pleasing to the neighbours who overlook it; it
insulates the room, thus reducing CO2 production;
Renewing Creation
A newsletter for Christians
in Newcastle and Northumberland
October 2010
‘Do Justice at the Gate’ – Climate Change
Lobby of Parliament
Wednesday 10th October
From Judith Sadler, NE Office Regional Manager
for Christian Aid
The aim of Christian Aid’s climate change lobby
on 20th October is to keep justice firmly on the
agenda of the coalition government. The Revd Jesse
Jackson will give an address at Methodist Central
Hall during a service of worship starting at 11am,
and supporters are being asked to arrange meetings
with their own MPs as part of a lobby of parliament
during the afternoon. More information can be
found at
www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/dosomething/octo
ber-event.aspx. You can register online, or phone
the North East office of Christian Aid on (0191) 228
0115.
Good news from Brunton Park
From the Revd Canon Andrew Shipton
In 2006 the St Aidan’s Church congregation
committed itself to improve its mission to the
community in Brunton Park and the surrounding
areas. As a result of various initiatives, the church
nave is now regularly used during the week to
accommodate a number of new community and
church based activities. The church also received a
substantial legacy ‘to develop the church in the
community’ and decided an extension on the
existing church building to house these activities as
well as provide facilities for the Sunday School was
the best course of action. It commissioned an option
study from the church’s architect, Michael Drage,
which included a ‘green roof’ system, made up of a
light layer of vegetation (primarily comprising the
flowering plant commonly known as stonecrop)
together with a drainage layer, a root barrier and a
waterproofing layer. The green roof was chosen
because it limits thermal stresses, thus protecting the
roof and increasing its life; it is aesthetically
and it generates some oxygen. The building was
finished in mid September and officially opened by
the Archdeacon of Northumberland on 3rd October at
a well-attended service.
While green roofs have been used for all kinds of
public buildings, we believe this the first church
building with a green roof in the Newcastle Diocese.
… and from elsewhere in the diocese
• On 6th June the Church of St Mary the Virgin
celebrated World Environment Day with a
service entitled ‘Many Species, One Planet, One
Future,’ arranged by the Justice and Peace Group
• In July the Church of the Holy Saviour at
Tynemouth Priory took part in the Adopt a
Beehive Scheme, with the children raising
enough money for two beehives. In the same
month the congregation took part in The Big
Butterfly Count
Acorn Recycling
From Margaret Patterson
Acorn Recycling in Wallsend has been set up
from a previous computer repair and sales business
by Ernie Nolan. Its mission is to ‘invest in the
community, through a commitment to the
environment.’ It continues to recycle and refurbish
old and redundant IT equipment, but Ernie has
recently expanded his remit to ‘take anything!’
Acorn Recycling can be contacted on (0191)
26350101 or info@acorncr.co.uk. More information
is available at www.acorncr.co.uk.
Cathedral bell rings 492 times for lost
species
From David Shreeve, the National Environment
Adviser for the Church of England
Peterborough Cathedral rang its tolling bell 492
times on 22nd September, at the same time as the UN
General Assembly was meeting in New York. The
number of times that the bell was tolled equates to
the 492 animal and plant species that England has
lost in the last two hundred years, and the UN
conference was being held to pave the way for an
international treaty on biodiversity. (See below.)
 This year has been declared the UN International
Year of Biodiversity (IYB) and the Church of
England, through its Shrinking the Footprint
campaign is one of the official partners in the UK.
The Dean of Peterborough, the Very Revd Charles
Taylor, said that, ‘We are pleased to join churches
and others around the world, giving encouragement
to world leaders to take strong action to reverse the
current declines in nature.’
Biodiversity and Nogoya, 18th-29th
October 2010
From Christian Ecology Link
Biodiversity is the variety of life. It is the
complex interrelationship of genes, species and
ecosystems that are essential for human well-being
and survival. The Convention on Biological
Diversity (COP) was established following the Earth
Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It has 193
signatory parties, including the European Union as a
single signatory. In 2002, governments adopted the
goal of significantly reducing the global rate of
biodiversity loss by 2010. All countries have failed
to reach the goal.
Towards the end of October, the COP10
conference in Nagoya, Japan, will attempt to reach
agreement on a ten-year global biodiversity treaty to
protect critical ecosystems and indigenous peoples
everywhere. More information can be found at
www.ictsd.org/i/bioresreview/80874,
http://cop10.org and www.teeweb.org. Christian
Ecology Link has prepared a prayer and posters in
support of COP10, which can be found at
www.christian-ecology.org.uk/nagoya.htm.
The Landshare Campaign
The campaign aims to ‘create a network about
growing on every level in the UK and to get
organisations such as churches talking to each other
about what they are doing.’ See
www.landshare.net/organisations.
A selection of resources for discussion
groups
The following resources might be suitable for
Lent Groups.
• Gaia and Genesis: A DVD of five films on
environmental ethics and Christianity, originally
prepared for GCSE and A level students. See
www.ethicsonline.co.uk
• Ecocell: Produced by Christian Ecology Link,
with material for running a set of five to seven
sessions. Available free from www.christian-
ecology.org.uk/ecocell.htm
• Love for the Future: Six short films produced by
the Diocese of Bath and Wells. See
www.bathandwells.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=
mission.content&cmid=363
• Between the Flood and the Rainbow: Looks at
the causes and impacts of climate change,
insights from scripture and suggested action. It
can be downloaded from www.operationnoah.org
• God’s Green Book – Seven Bible Studies about
the Environment: A book by Charlotte Sleigh
and Bryony Webb, published by SPCK at £8.99.
The authors explore the phenomenon of ‘green
guilt’ and find that, as Christians, the experience
of God’s love leads us naturally to the desire to
lead a better life.
• The Jubilee Centre / Tear Fund has produced
materials for a five-session study on God’s
creation and sustainable living. It can be
downloaded free of charge from
http://bit.ly/9pHDWC
A selection of future environmental dates
and events
• Armstrong and Innovation: Electricity from
Sunlight Today. A free talk at the Discovery
Museum in Newcastle at 6.30pm on Tuesday 23rd
November. To book a place email
Linda.grogan@twmuseums.org.uk
And finally ...
Contributions to Renewing Creation are
welcome. Please send them to Rob Kelsey. The
next copy deadline is 2nd January 2011.
Contacts
• Rob Kelsey, Diocesan Environment Officer,
Tel. (01289) 382325,
Email Robert@josephkelsey.fsnet.co.uk
• Jill Elphick, newsletter distribution organiser
Tel. (01670) 790764,
Email jill.elphick@virgin.net