website "World View of Global Warming" provides striking photos of glacial retreat that illustrate the phenomenon. (NB: We have not evaluated the whole website)

Zero Carbon Britain, published by the Centre for Alternative Technology, offers a potential roadmap for eliminating fossil fuel emissions from the UK by 2030.

"The Climate Game and the World's Poor" is a 42-minute film from IIED which follows developing-country delegates at the 2009 climate talks in Copenhagen. It does a good job of providing an overview of the negotiations as well as offering particular stories and perspectives.

But what about China? UNDP China offers its views on what China should be doing to move to a low-carbon economy.

4. Fairtrade and the Environment: Dominica (and a travel note)

As for the travel note. . . . While the time in Dominica was for work, overall the travel for this trip, which also involved a visit to family, counted as personal. So in order to cut the carbon footprint of the trip, I came back via cargo ship. A number of people, upon hearing this, have asked how one can make the arrangements for cargo travel. The answer is a specialist agent. If you'd like the name of the one I used, or more information about what the travel was like (very positive!), let me know.

September Eco-Congregation E-Group Bulletin (Part 1)

Prayer

If you're looking for a daily prayer diary, try the Christian Ecology Link (CEL) one here: month by month, you get a daily set of prayer points.

If your church is celebrating Time for Creation (or even if it isn't yet), have a look at this year's Time for Creation resources. Titled "Creation in Crisis," they focus on preparing for Copenhagen. There are sermon notes which could double as Bible studies for small groups and, just as last year, a superb collection of prayers. One of our  "must use" resources for the Autumn in this area . . . .

And another superb resource, also on the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) website: materials for a "Day of Prayer" before Copenhagen. Suggestions for how to hold a vigil service, 82 short readings (which are also available as MP3s to download) from which to select, publicity materials, a petition and more. Could your church set aside a few hours and host a time to pray?

Events: Learning and Reflection

This Weekend -- Oxfordshire -- Eco-vation Open Houses
Visit and learn from people around the county who have eco-renovated their homes. See how they have used technology, talk with them about the challenges and joys . . . For more information, including a full list of homes open, visit the Eco-vation website.

19 September -- Birmingham -- Low Carbon Community Conference
Sessions on community support, funding for action, a briefing on Copenhagen and more. For details and booking, see their conference web page:  http://lowcarboncommunities.net/2009/06/29/conference-booking-2009-now-open/

30 September -- Kidlington -- Kidlington against Climate Change will host a showing of the Age of Stupid. 
Exeter Hall, tickets for £3 (£2 concessions) including complementary glass of wine. Limited places available - to book please contact kidlingtonvsclimatechange@yahoo.co.uk or phone 01865 841146 (evening). There will be an expert for Q&A afterwards for those who wish to stay briefly.

6 October -- Oxford -- "God, the Environment and Me"
Talk by Revd Professor Ian James. St Margaret's Church, St Margaret's Road, 8:00 pm.

13 October -- Southwark Cathedral --  "Noah and the Flood: lessons for the Twenty First Century": the Operation Noah annual lecture: Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
‘Ahead of the critical Copenhagen summit, can biblical wisdom help us?’  6.45pm for a 7pm start. Admission by ticket only; tickets are free. To book yours, email campaigns@operationnoah.org.

16 October -- Banbury -- Age of Stupid showing with Mark Lynas and Tony Baldry, MP
Sponsored by Banbury Friends of the Earth. Details to come -- but save the date.

16 October -- Caversham  -- The Challenge of Copenhagen
7.30 pm at Caversham Heights Methodist Church, Joanne Green, Head of Policy at CAFOD, will speak about "The Challenge of Copenhagen"  The evening will, in particular, be drawing attention to the adverse effects of climate change on those in Less Developed Countries who are least able to adapt and considering how we might respond.  There will be a small charge of £2 to cover cost of refreshments and other expenses.  Further details from Owen Jewis, email: owen.jewiss [at] tiscali.co.uk  tel: 0118 9475003

17 October -- Solihull -- God or Mammon? The Economy and Gospel values at global, local and individual levels
The 5th Birmingham (Roman Catholic) Diocese Justice and Peace Assembly with speakers George Gelber, Head of Public Policy for CAFOD and journalist and broadcaster Clifford Longley. Workshops on a variety of topics -- including climate change and the Christian response -- led by CAFOD, Church Action on Poverty,  Pax Christi, Progressio, The Trussell Trust and others. Cost £10/£5 (low-income and students) to include lunch and refreshments for those who register in advance only. Register

22 October -- St John's and St Stephen's Church, Reading -- Tearfund Climate Justice evening
People living in poverty have something to say about climate change– but it’s not often heard by the powerful. As world leaders meet to agree a new climate change deal in December, we have a one-off, God-given opportunity to deliver a message from our poorer neighbours. It’s a message about how their lives, their homes, their families are being shattered by the changing climate. We’d like to invite you to a special climate justice evening, where you'll find out everything you need to know to be part of a united Christian response to climate change.  No previous experience or knowledge is required. Just a concern for justice and a desire to take action, pray and get your church involved. For more information contact Rosemary Croft, Email: rosemarycroft [at] clara.co.uk, Tel: 0118 9260672.

10 November -- Oxford -- One Earth, Many Faiths Event
Save the date! Films, talks and more at St. Mary the Virgin, the University Church

10 November -- Bracknell -- Where on earth are we going with climate change?
Revd Professor Ian James speaks. St. Edward's Catholic Church (Hall), Alma Road, Windsor SL4 3HJ. 7:30 pm.

Events: Prayer and Action -- Coming Together

We can do a lot on our own. We can do more when we come together: at church level, within our community, and even as a nation or as an international community. Two key opportunities to come together at a national or international level this Autumn around poverty and climate change issues are:

• “Stand Up and Take Action” – around the world over 100 million people are expected to join in asking politicians for urgent action on poverty and climate change. And it's easy to join in! You can “stand up” and write to your MP during a church service or join in a local lobby of MP s and candidates. Help create a mandate for bold action on climate and development issues. Global information is at http://www.standagainstpoverty.org; the UK "Church Toolkit" for Stand Up is also attached.

  Please do consider doing "Stand Up" in your churches. If you would like action cards, or suggestions for letters that you can send to your MP, email CCOW.

  There are also local lobbies or events being organised for the Banbury, Buckingham, Maidenhead, Oxford East, Oxford West and Abingdon, Reading, Wantage and Witney areas/constituencies. To find out more about the Reading event, contact Owen Jewiss, as above. Oxford will host not only lobbies but also a campaigning moment at 12:00 noon, 17 October, on Cornmarket. Contact Amy Merone at Christian Aid amerone@christian-aid.org for more details. The Maidenhead lobby is being coordinated by Simon Bond: email simon [a] armitage.biz to join in. For all other events, contact CCOW.

• “The Wave” (the event formerly known as "March in December") – On 5 December at 11:00 am, UK Christians will come together at Westminster Central Hall to pray for the Copenhagen negotiations: the Archbishop of Canterbury will preach, and the Archbishop of Westminster, President of Methodist Conference and other church leaders will be present. Then members of the group are encouraged to join Stop Climate Chaos's “The Wave” rally. For more information about service and rally, go to http://www.stopclimatechaos.org  A flyer for "The Wave" service is available here. Oh, and the title is blue because that's the theme of the march.

   Coaches will be going from various points around our area. For information about the Reading coach, contact rita.belletty@talktalk.net (0118 969 6219). The Reading coach will also be stopping in Woodley and  Maidenhead. If you're interested in joining a coach at Maidenhead, contact simon [a] armitage.biz.

