Environment e-news   


  God's Green Fingers

Local Events
19-20 Nov The Industrial Strategy and Civic Needs Conference 
Leeds. More. 

21 Nov The Beast from the East Talk. More . 

24 Nov Theology for a Fragile Earth Study day. York, St Bede's. More. 

29 Nov Rethinking Public Services for a Sustainable Future Talk, Leeds Uni. More.

29 Nov Reading for the Planet Talk, Leeds Uni. More. 

1 Dec Powering God's Northern Powerhouse:
Sustainable Church Heating and Lighting
Conference
Wakefield Cathedral. Flyer. Booking. 
National Events
19 Nov CAFOD Countering Consumerism Retreat  Hexam, Middlesbrough and Newcastle. More. 

29 Nov Energy Efficient for Community Buildings  Webinar from Carbon Trust. Details

1 Dec Pray and Fast for the Climate Resources here. 

3-14 Dec COP24 International Climate Change Conference Katowice, Poland. Details

1 Jan Pray and Fast for the Climate Resources here

2 Feb Caring for Our Common Home Day conference, Keswick. More. 
Next Issue
17th January

Please send your news stories, events, resources, book reviews and jokes to Jemima Parker  by 14th January!
Eco Top Tips
Weekly Eco Top Tip for your parish newsletter  here

Today's top tip:
Light bulbs! If the average household replaced all of their bulbs with LEDs, it would cost about £100 and save about £35 a year on bills. 
Subscribe!
To subscribe to this newsletter please email  Jemima Parker
November 2018 - Issue 21
Welcome to the bi-monthly environment e-news. With so much in the national news this autumn concerning our need for rapid action to care for "Our Common Home" it's encouraging to hear how local churches have celebrated Creationtide; how churches across the Diocese have started to measure their carbon emissions; and that there is a local day conference to help us with sustainable church heating and lighting coming up on 1st December. 

Jemima Parker,
Diocesan Environment Officer
[email protected]
Local News
Bountiful Bilton Creationtide
St John's and St Luke's had carefully prepared a six week programme of services and events to run through Creationtide to speak both to the congregation and the wider community of God's love for all of His creation. Read more. 
 All Is Safely Gathered In
As the season of Creationtide drew to a close, Ripon Cathedral and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society came together to give thanks to God for the harvest. The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, spoke of the extreme weather conditions faced by farmers this year. Read more. 

Powering God's Northern Powerhouse
Have you booked or is your churchwarden attending the regional sustainable church heating and lighting conference on Saturday 1st December at Wakefield Cathedral? The day, which will be opened by Bishop Nick, is designed to inform Churchwardens and others seeking low energy solutions for warm and well lit churches. More. 

How is my church impacting on the environment? Course Response
Over 40 parishes across the Diocese have received training in how to use the new Church Carbon Calculator so that they can know what the best strategies are for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.   More
Local Churchyard Charity Needs Your Votes
Open Country, Harrogate-based charity who have 25 years' experience in countryside activities for people with disabilities, are bidding for funding from the AVIVA Community Fund for 20 days work in 7 churches in the Diocese. Find out more and vote here.  

Easingwold Deanery Churchyards

The Deanery Caring for the Environment Mission Group have been on the hunt for good practice in local churchyards as they seek to improve biodiversity. Read more. 
National News
 IPCC: 45% CO2 Reductions by 2030
In October, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its strongest report to date, stating that to keep global average temperature rise below 1.5 o C we require "rapid, far reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society". More. 
The implications for Christians are discussed by Green Christian  here. 

WWF Report on Mass Species Extinction
Acknowledging human dependence on nature (God's creation), WWF recently published Living Planet Report, which urges policy makers to set new targets for sustainable development as the "earth is losing biodiversity at a rate seen only during mass extinction." Read more. Listen here. 

 The First Church Times Green Health Awards
The winners were announced at Lambeth Palace on 2nd October celebrating the efforts made by churches and Christian organisations to use gardens and churchyards creatively for well-being. Read more. 

MP and Faith Leaders Meeting
To mark the 10 year anniversary of the UK joining the Climate Change Act, MP's will be meeting with faith leaders at the House of Lords on 26th November. Please pray for this event. What has the climate change act achieved so far and what is needed in the next 10 years? Find out here. 

Magazine Magic
Two ready to print magazine articles for you to choose from for your Parish Magazine!


52 Eco Top Tips
A resource for your weekly newsletter, one top tip a week to last you through the year ahead. Click here.  
Resource Centre
Sign up for CAFOD's Just One World online Advent calendar to receive daily reflections here. 
Charging Points for Schools
Pod Point are installing free electric car chargers at primary schools in areas of higher than usual air pollution. Nominate your local church school? More. 
Wanted!
Help Open Country and Caring for God's Acre...
... raise funds from Aviva Community Fund with a simple click here. Register and then choose Open Country or CfGA as your organisation. You can cast up to 10 votes at once! 
Opportunities
Know a Budding Young Journalist?
The Columban Missionaries are running a competition on "The Challenge of Climate Change". Written or video entries for 15-18 year olds. More. 
Parish Environment Reps 
Are you the environmental enthusiast in your church or do you know the person who is? We are seeking a Rep in each parish to receive information and take up training opportunities. More. 
Comedy Corner

Listen to Beardyman's "End their Suffering" song on Radio 4's Now Show starting at 23.00 minutes here. 
© Diocese of Leeds, 2017

Diocesan Environment Officer | 01423 569121 | [email protected] |
Church House
17-19 York Place
Leeds, LS1 2EX