Each year Rev John reports on how he has got on in his attempts to reduce his carbon footprint. Here is this year’s report:
Links in the Article:
Carbon Footprint of your minister
Eco Post
Reports, ideas and actions to support the stewardship of the planet
Real Zero Emissions talk
Professor Julian Allwood talks on ‘Real Zero Emissions’ in this video – worth watching as we consider our EcoChurch journey.
Bishop Auckland Green Fair
The inaugural Bishop Auckland Green Fair will be held on
Saturday 10th September 2022 10am – 4pm
at the Methodist Church at 21 Cockton Hill Road.
The inspiration for the Green Fair came from a climate pilgrimage to Durham last year, when Daniel Rutland and John Purdy walked with others, and from the subsequent actions taken around COP26.
Daniel wanted to see the buzz and spirit of togetherness kept alive, and brought to Bishop Auckland. He is passionate about living sustainably and caring for our local environment, as well as strengthening local community, saying “I want to support others in valuing and respecting the earth through everyday actions and increased awareness.”
The Green Fair will have stalls, talks and activities for all-ages that will enable and encourage all to see the ways in which they can act together to make a difference.
Rev John Purdy says “in a world of increasing costs, the event is completely free, and all are welcome to come along and check it out.”
A competition for children encourages them to bring a piece of artwork or photograph that represents what nature means to them. Each entrant will receive a reward on the day and their artwork will be on display.
Friends at the Baptist Church – just across from the main venue – will be partnering with the Green Fair by running a re:use cafe, using food that would otherwise have been going to landfill.
Other features on the day will include fabric crafts, seed saving and sowing, energy-saving advice, mindfulness, fair-trade products, vegan recipe samples, climate awareness and so much more.
For more information visit the Facebook page: Bishop Auckland Green Fair
On the Road
Green Christian
Ordinary Christians, extraordinary times
On the Road us the Green Christian roadshow that is coming to Emmanuel Church in Saltburn. It will consist of worship, two workshops led by Rev John and Vanessa from the wider Green Christian movement and a delicious vegetarian lunch. We will begin at 10 am and aim to finish by 4.30pm.
Imagine a world in which every person can flourish and everybody has enough, in which local communities thrive and in which the climate is stabilizing and animals and plants have a home.
from the Green Christian website
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness… and everything else will be given to you as well
Matthew 6:33
Our job is to live today what others only dream of
George Bernard Shaw
In these two workshops we will be seeking God’s kingdom together. The situation is dire but it is not too late to act. We will begin to imagine together what needs to change, if a kinder, gentler world is to emerge from the climate crisis.
We will be looking at how we can find the inner strength to be effective and fruitful agents of this change in our own community.
On the Road is FREE. But to aid planning and avoid disappointment go to https://greenchristianotrsaltburn.eventbrite.co.uk/ and book in advance. Donations toward expenses will be gladly received.
Green Christian has been praying and working toether for a kinder, gentler more sustainable world since the 1980s. GC provides resources and encouragement for prayer, study, sustainable living and political engagement and supports a network of local groups of which Saltburn Emmanuel Church is one.
If you would like to join Rev John and Vanessa on our trip to Saltburn and share in this workshop, please book on the link above and do let them know you are travelling – join them on the train!
Combat climate change with John
By Bishop Press -May 19, 2022
The scientific basis of climate change is inarguable. So much so that many in power, nationally, internationally and locally, including Durham County Council, have officially declared climate change to be a Climate Emergency.
Whilst corporations, the main drivers of climate change, should be leading in the reduction of global emissions, every one of us has the ability to make an impact. Bishop Auckland Methodist Church minister, Rev. John Purdy, who is a leading figure in the Bishop Auckland Climate Action Group, also believes we can all help reduce our carbon footprint.
Over the next few weeks, John will be explaining what we can do locally to lower the effects of climate change.