August Eco-Congregation E-Group Bulletin
 

Autumnal weather aside, bearing in mind that this is when many churches plan for September through December's services and events, we wanted to bring to your attention a series of opportunities for church members to engage in poverty and climate issues this Autumn. These aren't any one agency's or group's events (more on those will come around later); they're potentially your events. Can you and/or your church work them into your calendar? The headline dates are:

1 September to 4 October: Time for Creation (Creation in Crisis)

18 October: Stand Up/Micah Sunday/One World Week

1 December: World AIDS Day

5 December to 18 December: Preparation for/Praying for Copenhagen

1 September to 4 October --  Time for Creation (Creation in Crisis) -- Across Europe

As was the case last year, churches throughout Europe are being asked to set aside some time during the period from 1 September to 4 October  "dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change." This year the theme of the period is "Creation in Crisis -- A time for prayer and action" and the material looks at some of the key issues facing the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December. There are very comprehensive resources available on the CTBI website page dedicated to Creation in Crisis: two sets of sermon notes (lectionary-based and thematic), material for discussion groups, action ideas, and probably one of the strongest collections of prayers and liturgies on climate assembled in English. Can your church incorporate some of this material into your services? In particular, the Environmental Issues Network of CTBI is asking churches if they would make the final Sunday of Time for Creation, 4 October (the feast of St Francis, for those who observe feasts!) a "Day of Prayer on Climate Change" in preparation for Copenhagen. Resources for this will be on the CTBI website, and are already available here.

18 October -- Stand Up/Micah Sunday/One World Week

Our prayers should combine with action . . . so if you have prayed during Creation Time, 18 October is a wonderful weekend for your church to move into action  . . .  and to join millions of people around the world in doing so! Last year over 60,000 people in the UK -- and more than 100 million worldwide -- participated in Stand Up and Take Action, the annual campaign event to press for an end to extreme poverty.  This year's Stand Up is calling for urgent action on both poverty and climate change and it has a global and a local focus. Participants are asked 

1. to stand and register the numbers standing on the global Stand Up and Take Action website (a great site . . . catch the pictures of events around the world) -- the numbers standing worldwide will be a key indicator of global concern for Copenhagen and the 2010 MDG Review Summit

2. to ask their local parliamentarians (MPs) to commit to said urgent action

How can you participate? Your church can do a "Stand Up" during the service -- praying on poverty and climate issues, pledging to engage with them, and perhaps inviting your MP, or writing him/her a letter, or sending him/her an agency action postcard. Individuals from your church may also want to join a local lobby of your MP; throughout the three counties agencies (CAFOD, CCOW, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Tearfund, World Vision and BOND) and local groups wil be working to organise them. Contact CCOW if you'd like to join in.

For churches that celebrate One World Week, Stand Up is a great way to start your week -- demonstrating precisely the kind of concern for justice and solidarity with people around the world that the week is meant to encourage. A number of Roman Catholic churches in our area will also be joining through Just1, which has produced resources for churches,schools and individuals -- Portsmouth (Roman Catholic) Diocese is signed up en masse! Micah Challenge UK, the UK wing of the international Christian campaign against poverty, has adopted Stand Up as its Micah Sunday campaign action, and is producing  worship materials that encourage Christians to "play your part" in ending poverty and fighting injustice. . . . watch out for their "Play your part" video which will be available by mid-September; we've seen a sneak preview, and it has an amazingly powerful sequence about Christians around the world using their gifts and talents for good.

5 December to 18 December -- Preparation, Prayer and Action around Copenhagen -- Global

As you are aware, the climate negotiations coming up at Copenhagen represent a critical moment: Kyoto expires in 2010, and there's general consensus that a successor agreement must include radical cuts in emissions and must protect the poorest by offering sufficient funds for developing country adaptation and mitigation. And yet, as is so often true in negotiations involving large numbers of countries, stand-offs abound. We need to pray that world leaders will honour the gravity of the situation by being prepared to cooperate with each other in concerted, serious action. And we need to press our government for rapid and deep emissions cuts -- 40% by 2020 -- and funding for adaptation. If the developed countries, who have benefited from and contributed to carbon emissions historically, are not prepared to take action, no one else will be either.

There will be many opportunities for prayer and action around Copenhagen -- two "mass moments" are:

• 5 December -- London -- "The Wave" service and march. An ecumenical service on climate change with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Westminster and other church leaders. 11:00 am, Central Hall Westminster. Followed by a family-friendly march.

• 13 December -- Across Europe -- The Archbishop of Canterbury will be in Copenhagen for the middle weekend of the COP at the invitation of the Danish Churches. He will preach on Sunday (2pm) at a major ecumenical service in Copenhagen Cathedral. Throught Europe, churches have been asked to ring their bells 350 times at 3:00 pm, when that service concludes. (The 350 represents the 350 parts per million that many agree is the safe upper limit for the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere) Might your bellringers be interested? 

14 May: The Johannesburg Anglican Environmental Initiative

We've been admiring the work on Eco-Congregations that is being done by the Johannesburg Anglican Environmental Initiative . A project within Johannesburg's Diocesan Social Responsibility Portfolio, the JAEI "has been formed to:

• an awareness among Johannesburg Anglican Christians of environmental concerns
• Encourage parish environmental projects
• Develop the concept of the eco-congregation among parishes
• Network widely with all groups concerned with sustainable development and environmental issues
• Be a resource to the Christian community in terms of environmental issues
• Encourage environmental education
• Develop position papers on major environmental issues to serve as guidelines for theological reflection and diocesan advocacy"

Their website includes information on Eco-Congregations in South Africa, downloadable theological and liturgical resources, some very helpful links and tools, etc. Some of the participating parishes also have their own websites: we found the page explaining the role of the sustainability committee at St Martin's-in-the-Veld, and the links page from St Michael and All Angels, Weltevreden Park, particularly useful.

20 April: China considering targets for carbon emissions

An article in yesterday's Guardian indicates that some Chinese politicians are considering a target that would limit emissions relative to economic growth, while a few even suggest that China should think in terms of reducing emissions overall from 2020 onwards. Such commitments, if adopted, could go a long way towards expediting negotiations for a successor to Kyoto at Copenhagen.

The Guardian article references work by the Brookings Institution on US/China climate policy. There's an interesting paper available here that gives background on what some Brookings experts feel the way forward is for US policy not only in relation to China, but also to the rest of the world.

April 2009: Bonn, Blogs, and Polar Warming

The latest round of talks in preparation for the Conference of Parties meeting in Copenhagen this December were held in Bonn at the beginning of the month. There was significant disagreement around the cuts in carbon emissions that need to be made by 2030, as well as in both the amounts of funding need for mitigation and adaptation and the mechanisms for delivering that funding. For brief overviews, see the analysis from Oxfam International and from Duncan Green of Oxfam GB.To see the information about the Bonn meeting in more detail, go to the UNFCC's page for the meeting; the subpage relating to the workshop on issues relating to the scale of emissions reductions to be achieved by Annex I Parties may be of particular interest, as it gives some quite radical proposals from developing countries for developed-country mitigation. 

From the large-scale to the local . . . two interesting UK blogs for churches that are interested in working on reducing their carbon footprints: Joanna Laynesmith's Greening St Johns and  the Lenten adventures of someone taking part in Tearfund's Carbon Fast.

News about faster than expected melting of polar ice made the headlines when the British Antarctic Survey indicated that the Wilkins Ice Shelf that "looks set to be the latest to break out from the Antarctic peninsula."  Clear explanations (with images) of what is happening are available on the British Antarctic Survey website and the (US) National Snow and Ice Data Center website ; read the UNEP press release here . 

March 2009: Church Leaders Speak on the Environment, New Campaign Materials

On the 25th of March, the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered an Ebor Lecture entitled "Renewing the Face of the Earth: Human Responsibility and the Environment. Read it, or listen to it (including Question and Answers), by clicking here . 

Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Church leaders also challenged the heads of state meeting for the London Summit to show genuine leadership on climate change, noting "the G20 leaders must not allow the economic crisis to divert us from tackling this challenge. This is precisely the right time to be making concrete commitments on low-carbon growth."  Read the Baptist Union press release here . 

Shortly thereafter, the Joint Public Issues team of the Baptist, Methodist and URC churches, released a new report on climate change and theology. The report, Hope in God's Future: Christian Discipleship in the Context of Climate Change , was prepared by a working group of members drawn from all three churches.  It is well worth reading.

CAFOD has launched its "Climate Justice" campaign. Read about the rationale behind it . . . and find out how to join in campaign actions . . . here . 

CAFOD, Christian Aid and other agencies joined together for a climate change "day of action" in Coventry on March 19th. The day included a service in Coventry Cathedral with a talk by James Hansen and a sermon from the Bishop of Liverpool, as well as a march to the UK headquarters of E.ON to protest plans for a new coal-fired plant at Kingsnorth. Read about, and see video of the various talks and the march here . 

January 2009: Green Faith Day

On 17 January at Tilehurst Methodist Church, Christians interested in our responsibilities towards the environment will gather to explore issues and possibilities for action. An opening panel features

• Dr. Paula Clifford, Head of Theology for Christian Aid 
• Mrs. Ruth Conway, board member of Operation Noah and leader of the Education Group, ECEN
• Mr. Mark Dowd, Campaign Strategist from Operation Noah
• Revd Professor Ian James, Diocese of Oxford Environment Officer and Emeritus Professor, Dept of Meteorology, Reading Univ
• Professor Sir John Marsh, Methodist local preacher and Emeritus Professor, Dept of Agricultural Economics, Readung Univ
• Maggie Ross, Anglican solitary and academic

Workshops include:

·         Children’s workshop on climate change (free for children and in the afternoon only) (Caroline Stocks, Volunteer Student and Youth Worker, Christian Aid)

·         The Impact of Climate Change on Poor Communities (Amy Merone, Volunteer Development Officer, Christian Aid)

·         Eco-congregations share their experiences (Maranda St John Nicolle, Coordinator, Christian Concern for One World {CCOW} and World Development Adviser, Diocese of Oxford)

·         What can we do to limit our energy use? (Martin Carr, Energize Oxford and Mary Miller, Blewburton Partners )

·         Green and Ethical Investments (Peter Chesworth, Financial Planner, Ethikos LLP)

·         Farming at Sheepdrove Organic Farm (Jason Ball, Manager for Biodiversity and Alternative Energy, Sheepdrove Organic Farm)

·         Organic Gardening and Self-sufficiency (Terry Bryant, Tilehurst Horticultural Society)

·         Treading Lightly – pathways of reflection (Sue Rowell, Layworker, Tilehurst Methodist Church)

·         What’s Climate Change got to do with Organics (morning only) (Anna Batchelor, Communications Coordinator, The True Food Co-op)

There will be worship, exhibitions of resources, and more. For more information and a registration form, go to the listing on the CCOW events page.

October 2008: Cutting Emissions, Earth from the Air, Campaigning from the Ground

UK Government's Decision to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 80%

The Government's announcement that it was committing itself in the Climate Change Bill to 80% rather than 60% cuts in emissions by 2050  was this week's big  news -- with the simultaneous announcement of proposals for feed-in tariffs and an attack on unfair pricing. Find out more, by clicking on

• the link to the official Dept of Climate Change and Energy news story, with the full text of Miliband's statement

• Guardian articles by Ben Caldecott and Michael Meacher that offer a skeptical view of the Government's ability to deliver
• responses from WDM and environmental charities and from Tearfund that welcome the announcement but make the point that the cuts, to be effective, must take place "at home" and not, to a large extent, through the purchasing of carbon credits
• calls from Christian Aid to continue their campaign to make UK companies responsible for their global emissions

The EU meanwhile had a more difficult time with its negotiations . . .

To find out more about the EU negotiations, see 

• a special section on the EU negotiations in the Guardian's environment pages, and an article in the Financial Times on last week's events
• a paper written by Gary Wilton, the Church of England's representative to the European Union

Earth from the Air

This exhibition is on display at the Oxford Castle until January 2009. It consists of 120 giant flood-lit (?!) pictures that can be viewed day and night. Leaving aside the floodlighting, the exhibit offers a tremendous chance to appreciate the vast and diverse beauties of God's creation. . . . and to think about our obligations of stewardship and care.  For more information, go to the Earth from the Air website. 

Oxfordshire from the Ground

As part of the events surrounding "Earth from the Air," Climate-X has prepared an exhibition and posters documenting local responses to Climate Change called "Oxfordshire from the Ground." One of the three posters shows Oxfordshire community responses to climate change, and includes many pictures of the Living Green event held on St. Margaret's Church, Oxford. Congratulations to St Margaret's for representing the Churches' involvement in this issue. If you would like to download the poster, click here. And if you'd like larger copies of the posters, or want to email in something your church is doing for inclusion in "Oxfordshire from the Ground," email jo[at] climatex.org, or ring 01865 275 856.

September 2008: Hurricanes and Floods

What are the links between hurricanes and climate change?

• This is a controversial area. The link between global warming and hurricanes is one that has seized the popular imagination . . . witness the poster for "An Inconvenient Truth." Having said that, the explicit link between climate change and the impact of Katrina was one of the points on which a UK judge found "An Inconvenient Truth" inaccurate. So is there or isn't there a link?

  The New Scientist has a helpful blog which touches on the subject (and on the other contested areas of An Inconvenient Truth) . . . and a search of Nature (if you can get, or are willing to pay for, access) provides any number of references. An assessment report was written by participants in the World Meteorological Association's November 2006 International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones. This has all the caution one would expect from a piece of international committee work; its basic position, in the end, is that the links between global warming and hurricane frequency are unclear, but that a correlation between future global warming and increased hurricane intensity is fairly certain, with the questions being ones of degree. They note, moreover, that "Despite the diversity of research opinions on this issue it is agreed that if there has been a recent increase in tropical cyclone activity that is largely anthropogenic in origin, then humanity is faced with a substantial and unanticipated threat."

  An Associated Press website provides some interesting food for thought in this respect: it shows the tracks of Atlantic hurricanes over the decades, providing an index of both frequency and intensity. The number of thick, deep red lines (representing Category 5 hurricanes) recently is quite noticeable.

  But what does it all really mean for people? The pictures and videos from Haiti  pierce the heart, as did the fervent posting on one recent blog from that country when another tropical storm seemed to be heading their way: "Can you believe it!  Pray…pray…pray that it stays FAR FAR away from us." In the US, the Houston Chronicle has been giving full coverage of the impact of Ike. When we talk about climate change creating more intense storms, we are talking about worse scenarios than these becoming more frequent. It's a good reason for starting to change our behaviour to avoid worst-case global warming scenarios . . . and for working to ensure that vulnerable communities are adequately funded to prepare for the results of any intensification that may already be set in motion.

How can we help in Haiti and Bihar?

• Christian Aid has updates on the work its partners are doing to help in Bihar and also Haiti, with opportunities to donate. 

