Eco Challenge for 2021 – 2020 brought about St Luke’s church obtaining the EcoChurch Silver Award, so how can we as a church and as individuals take the next steps to go for gold in 2021? Many churches across the country struggle with the ‘lifestyle’ module in the award scheme. In response to this, EcoChurch have teamed up with Creation Care www.creationcare.org.uk The Creation Care scheme aims to encourage households to make changes to care for God’s earth. Wherever households are on their creation care journey, we want to provide ideas for your next steps, and recognise the progress you’ve made. So, over the next few months why don’t you have a go; you have nothing to lose! Below summarises how to get going.
The scheme covers 7 areas of household life:
• Worship and prayer
• Home
• Garden
• Travel
• Food
• Possessions
• Community and global engagement
You can enter the scheme by completing a questionnaire that covers each of these areas. This will tell you how well your household is doing at each of these aspects of caring for creation, and hopefully give you ideas of ways you can improve.
How the scheme works
1. Register yourself on the Households page – Start by entering your household name, email address, and then type in how many people there are in your household. Then link your questionnaire with our church by selecting St Luke’s Crosby Church – we cannot see your data, only notified if you have achieved a certificate.
2. Start to fill in the questionnaire – Pick an area and start working your way through that. You don’t need to complete the whole questionnaire. You can save your progress using the “Save” button
3. Keep track of your progress using the Overview page, which will update to show how you’re doing in each area.
Praying for COP26
During October there will be a ‘virtual prayer room’ for you to visit and post a prayer for COP 26.
What is COP 26?
In November, the UK, together with our partner Italy, will host an event many believe to be the world’s last best chance to get runaway climate change under control. For nearly three decades the UN has been bringing together almost every country on earth for global climate summits – called COPs – which stands for ‘Conference of the Parties’. ‘In that time climate change has gone from being a fringe issue to a global priority. This year will be the 26th annual summit – giving it the name COP26. With the UK as President, COP26 takes place in Glasgow
Who is attending?
Representatives of world governments, NGOs, businesses, faith groups, scientists, indigenous peoples delegations
There are 4 key goals:
1 Secure global net zero by 2050 keep 1.50 C within reach
2 Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats
3. Mobilise finance
4. Work together to deliver pledges made
During the Conference there will be discussions each day on a different key issue as indicated below..
Please add your own prayers around these key issues to the pages on the on-line prayer room.
Watch the video below to see how to use the online prayer room
Week One
Sunday 31st October
Procedural Opening of Negotiations
Monday 1st November
World Leaders Summit
Tuesday 2nd November
World Leaders Summit
Wednesday 3rd November
Finance
Thursday 4th November
Energy
Friday 5th November
Youth and public empowerment
Saturday 6th November
Nature
A call to action!
Join in with members of other churches in Liverpool Diocese for a climate justice walk on Saturday October 9th, culminating at Liverpool Cathedral for Evensong at 3.00pm. St Johns Church Ainsdale has a helpful flier with more information on – this can be found here
Things to do:
Pray – make a paper origami boat, instructions can be found here
A Prayer of encouragement:
Truth telling God, weave a thread of love and courage
among those who stand for creation.
May they know the sound of Your voice in all they do,
May your love echo across the streets of Merseyside
So that the sap of change can rise in the mess of our towns and the city.
And seep into the corridors of power
To bring the dawning of a new day
Where the web of life is sanctified,
renewed and replenished
Amen
(adapted from a prayer written by Revd Helen Burnett for CCA)
If you are joining the walk perhaps wear Green? If you have anything green please wear it on the day. There is no need to buy anything new, but it would be great if we can look like we all belong together!
Make a banner
Consider making yourself a banner/notice to carry, so that people know what we are walking for? Do you have any arty friends who could make something noticeable? . These can be made out of fabric or a bit of old cardboard or paper. This is not compulsory, if it makes you uncomfortable, just come as you are
Similar to other supermarkets Sainsbury’s is encouraging their customers to recycle various types of plastic bag. The Crosby store now has a plastic bag/plastic wrapping recycling point. This allows customers to recycle Polypropylene (PP) film found in several household plastic products (see list below of polypropylene and polyethylene plastic film accepted at this supermarket)
Climate Emergency
As the climate crisis accelerates, millions of lives are at risk. Christians around the world are taking urgent action. Step by step, the Climate Emergency Toolkit from Tearfund guides your church or Christian organisation through simple but powerful actions that have an impact far beyond your own walls or community. Click on the button to download the information
Recipes to reduce food waste
Broccoli and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- Small Onion
- Garlic
- Broccoli stalks
- Potatoes
- Seasoning & herbs
- Vegetable Stock Cube
Method:
Roughly chop your onion and garlic. Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in your onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Then, add in the garlic and cook for a further two minutes. Add the broccoli, potato, stock and cook until the vegetables are tender.
Using an immersion blender or similar, blend until the soup is a smooth consistency. Check that the seasoning is to your liking. If you like a more creamy soup, dollop on some Greek yoghurt just before serving or you could sprinkle on some grated cheese.
The soup will last for 3 days in the fridge and is suitable for freezing.
Paul
Tiffin recipe
- 1/2 lb broken or out of date biscuits
- 4oz butter melted
- 1 oz cocoa
- 1 oz sugar
- 1 tablespoon syrup
- Block of chocolate
Crush biscuits with rolling pin, put in bowl, add sugar, cocoa, syrup, butter and mix together. Spread evenly in tin and top with melted choc and allow to cool.
Enjoy – Hazel
I bought satsumas recently that were too tart/sour to eat. And not wanting to throw them away I looked up google but the only suggestion was marmalade. So I peeled them and poached them with a little water and sugar. The result was just as delicious as tinned mandarins!
Hazel