He begins by explaining his own rationale for getting involved in the battle to save the planet:
The Bible begins with God creating the world and seeing that it was very good, and increasingly I have discovered God’s desire as recorded in the Bible for us to keep it in its beautiful, life-enhancing, state.
From lockdown reading and online academic study, I have increasingly heard the scientific evidence of change and the consensus to act now to ‘decarbonise’ i.e., ‘stop burning stuff’.
Finally, late in the day, I have spent more time in the garden, in nature, observing and learning how to care, and this has been rewarding.
So where to start?
The first task is to discover and feed your own motivation and driver to engage with this topic. That might be science, family, nature, faith, community, or even financial prudence. It doesn’t particularly matter which, but something needs to move and inspire us for the changes in lifestyle we will face.
This is easier with likeminded people. Locally, Bishop Auckland Climate Action is a friendly place to start.
The main goal is to reduce our carbon footprint, and get to ‘net zero’ where we emit no more carbon dioxide than we can remove from the atmosphere.
We are already doing this, without really realising it, in the move from coal to natural gas, (natural gas when burned emits about half the amount of CO2 as burning coal) in more efficient washing machines and fridges, and in a change to LED bulbs.
But this is not fast enough or far enough to stop biodiversity loss, global warming, sea-level rise etc. So, what more can we do?
Next time, we will begin to examine options that will allow us to make an immediate impact on sustainable living.
Meanwhile, if you would like to connect with others already actively engaged in caring for the climate, why not join the Bishop Auckland Climate Action group on Facebook.
The article above appeared in the edition of Bishop Press distributed on 21st May 2022
Hope in the hurting
By Jennifer Plummer
The article below appeared in A Rocha’s Root and Branch Magazine. A Rocha is the awarding body for Eco Church. Bishop Auckland Methodist Church received the Bronze Award in 2020.
The twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change can often seem overwhelming. What can give us endurance and help us to respond with joy and hope?
The nature and climate emergencies are having an impact on our mental health. ‘Eco-anxiety’ and ‘climate grief’ are not just commonplace phrases, but a lived experience for many.
In the storm
With no outlet or quick-fix solutions in sight, eco-anxiety will become debilitating for an increasing number of us. You may have experienced firsthand the feeling of loss or grief for our planet, or supported a family or friend in coping with feeling disempowered, stressed or overwhelmed.
In 2021, Bath University led research among 16-25 year olds, questioning 10,000 young people across ten countries on their feelings about climate change. Over half (59%) of those surveyed thought that humanity was doomed; two thirds reported feelings of grief, sadness, fear, anger, powerlessness and despair.
The research concludes that taking action – even small steps – can help to defuse anxiety and bring a sense of hope. But making a difference (on any issue of justice) can be a slow burn. Sustaining ourselves is key to acting and campaigning for nature and climate. How can we do that healthily and avoid burning out?
Guidelines
Clearly much more could be said than we have space for here, but here are some pointers to help us address climate (and, in fact, any crisis) fatigue, and to act and speak with loving persistence over the long haul.
Rest
It’s important to stay informed, but also to take a break from information overload and distressing images. Set boundaries and limit your social media and news exposure when you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed.
Reconnect with God’s gift of nature
Creation itself is a great antidote to all the words, issues, politics and thinking involved in climate action. Spending time in nature, perhaps with a book or app on bird or plant identification, are ‘earthing’ activities that you can enjoy individually, as a family or with friends.
Return
Returning to our heavenly Father time and time again will give us the energy, capacity and courage to bear what we know. It will ‘irrigate our souls’ and show us what to do next.
Practise hope
The stories we tell, the habits we form, the repetitions we make and the prayers we say matter. Focus your attention and efforts on collective positive actions and seeing change in your community.