• CAFOD has an emergency fund that enables people to contribute to Haiti and India: http://www.cafod.org.uk/emergencies/haiti-india-2008-09-09 CAFOD director Chris Bain also has an article in this week's “Tablet” that talks about how CAFOD makes decisions about and funds its emergency relief work: http://www.thetablet.co.uk/articles/12006/

• Tearfund has updates on the work its partners are doing on the floods in North India, together with information on how to donate. It also has a prayer page for Haiti.
• You can also donate to the relief work being undertaken by Oxfam, the Red Cross, Medecins sans Frontieres

September 2008: A Selection of New and Interesting Items

New from the Churches

July/August 2008

New from the Churches

New on Climate Change and Development

New on the international policy front

           What happened at the latest climate talks in Bonn?
           At the G8? Get analysis of the latter from CAFOD,  Carbon Positive, Oxfam, Tearfund

New on the national policy front

What's New in Fair Trade and Trade Issues

Fair Trade Update -- July 2010

Dear Fair Trade contacts,

It is now feeling quite tropical outside, so it's appropriate that this issue of our Fair Trade Update starts off in South Africa and Dominica, one of the Windward Islands. This message also contains an update from the Fairtrade Foundation,  some good ideas from the Swedish Fairtrade Church campaign, and advance notice of themes for next year's Fairtrade Fortnight and Big Brew.

Please do also send notes of what you are doing, and remember that we can include announcements . . . . 

1. Fairplay for Africa
2. Fairtrade and the Environment: Dominica
3. Update from the Fairtrade Foundation
4. Good ideas from other Fairtrade campaigns . . . Sweden (Part 1)
5. Fairtrade Fortnight and Big Brew 2010

1. Fairplay for Africa

We may be out of the World Cup, but the eyes of at least some of us still turn occasionally towards the football in South Africa . . .  . In honour of the football festivities there, the Fairtrade Foundation and Traidcraft are emphasising the role that Fairtrade plays in assisting some of the most vulnerable people in the host country. Click here to see the Fairtrade Foundation's resources, which include a report on the impact of Fairtrade in South Africa, some FAQs about Fairtrade in that country, photographs and stories about producers. Click here to see some of Traidcraft's South African products.

2. Fairtrade and the Environment: Dominica

In April of this year, I spent some time in Dominica, one of the Windward Islands, looking at banana production. One focus of the trip was the way Fairtrade is helping the banana industry in Dominica to become more environmentally sustainable.

Dominica is part of a volcanic island arc, the “Lesser Antilles,”  that stretches from the Virgin Islands to the islands just off of Venezuela's coast. The youngest island in the group, it shows evidence of its volcanic origins in a rugged, mountainous landscape. Dominica also manifests current volcanic activity – it has, for example, the world's second largest boiling lake.

The most striking thing about Dominica, though, is its largely unspoiled nature and exceptional beauty. The island is still overwhelmingly forest-covered, with an abundance of clear, fresh water. The flora and fauna are extraordinary.

Dominicans treasure their natural home: the island's motto is “Après Bondie, C'est La Ter ” – “After God is the Earth.” Wherever you go, people speak with delight about their rivers, green spaces and birds. Aware that this beauty is perhaps Dominica's greatest resource, many people and groups are working to protect it, and the Government is marketing the country to tourists as "the nature island of the Caribbean" 

As Dominica seeks economic development, therefore, it needs to ensure that the activities that generate income don't have a negative impact on the environment. So that means well-planned eco-tourism, which enhances the attraction of natural features, rather than the kind of tourist development that could risk harming the very beauty which attracts people in the first place. Farming practices also need to be the type that help to preserve the environment. This is of particular importance in terms of banana farming. Conventional banana farming can involve the use of a range of chemicals that potentially compromise both the natural environment and the health of labourers. So work needs to be done to ensure that banana farming -- which is vital to the rural economy -- grows ever "cleaner."

Fairtrade is helping with this task. Indeed, one of the most important things Fairtrade is doing on Dominica is helping to ensure that  farmers have the materials and information needed to  preserve their local environment and  to protect the health of all who work in the plantations.

To begin with, Fairtrade is helping to reduce the amount of chemicals used in growing bananas. One of its major contributions, for example, has been to promote mechanical, rather than chemical, weed control -- Fairtrade introduced "weed-whackers" to banana farmers with great success. Moreover if, under exceptional circumstances, someone needs to use a chemical to control weeds, the Fairtrade standards -- which have a seven-page-long list of "prohibited materials" -- ensure that the chemicals used do not include those that are most dangerous: for example weed-killers containing paraquat, which can be used in conventional farming, are banned from Fairtrade production. Fairtrade farmers are also required to have chemical-free "buffer zones" near rivers and streams.

Fairtrade has also helped sensitise farmers and labourers to the need to exercise care when they do use chemicals. One farmer says, "That's one thing I'm very happy about Fairtrade; they made farmers in Dominica realise the danger of poison.” He relates how in times gone by, lack of awareness meant that farmers would rinse out bottles that had contained toxic chemicals and use them to carry their drinking water to the fields. In fact, he notes, “One of my workers [once] tasted [a herbicide containing paraquat]. He went to hospital; he was lucky to be alive. [He said] 'Every day I spray; I don't know what it tastes like.' Now [workers] will not touch any chemical unless they have their gloves.” 

There are, of course, cost implications to all this. It takes money for Fairtrade producers to have separate storage areas for chemicals, to provide proper equipment and training for those applying them, to create facilities to dispose safely of waste products (such as the mild fungicide solution that bananas are washed in to preserve fruit quality), and to keep detailed records of all their environmental practices. And approved chemicals are often more expensive than their non-approved counterparts.

The Fairtrade system, however, holds the potential to help farmers with these issues. When Dominica's farmers converted to Fairtrade (and simultaneously began to engage with a major supermarket's environmental certification process), the Fairtrade system helped to pay for the necessary capital improvements: storage space, tanks of potable water for washing fruit, toilet and washing facilities on site, etc. The Dominica National Fair Trade Organisation (DNFTO), which manages Fair Trade on the island,  also employs agricultural extension workers who help farmers deal with the paperwork involved in receiving and maintaining the various Fairtrade and environmental certifications. And while the high cost of chemical inputs (a category which covers fertilisers, materials to combat banana diseases, etc)  remains a matter of considerable concern -- pretty well all of the farmers to whom I spoke mentioned it as an issue -- the Fairtrade contract recently negotiated by the DNFTO should help farmers to have higher returns, enabling them to purchase the necessary products.

Better returns are actually essential to sustainable, environmentally friendly development. One of the DNFTO's extension workers, Cletus Joseph explains, "One cannot go without the other. If you have a farmer making the returns that he deserves, that he requires . . . the farmer will have no problems in implementing techniques, methodologies that show sustainability of our resources."

The DNFTO has high hopes that farmers will be able to progress even further on the environmental front, and is actively seeking ways for this to happen. Its staff are participating in a regional initiative -- largely funded by Guadeloupe and Martinique, where the chemicals that are used in banana farming have damaged water supplies -- that seeks to reduce even further chemical use in banana farming. They hope to introduce some of the techniques involved to Dominica. Another of the DNFTO's projects involves teaching farmers ways of preserving biodiversity in their land -- something which is part of the integrated management they need to do for their Tesco Nurture certification. Last year, the focus was on birds. This year it's on lizards. For this project, the DNFTO field staff are receiving training on the different species of local lizard, their role in the eco-system, and what to do to protect and conserve them. They then pass this information to the farmers with whom they work. The DNFTO is also working alongside the Dominica Organic Agricultural Movement, which seeks to promote organic farming on the island.

The DNFTO has also used some of the money from the social premium for environmental development. Their flagship project is a facility which collects household and commercial food waste from villages and turns it into compost, which is then sold to farmers, the Government and others. When I visited the facility, they had just sold 1,300 pounds of compost to the Ministry of Agriculture. They people who run the facility are also developing an onsite garden where they can experiment with using the compost and liquid fertiliser produced as part of the composting process to raise healthier plants. There is even the hope that in the long term the facility and a nearby banana plantation can be turned into a sustainable tourism destination.

There's still a lot of work to be done, and one of the concerns in the fiercely competitive banana market is that if returns aren't good enough, farmers will lose patience with the higher costs and increased hassle involved with environmentally friendly farming and go back to cheaper, less environmentally friendly methods. But it is impressive to see the way that Fairtrade is contributing to environmental sustainability on Dominica. And it's something worth mentioning if, in your churches, people occasionally seek to oppose concern for Fairtrade to concern for environmental issues. The two aren't in conflict; rather, they are both part of sustainable development.

3. Update from the Fairtrade Foundation

CCOW and the Church of England are both stakeholder members of the Fairtrade Foundation's Fairtrade Churches campaign. The stakeholder group had a recent meeting where we heard a lot of very interesting news from the Foundation. Some highlights were:

• The Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO) which regulates the Fairtrade label has authorised a number of Fairtrade standards for new product categories, and has several more coming up. Among the standards being introduced in 2010 are vegetables, pulses, rubber and timber. These  new categories present significant opportunities for new producers to participate in just markets.

• The Fairtrade Foundation's efforts to do more work with producers in fragile states means that we'll soon be seeing in our shops products from some of the world's most war-torn  and vulnerable places. Coming this year is coffee from the Democratic Republic of Congo; look out for raisins from Afghanistan in the future. This is Fairtrade on the front line, and a real contribution towards creating more peaceful, stable societies.

• Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 was a great success in terms of awareness raising and activities. There were over 1,000,000 "swaps" to Fairtrade products and 12,000 special Fairtrade Fortnight events. All the good work  on events and awareness-raising that campaigners do in the Fortnight (and beyond)  is having an effect, too. 74% of people surveyed in February of this year were aware of the Fairtrade mark, and 67% understood roughly what it means.
  
• The Big Brew went national for the first time in 2010, and it was extremely successful. There were more than 3,000 events, and 4,000 campaign cards asking major tea companies to go Fairtrade were returned to Traidcraft -- and then forwarded on to the companies in question. Watch this space to see what impact campaigning on tea is having . . . .

• . . . . and pray that it will be significant!  Tea is one key area where Fairtrade producers are still able to sell only a tiny percentage of their production on the Fairtrade market -- just 2.8%!  By contrast, UK retailers' switch to Fairtrade bananas mean that 67.2% of bananas grown by Fairtrade banana producers are sold on the Fairtrade market. Time to start getting some of the other product categories into that range . . . .

• And speaking of big numbers, an amazing statistic: there are now 6,190 registered Fairtrade churches in England and Wales.

4. Good Ideas from Other Fairtrade Campaigns . . . Sweden (Part 1) 

At the beginning of June I was the diocese of Växjö for the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden's "Världens Fest" (World Festival). The festival included a presentation from the people who run the Swedish Fairtrade Churches campaign, "Kyrka för Rättvisemärkt" (Churches for Fairtrade)

The Swedish campaign is a direct offshoot of ours: apparently Swedish churches with English links returned from link visits saying that they really liked the Fairtrade Churches concept, and wanted to see it replicated at home. A lot of what the presenters were talking about, therefore, was familiar. But the campaigns aren't identical. And the Swedish campaign had the advantage of being able to take the best bits of the English campaign. . . .and also to learn from our mistakes!

I was particularly struck by their criteria for certification as a Fairtrade Church, which include a couple of items that our criteria don't. There are five criteria. Put roughly they are:

1. Fairtrade Marked Products:  Churches use Fairtrade products: tea and coffee must be Fairtrade on church occasions  [and the Swedish criteria suggest tea and coffee should be Fairtrade for congregants' personal occasions, too . . . ] and there must also be regular use of other  Fairtrade products [which ones is left open to choice.]

2. Knowledge/Understanding: In their activities (eg work with confirmands, preaching, etc) churches spread understanding of Fairtrade questions and of the importance of using one's consumer power

3. Opinion (Increasing Awareness): Churches hold some outward-focused activities or campaigns each year to build public opinion in favour of Fair Trade. Churches also engage with Fairtrade Fokus (the Swedish Fairtrade Fortnight, which is held in October).

4. Cooperation: Churches work together with local Fairtrade City groups. They also make a strong effort to work with other parishes, religious bodies, NGOs, etc on ethical consumption.

5. Information: Churches share with each other good ideas, stories about successful events, etc, and report once a year on their activities as Fairtrade Churches to the Swedish Christian Council (which runs the programme). Each year, the church makes a formal resolution to continue being a Fairtrade Church.

Criteria 1,2 and 3 will look familiar, if a bit more rigorous and a bit more outward-focused than ours) But I also liked the emphasis on cooperation and sharing of information. What do you think of the criteria? And, taking a leaf from their book . . . anyone want to send in a story or two about how they are working with their local Fairtrade Town group, or other churches in their area? I know such cooperation is happening -- even if it's not recognised by our criteria! -- and it would be great to include some stories in our next bulletin.

5. Fairtrade Fortnight and Big Brew 2011

It may seem early to be thinking about Fairtrade Fortnight, but it will come along quickly!

So:

The dates for Fairtrade Fortnight and the Big Brew 2011 are now set: 28 February to 13 March.

The themes and product foci are set, too. Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 is going to have the theme "Show off your label" and the focus will be on Fairtrade cotton. The Big Brew will be focusing on honey. Aware that honey is a local as well as a Fairtrade food, Traidcraft is going to ask people to "create a buzz" around both options. (UK beekeepers can only supply at present 30% of our demand for honey, so the idea would be buy local where possible and Fairtrade otherwise.)

It would be good to get a small group thinking around these themes to come up with some creative ideas we could all use for the celebrations. Anyone who'd be interested in a one-off brainstorming session (with Fairtrade refreshments), please get in touch.

Fair Trade Futures: Authenticity and Action

We're very excited about an upcoming conference we are helping to organise. Information below -- and special thanks to RISC (Reading International Solidarity Centre) -- it's through them that we are linking in to Partnership for Change!

Fair Trade Futures: Authenticity and Action

Saturday 7 November 2009

Said Business School, University of Oxford

A one-day conference looking at key issues for the future of Fair Trade:

• The Economics of Virtue: How can Fair Trade continue to grow in the mainstream without being captured by Big Business?

• Authenticity, Legitimacy and Certification: What makes Fair Trade authentically Fair Trade? How does it establish its legitimacy?

• Accountability and Impact: How can the voice of producers be more influential in the planning of Fair Trade strategy?

• Global Economic Trends and Sustainability: Dealing with the crisis - How the economic downturn is affecting Fair Trade.

• Fair Trade and Trade Agreements: What is the impact of bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations on Fair Trade? A case study: Fair Trade perspectives on Economic Partnership Agreements

Bringing together leading experts, including:

• Ian Barney, Managing Director of TWIN and TWIN Trading

• Sergi Corbalan, Coordinator of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office (Brussels)

• Timothy Davies, Founder, Practical Participation

• Mike Gidney, Deputy Director of the Fairtrade Foundation

• Louise Herring, Trade and Enterprise Manager of Comic Relief

• Joan Karanja, CEO of Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa

• Dorothea Klein, Fair Tracing Project

• Safia Minney, Founder and CEO of People Tree

• Alex Nicholls, University Lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship, Skoll Centre, Said Business School, University of Oxford

• Carry Somers, founder and CEO of Pachacuti

• Mags Vaughan, Business Director of Traidcraft, plc

And offering participants a chance to take issues further in theoretical and practical “open space” discussions, as well as to share in a networking reception at the end of the day.

Saturday 7 November: 9.30 am - 5.00 pm (reception 5.00 to 6.00 pm)

Registration: Pippa.hichens@sbs.ox.ac.uk

Please register early to avoid disappointment as numbers are limited.

Free admission includes Conference attendance, tea and coffee, and drinks and refreshments at the reception. Lunch is not provided.