Topics of grief, lament and hope in relation to the loss of nature and the climate crisis are explored further in our ‘Climate Grief and Pastoral Care’ webinar. Watch it in full on A Rocha UK’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dDcobTjQv0
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Journeying together
Connecting with other like-minded people is key to coping with eco-anxiety, providing opportunities to share thoughts and feelings and take action. A Rocha UK’s Eco Church, Partners in Action and Wild Christian communities are safe spaces to learn, share and connect; they offer tools and support to address the nature and climate crises in tangible and empowering ways together. If you are concerned for, and passionate about, God’s good earth (and need a reminder to rest and enjoy creation now and then!), join us in cultivating and practising hope for a hurting world.
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Jennifer Plummer is Communications Officer and Wild Christian Coordinator for A Rocha UK. This article first appeared in the spring 2022 edition of A Rocha UK’s magazine, Root & Branch, and is reproduced here with their permission.
Action for Hope – Climate Change
A Presentation to our Darlington District Synod
You can access a pdf of the presentation slides here, or read the information below…
The Methodist Church encourages us
“to commit to Eco Church, Eco Circuit, Eco District or Eco Congregation movements to help the Methodist Church reduce carbon footprints”.
At the 2021 Methodist Conference a target of becoming a net zero emissions Church by 2030 was agreed
How will we achieve this?
Through forging key partnerships at every level of the Church we can together make progress towards net zero.
These partnerships include:
- A Rocha UK which offers pathways through Eco Church.
- Action for Hope. Three categories have been selected
- Faith-consistent use of assets – including investments, purchasing power, buildings and land.
- Wisdom – including theology, liturgies and prayer.
- Lifestyles – including traditions of simple living.
In autumn 2021, a task group of Connexional Team members was appointed to take the work forward.
Faith-Consistent use of Assets
We have committed that by 2030 all travel, electricity and gas directly funded by the Church will have net zero emissions. We are actively working on the detail around these aims, along with guidance and resources.
We are working on resources to support members and church leaders to reduce carbon emissions related to Methodist properties and activities as well as guidance on listed buildings, new property projects and use of other fuel sources.
Much has already been achieved in recent years, notably in our investment policies.
Wisdom
The main resource available for our church members is Hope in God’s Future – a report that offers not just a statement on our approach to climate change but resources including for small group reflection and whole-church conversation. The resource highlights the goodness and interconnectedness of all God has made and this together with the theology and practice of good stewardship informs much of the work of the Connexion.
Lifestyles
We are developing resources to encourage Methodist members and adherents to reduce their carbon footprints, particularly via the three key areas of energy, travel and diet (the biggest contributors to individual emissions).
The Joint Public Issues team have over the last few years worked in this area with a focus on ethical shopping and a set of commitments for ethical living during Lent.
Launch of Action for Hope
A full launch of Action for Hope is planned for our annual Conference in June.
The key things which the District will focus upon are:
- Encouraging and supporting local circuit/church action groups in the move to net zero and other environment related issues and opportunities (e.g. encouraging bio-diversity, community gardens, forest church etc).
- Offering resources and expertise (district and external) to support concrete change locally.
- Ensuring that areas of life over which the district does have control (e.g. Synod) move consciously towards net zero.
Following Action for Hope, District activity will be focused initially, as with Connexion, on:
- Faith-consistent use of assets – including investments, purchasing power, buildings and land.
- Wisdom – including theology, liturgies and prayer.
- Lifestyles – including traditions of simple living.
We note the particular opportunities linked to the Methodist Way of Life, Eco Church Awards and work with children and young people.
Churches register for EcoChurch and then complete the unique online Eco Survey about how they are caring for God’s earth in different areas of their life and work. The answers a church provides will collect points towards an Eco Church Award – the more your church does, the more points you get!
If your score doesn’t gain you an Eco Church Award straight away don’t worry – the idea is to complete further actions in order to gain the points necessary for an Award. For example, you can switch to a green energy company or start using Fairtrade tea and coffee supplies to gain Eco Church Award points.
The survey takes you through five key areas of church life: •
- Worship and teaching
- Management of church buildings
- Management of church land
- Community and global engagement
- Lifestyle
It takes into account whether or not your church has buildings or land, and you can save your survey responses at any point anyone who is registered with a login for your church’s EcoChurch account can return to update them as your church completes additional actions.