Conference Sponsors: Oxford Fair Trade Coalition; the Skoll Centre, Said Business School, University of Oxford; Christian Concern for One World; Partnership for Change

February/March 2009: Fairtrade Fortnight and the Big Brew

 Excuse me, sir, we've had a report that someone has . . . umm . . .gone bananas. . . Over 390,000 people in the UK and elsewhere "went bananas" for Fairtrade by eating a Fairtrade banana during 24 hours at the end of 2009's Fairtrade Fortnight. And Fair Trade campaigners and churches in our area were among them. From Abingdon (to whose Fair Trade group thanks for this picture) to Bicester, where the Fairtrade Town group gave out 1,000 bananas to passers-by doing Saturday shopping, to Kennington, to Milton Keynes to Oxford people drew attention to one of the key Fairtrade products. (Not to worry, by the way, about this picture. The police were enjoying the festivities, and the banana isn't -- if you'll forgive the pun -- rotting in jail. And if you think that pun was bad, check out what happened when the Abingdon town blog asked for captions for this photo!)

Abingdon, and others, didn't just go bananas, though. Around the three counties churches, Mothers' Union groups, schools and others held over 130 Big Brews -- promoting Fair Trade and furthering the mission of their particular group. Amazing stuff! The ever-creative Crowthorne Mothers' Union group (see right) held a very well attended showing of the sing-along version of  Mama Mia with Big Brew refreshments. The audience ranged in age from 4 to 89, and much enjoyment was had by all. The event also raised £237 for the Mothers' Union's Overseas Fund, which makes grants towards salary and travel grants for Mothers' Union workers, office equipment, transport conference and training events and projects around the world.  All Saints, Milton Keynes Village, which held a Big Brew and another Fairtrade coffee morning, also raised money for a good cause; they sent £84.40 to Traidcraft Exchange, the charitable arm of Traidcraft that helps Fairtrade producers to enter the market and improve their products.

The Reverend Rosemary and Michael Payne in the parish of Hedsor and Bourne End opened their home for a "Coffee Bean" (pictured left) on the morning of Friday, 27th February. Fairtrade drinks were served to about forty neighbours and parishioners who crowded in on a gloriously sunny day. Literature, a poster display, and a Fair Trade stall were all part of the action!

An event that proved popular given the proximity of Shrove Tuesday was the  pancake Big Brew. In the kitchen at St Michael and All Angels in Amersham Big Brew chefs flipped over 120 pancakes which were filled with savoury or Fairtrade honey, jam, or chocolate spread. The event was great fun, and tremendous outreach, in particular to mothers with young children, who in addition to the refreshments enjoyed making things out of playdough at an activity table. £85 profit went to the Fairtrade Foundation.  St Swithun's, Kennington, also had a successful pancake event, as well as a Fairtrade quiz and a raffle of Fairtrade products.

The parish of St. Mary's, Purley, near Reading, held a morning of festivities entitled "Any Brew Will Do." To enable people to see that "there's more to Fairtrade than coffee" they provided herbal teas, fruit juices, fruit smoothies and milkshakes. There was a very popular "Make your own Fruit 'n' Choc Kebab" table (pictured right) as well as home-made Fairtrade cakes and cookies. The piece de resistance? An appearance by the Purley Puppets (left) who explained how to make banana bread and did standup comedy, a West End hit, and a parody of a famous advert and TV show.

Many thanks to John, Margaret, Joy, Michael, Jan, Brenda and Pam for the information here, and to all who held events around the counties. Congratulations . . .  and onwards to 2010!

January 2009: Preparing for Fairtrade Fortnight and the Big Brew

The Big Brew is the largest Fairtrade Fortnight celebration in the Thames Valley. Sponsored nationally by Traidcraft and locally by number of organisations, including CCOW, Fair Trade in Oxfordshire, the Diocese of Oxford,the Mothers' Union and the Wessex Synod of the United Reformed Church, it consists of a variety of local events organised by churches and other groups that both promote Fair Trade and also allow outreach.

Any event can qualify as a "Big Brew" so long as

(a) Fairtrade beverages are served,
(b) the event is called a "Big Brew" and
(c) it is registered with the Big Brew organisers (download the registration forms below)

This flexibility means that churches can use the Big Brew as works best in their context, both to promote Fair Trade and to further their mission.

In 2008 over 150 churches, Mothers' Union groups, schools etc. in our area took part. One church had a "drop in" party for the village -- others have had pram services, special refreshments on a Sunday, garden parties . . . even a Mad Hatter's Tea Party!

To register, simply download the form at the end of this blog (scroll all the way down!) For further information about The Big Brew -- or to share your ideas for new and exciting events -- contact maranda@ccow.org.uk.

October 2008: New Products, New Developments, Fairtrade and the Recession

New Products

• Fair Trade Clergy Shirts -- A long time coming, but finally here. The shirts are not only made of Fairtrade cotton, but are manufactured in East Africa by a reputable Fair Trade manufacturer, ensuring that there is value added within a developing country as well. To see the shirts and find out more, click here.
• The 300th Fairtrade chocolate product was certified in October. To find out more about it, and to learn about escalating Fairtrade cocoa sales, click here.

New Developments

• The Fairtrade Labelling Organisation [FLO] has recently established a new system of regional minimum prices for Fairtrade cotton. The new system both raises the price per kilo by an average of 24% over the old minimum and enables a far wider range of countries to participate. To find out more, click here. Fair Trade in cotton is particularly vital, as US subsidies have rendered it almost impossible for many developing country small cotton producers to receive fair remuneration under the conventional trading system.

• IFAT, the International Fair Trade Association, is creating a new label for certified Fair Trade Organisations (such as, in the UK, Traidcraft, Tearcraft, CafeDirect or Divine Chocolate). This label would enable FTOs to show that products for which there are no FLO standards and which cannot, therefore, display the Fairtrade Mark, are, nonetheless, produced under Fair Trade conditions. The draft standards are available on the IFAT website.
• IFAT -- which is changing from the International Fair Trade Association to the World Fair Trade Organization -- has put together the FT100 . . . a list of organisations that are 100% committed to Fair Trade. Browse the list and click on websites of Fair Trade Organisations here.

Fairtrade and the Recession

• Fairtrade coffee sales are holding steady, according to a recent Reuters article. To find out more, click here.

July 2008 : A Selection of What's New and Interesting

Responding to Fair Trade Controversies

Various people have recently published responses to the February 2008 Adam Smith Institute report "Unfair Trade" and to commonly posed objections to Fair Trade.

• The Fairtrade Foundation has a brief response to "Unfair Trade" . . .
• And also a longer sheet addressing accusations that Fairtrade promotes oversupply . . . and questions about its environmental credentials . . .
• And (not new, but still interesting) a paper by Alex Nicholls arguing that Fairtrade is a market response to hostile market conditions for producers
• A much more detailed response to the Adam Smith Institute work comes from Alastair Smith of the Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society at Cardiff University, who has written "A Response to the Adam Smith Report & a New Way to Think about Measuring the Content of the Fair Trade Cup."
• Mark Hayes, principal founder and managing director of Shared Interest, and now a Senior Research Fellow in economics at Cambridge, has this year written "A comment on the economics of Fair Trade," which offers theoretical responses to the critiques that suggest that Fair Trade is "second-best" to aid, may impose losses on non-Fair Trade producers, and maintains inefficient means of production. His website on "The Economics of Fair Trade" also has a "plain English" guide that covers much of the same area.

The Challenges Facing Fair Trade

As Fair Trade grows and becomes increasingly mainstream, what are some of the challenges it faces?

• Catherine Dolan's article "High Tea," in the Spring '08 Oxford in Business looks at some of the questions surrounding the way the Fairtrade process works in Kenyan tea fields.
• Tim Davies, who works as a freelance consultant on youth participation and thinks a lot about the social power of new technologies, asks "What would Fair Trade 2.0 look like," focusing on how Fair Trade could make better connections between people buying and people producing.
• What happens to Fair Trade in an economic downturn? This article from The Yorkshire Post asks the question . . .