Following the above presentation we entered into a discussion based on the questions below with each small group – I came across the energy chain and its three step strategy during an online course recently
The energy chain and the three step strategy
The first step of the strategy is about reducing the energy demand.
The second step refers to the primary energy use – use renewable energy as much as possible.
The last step is about using an energy conversion process into heat that is as efficient as possible when non-renewable resources are used.
The three step strategy therefore introduce a prioritization of measures.
Prayer
We then prayed the prayer below while watching the video of the blackbird in the Manse garden:
Wake us From Our Slumber
Father of Creation,
God of Compassion,
You created a world of wonder,
Of possibility and potential.
You declared it to be good.
For this we give thanks.
To you be praise, honour and glory.
Father of Creation,
God of Compassion,
This world is no longer as you intended it to be.
Humanity has betrayed its calling
To tend and keep.
Creation groans.
For this we weep,
Lord have mercy.
For this we mourn,
Christ have mercy.
On our watch,
We reap what we have sown,
On our watch,
Sea levels rise.
For this we weep,
Lord have mercy.
For this we mourn,
Christ have mercy.
On our watch,
Forests destroyed,
On our watch,
Locusts Swarm.
For this we weep,
Lord have mercy.
For this we mourn,
Christ have mercy.
And so now with tears in our eyes we look to you,
With regret,
With repentance,
Knowing the difficult decades that we face,
As temperatures rise,
As extinctions increase,
As we come to terms with our existential plight.
For our children,
Lord have mercy.
For our Grandchildren,
Christ have mercy.
For the world’s most vulnerable,
Christ have mercy.
Father of Creation,
God of Compassion,
Wake us from our slumber,
Equip us afresh to be the justice-shaped people of God.
Father of Creation,
God of Compassion
You created a world of wonder,
Of possibility and potential.
You declared it to be good.
For this we give thanks.
To you be praise, honour and glory.
Amen
From ’26 Prayers for the Climate Emergency’ by Rev Jon Swales, St George’s, Leeds
Far infrared heaters – in the Manse…
Far infrared heating technology heats surfaces (such as people) before it heats the air, just like the sun. Therefore you can sit underneath a ceiling far infrared panel and feel warm even before the air has warmed up… That has saved us money as well as helped us be more eco-friendly this past winter in the Manse.
We have a suspended ceiling panel in our upstairs sitting room and two ceiling panels in the kitchen. We also have a wall panel that is a picture in the study and a wall panel in the bathroom that is also a towel rail.
Church garden
The Church garden is looking well after a Spring clean. Thanks to those who dug, planted, watered, weeded and picked up rubbish.
Earth Hour – Saturday at 20:30 (Tomorrow)
WHAT IS EARTH HOUR?
Earth Hour reminds us that even small actions can make a big difference. When we make changes in our own lives to reduce our footprint, we inspire those around us to do the same. And together, we are a powerful global movement that governments and businesses can’t ignore.
We all need nature. And nature needs us to stand up for it every day. By 2030, nature and wildlife could be recovering all around us. Our leaders have promised to put nature at the heart of climate action, to secure a safer future for all of us. Now we must make sure they deliver on their promise.
Everyone has a part to play – and it starts with a single switch. Will you join us? 10 FACTS ABOUT EARTH HOUR
BEFORE EARTH HOUR
Download the WWF My Footprint app and take on a challenge.
Listen to Call of the Wild, WWF-UK’s podcast hosted by Cel Spellman.
Encourage friends and family to take part in Earth Hour by spreading the word to your networks. #EarthHourUK
DURING EARTH HOUR
Switch off your lights and take an hour to reflect on what nature means to you.
Enjoy a meat-free meal by candlelight with your friends and family.
Put your phone on do not disturb, press play on our Earth Hour Spotify playlist and enjoy some down time to yourself.
Share how you’re spending the hour with us on social media using #EarthHourUK