Supply Chains

Traidcraft, which is unique in being both company and charity, has a reputation for serious, well-grounded research into supply chain issues. Their May 2008 report, Taking the Lead: A guide to more responsible procurement practices, was written in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, and offers a model of how businesses can best think about ethical supply chains. Taking the Lead, together with earlier reports on ethical sourcing can be downloaded here.

The Doha Round

It's creeping under the radar slightly, but there is a critical period of negotiation going on -- a "mini-ministerial" in an attempt to cobble together an agreement on the Doha Round.

As ever, the best material on this is to be found on the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) website; they're doing a daily update that replaces their normal weekly bulletin. Alan Beattie, of the Financial Times, is also always worth reading in this area; click here for his article on 24 July. One of the areas hindering an agreement centres on the perennially vexed topic of bananas; read this article from Reuters to get an overview of the dispute, and this article from the Jamaica Gleaner to get one Caribbean perspective.

What's New in the MDGs

20 April 2009

Worth a look -- though needing to be taken, as with all such declarations, as depending entirely on implementation commitments -- the draft summit document from the Organisations of American States' Summit of the Americas, which contains lots of solid language on the MDGs. An encouraging sign that progress is being made? According to El Pais , Latin American Ministers of Education are currently preparing an ambitious plan to improve early childhood education in the region. 

March/April 2009 (Part 1): The Impact of the Financial Crisis on the MDGs  

It seems that we hear every day about the impact of the financial crisis in our local context -- jobs, immigration, the environment . . .

What we don't hear about quite so often is the impact that the financial crisis will have on developing countries. And yet, as Kevin Watkins writes in  his article Leaving the Poorest to Pay, "While international media attention has been fixed on banking systems, the economies of some of the world’s poorest countries and households are also taking a hit."

What will the impact be for the MDGs? And how should we respond? In his article, Watkins sets out some financial and human development consequences of the crisis and asks "When are we going to see a financial rescue package for the Millennium Development Goals?" Watkins argues that while national policy reform and a commitment to tackling inequality of opportunity are important, aid has a key role in financing education and health systems and promoting/sustaining growth.

In a powerpoint entitled The Millennium Development Goals: Bankable Pledge or Subprime Asset?, available from the GEG website, Watkins sets out in more detail where we are in the MDGs, the impacts of the financial crisis, risks for the MDGs and possible responses.

October 2008: A Selection of New and Interesting Items on the MDGs

Standing Up in Portsmouth (Roman Catholic) Diocese

Hugh Gibbons, CAFOD Portsmouth Schools and Media Volunteer, is co-ordinating "Stand Up" activities on Friday, October 17th  in the diocese's schools. As of the beginning of October, he already had 1300 students participating! Hugh notes that he feels Stand Up is:

an excellent extra for any school's Personal Social and Health Education
an excellent opportunity to join in a worldwide campaign - in the classroom
an excellent way of showing everyone what children care about and stand up for

Standing Up around the World

BOND, the NGO that is coordinating "Stand Up" events in the UK, has sent out information about some of the people who will be standing up in other countries. They state: 

To see more of what is going on or to register your event, go to http://www.standagainstpoverty.org 

What happened at the UN's High Level Event on the MDGs and Responses to It

The Archbishop of York helped launch the "Education for All" initiative. A complete list of new partnership commitments can be found on the UN's MDG website.  A brief analysis from Tearfund, with a link to a longer analysis can be downloaded here.

September 2008: A Selection of New and Interesting Items on the MDGs

From the Churches

From the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP)  

From the UN

From the World Bank

July 2008 New and Interesting Items on the MDGs

From the Churches

Worship Resources for the Church Year

 Advent and Christmas 2009

Advent Conspiracy points out that Christmas "can still change the world." It challenges Christians to "Worship Fully, Spend Less, Love More, and Give All." A recommendation from Mustard Seed Associates: click on the Advent Conspiracy website to find out more.

CAFOD offers an interactive web-based Advent calendar for children (registration required for download).  You can also sign up for weekly email reflections on Scripture passages.

Coming from the Reformed tradition, the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Seminary (US) has an advent resources page that focuses on materials for preparing Advent sermons and worship.

Christian Aid offers a series of prayers for the lighting of Advent candles. Taken from the agency's "O Broken Town of Bethlehem" Christmas appeal, they link the lectionary readings with both the situation in Bethlehem today and Christians' work for hope and justice throughout the world.

Christian Peace Witness, an ad hoc partnership of peace-focused Christian organisations in the US, has a page of Advent resources representing a variety of religious traditions and focused on peacemaking and peacekeeping.

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland has commissioned a series of reflections entitled A World in Waiting: Advent Hope in an Economic Crisis.  The daily reflections, intended primarily for personal use, "look at the [global financial] crisis in relation to the roots of our Christian beliefs and values, aiming to turn anger and disappointment into a positive force for change." Linking current situations to Scriptural precepts (and offering examples of organisations that are taking forward a positive agenda for the areas in question), they are both challenging and encouraging.

CMS' Advent mission resource is called "Share the Light." The resource contains materials for an Advent carol service, including stories of church leaders from around the world who are helping others to know and share in the life of Jesus.  It suggests the giving of gift candles to people in your community as a way of sharing the light of Christ.

Mustard Seed Associates offers morning and evening prayers for Advent that are suitable for daily household use as well as video Advent meditations and a list of things to read and websites to visit.

USPG's Advent resource is entitled "When God Is a Child" It is "is based upon Brian Wren and Joan Collier Fogg’s evocative song celebrating the birth of Jesus – the Christmas child who brings hope, peace, joy and love [and]
The series of brief reflections and prayers written by Clare Amos can be used to accompany the lighting of Advent candles or combined as the basis for a complete Advent service.

The World Council of Churches is offering "Telling Peace: Stories of Peace and Worship Resources for Advent." The liturgical resources for each of the Sundays in Advent and the stories of peace have been prepared by churches in Asia.

Eastertide and Pentecost 2009

Always worth using are the Taizé prayers for each day . For Pentecost, you could try using the material in a language other than English. Switch the language of the prayers by going to the language bar on the upper left of the website.

On the 31st of May -- Pentecost Sunday -- the Global Day of Prayer will be observed by Christians around the world. A "prayer for the world" will be used by all participating countries: find translations of that prayer in multiple languages here . 

Lent 2009

Most of these resources are designed for individual use, though many can also be used by small groups. Resources that would be particularly effective for small groups are marked with an asterisk.

From the UK

CAFOD

is offering its supporters the chance to commit to 20 minutes of "stillness and silence" a day, and supporting them with daily emails of Scripture quotes for meditation, chosen by Delia Smith. Click here to sign up.

CAFOD and Christian Aid have also published a joint Lent book, Life in Abundance, in which "Six of our finest spiritual writers reflect on Scripture readings from the common lectionary for each day of Lent 2009. They invite us to discover the God of compassion through prayer, contemplation and action for change."

Christian Aid

offers a variety of Lent resources:

• Journey to Jerusalem takes participants on a virtual pilgrimage through the Holy Land, with a chance to reflect on the current situation and to "consider the practical challenges of faith in a world of poverty and violence"
• "Count Your Blessings" asks participants to look each day at the blessings we take for granted -- things like water, a cookbook, or garden tools  -- and to give thanks through prayer, action and financial gifts
• If you're giving up a treat for Lent, the "Give It Up for Christian Aid" calendar lets you mark off the days as you go, and send a donation to Christian Aid at the end!

CMS

has prepared "Love to Pieces: Five Lessons for Lent from the Jigsaw Kids." "Inspired by stories of transformation from street children in the Philippines, this six-part series explores discipleship themes of security, boundaries, community, creativity and significance." The material includes stories and activities for children and adults and even 13 Filipino recipes for Lent lunches.*

Live Simply

draws attention to resources produced by three of its network members. Pax Christi has reissued Gerald Hughes, SJ's, "Show me your face: daily readings and reflections for Lent" -- available from info@paxchristi.org.uk. Mission Together has a Lenten challenge calendar for children. And you can download the  "Recereate the Face of the Earth - Build the Kingdom of God: An Action Pack," which focuses each week on a different area of Catholic social teaching, directly from the website.

Methodist Relief and Development Fund

asks "What does the Bible say about changing the world?" Its study pack, available free, is designed to help participants become "world-changers." The six-part course includes in-depth studies on Bible characters, group discussion questions, profiles of people who are transforming the world today, and ideas for individual and group action. You can also listen to a series of related programmes on Premier Christian Radio, either on the air or online at the MRDF website.

Tearfund

is asking Christians to undertake a "Carbon Fast"  They say: "'Love does no harm to its neighbour' (Romans 13:10)
Climate change can mean our neighbours go hungry because of drought, or lose their homes because of floods. Faced with that reality, there are many things we can do, acting as part of the global church's response, to change the way our lives impact poor communities. Fast and pray with Tearfund this Lent to cut your carbon use and help protect poor people from climate change." Visit the Carbon Fast website to download daily actions, sign up for daily emails, see "Carbon Fast" films, share stories and more.

USPG

has a panoply of resources, all around the theme Lent 2009 - The Daily Mission:  mission is what God is doing in the world today. There is a Lent Bible Study Course for small groups that centres on five verses from Luke containing the word ‘today.'* Individuals can use a book of reflections on 45 passages from the Gospel according to Luke. There are course leaders' notes, prayers, photo exhibitions for hire, and suggestions for churches who want to raise funds for USPG's appeals.

From Other Countries

Creighton University Online Ministries (USA)

offers an online resource called Praying Lent 2009 which comes from the Jesuit spiritual tradition. "Each day, we share the Opening Prayer text for that day's liturgy.  We also offer a link to the readings of the day, a brief meditation, a link to the Daily Reflection for that day and Intercessions from the Liturgy of the Hours.  Each daily prayer concludes with a spontaneous prayer we composed, as an example of the type of prayer each of us might pray, in our own words, for that day." Also on this website: a downloadable Lent audio retreat and conversations about Lenten topics.

Trocaire  and CILent 2009 (Eire)

The "Let's Live Lent" parish liturgy resource focuses on people who have been forced to leave their homes because of war. There are prayers, reflections and liturgical suggestions for each Sunday in Lent -- they could be used by home groups, too!* CILent 2009 is the Catholic Church in Ireland's online Lenten resource. Each day offers a theme, a Scripture reading, a reflection, a short story, a prayer, a "Prophet of the Day," a "To-do-action", a spotlight on a charity and a picture of the day with text.

The Church of Scotland has some excellent Lent prayers.

Advent and Christmas 2008        

CAFOD

has put together a beautiful  livesimply Advent service, which incorporates the livesimply community challenges. The full order of service is on two sides of A4 and can be downloaded from the worship section of the CAFOD website.

Christian Aid

is holding a "Hope" Christmas appeal, which focuses on rebuilding after the Tsunami. Worship resources and Christmas "prayer box" ornaments are available to download or to order.

CMS 

is offering an advent mission resource called "Share the Light." Their website notes: "Share the Light challenges church members to commit to praying for someone they know for a year. Once they’ve selected someone, they give that person or family a beautiful presentation candle, explaining how they will be praying for them over the next twelve months. Candle recipients are also invited to a special candlelit Advent carol service at your church. CMS provides free worship and activity resources for a “Share the Light” service as well high-quality, low-cost the candles." More information and a downloadable pack is available at the weblink above. 

The Mennonite Central Committee

has a series of Advent resources that focus on the people who lived in Bethlehem at the time of the Nativity and the people who live in Bethlehem today. The material would be particularly suitable for a children's church. There are five powerpoints, and colouring sheets for the children. To view and download the materials, click here.

USPG

is offering a "Christ, Be Our Light" resource pack for Advent. Based around Bernadette Farrell's "Christ, Be Our Light," it offers for each week of Advent a suggested passage, short meditation, and prayer. The sections for each week could also be combined into a single Advent service.

Time for Creation

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and its constituent members are encouraging congregations to take "Time for Creation" between 1 September and 4 October. If you want to plan a service with a "green" theme then or at any other time, you can't do better than to look at the CTBI resources for Creation Time. Prayers, sermon notes, activities for children and young people. . . . Just an extraordinary collection.

Some Resources for Harvest 2008                             

CAFOD

will hold its Harvest Fast Day on 3 October 2008. The day focuses on training HIV activists, who volunteer their own time to stand alongside families struggling to cope with the impact of HIV and AIDS. Resources available for download at the Harvest Fast Day section of the CAFOD website, or in hard copy from your local CAFOD office.

Christian Aid

offers harvest appeal resources with the theme "We will harvest the desert." The material focuses on the story of Ally Ouedraogo and his community: they are using simple farming and water harvesting techniques to reclaim desert land on the edge of the Sahel in Burkina Faso. Materials include a poster with Ally's story on it, a worship sheet,  powerpoint and reflective video. All are available for download from the Harvest Appeal section of the Christian Aid website; posters can be ordered in hard copy from the Christian Aid office, oxford@christian-aid.org, 01865 246818.

Harvest Help -- Self Help Africa (one charity, in the process of changing names)

This year's resource is called "Hands of Hope," and includes children's activities, an African recipe, youth group suggestions, prayer ideas, posters, sermon notes, and more. To receive a copy, call 01743 277170. A downloadable powerpoint with studies of specific Self Help Africa projects will be available from their website shortly.

Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF)

offers a pack called "Reclaim Harvest!" which "features MRDF's work in Ethiopia, where deforestation and soil erosion have made farming almost impossible, but MRDF support has provided training, seeds and tools that enable communities to manage natural resources sustainably." The free pack includes worship materials, all-age activities and ideas for Harvest celebration events. It can be ordered online or by calling 020 7467 5132, or the materials can be downloaded from the Harvest pack website. An accompanying CD-ROM may be ordered for £5, or its material downloaded from the website.

Tearfund

has a harvest pack called "Step up to the plate," which shares the agency's vision for helping families in the poorest areas access good food. The pack includes: "free recipes from Rick Stein, Delia Smith and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, a short film by multi-award-winning company Pretzel, a 32pp booklet which includes a special report on Tearfund's partners' intervention since 2005's Sahel crisis, activities for children and youth groups, as well as fundraising and harvest service ideas, a poster for advertising, giving envelopes and more." Individual elements can be downloaded, or the whole pack ordered, at the Step up to the Plate webpage.

USPG

has a harvest pack which focuses on "how the San Pablo church, in Villa Felicidad, Uruguay, is reaching out to an impoverished community - by offering a recipe for life that includes a nutritious mixture of faith, pastoral care and practical support." Background information, all-age resources, a powerpoint about San Pablo, children's activities, sermon notes, suggestions of hymns and prayers and material for use during communion can all be downloaded from the USPG harvest website.

And if you're thinking of holding a harvest supper, what about making it a fiesta? USPG is asking its supporters to help raise funds for Latin American projects by holding a Latin American party. Materials available on the fiesta website include recipes, suggestions and instructions on entertainment (make a pinata, anyone?), Latin American prayers and short stories for worship, posters, etc. There's also information on how to order a DVD and traveling photo exhibition of pictures from the Uruguayan Church.