The Eco-Congregation Scotland West Lothian network took part in a worthwhile event over the weekend in Linlithgow. Churches from across the Church of Scotland Presbytery of West Lothian met at the Peel to exhibit what they are doing and encourage one another. Lots of interesting discussions took place about environmental issues and how congregations cane get involved in Eco-Congregation.
Groundswell Rising, Protecting Our Children’s Air And Water, the new documentary from Emmy Award-winning Resolution Pictures, captures the passion of people engaged in a David and Goliath confrontation. They stand together, challenging a system that promotes profit over health. We meet mothers, fathers, scientists, doctors, farmers and people from all sides of the political spectrum taking a hard look at energy extraction techniques not proven to be safe. With the Oil and Gas industry’s expansion of fracking seen as a moral issue, this provocative documentary tracks a people’s movement, a groundswell rising towards reason and sensitivity, to protect life, today and tomorrow.
For further information about the film please visit:
Here is where you can see the film :
Saturday 27th February 7-10pm Dunbar Town House, High Street, Dunbar EH42 1ER
Wednesday 2nd March 7-9pm Room G.04, 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh
Thursday 3rd March 7-9.30pm Dalkeith Miners Welfare Club, Woodburn Rd, Dalkeith EH22 2AT
Friday 4th March Evening North Berwick – venue to be confirmed.
Saturday 5th March 2-4pm The Station Hotel, 92 Station Road, Shotts ML7 4BJ
Saturday 5th March Evening, Glasgow – venue to be confirmed
Sunday 6th March 7 – 9pm Trinity Church, Falkirk, FK1 1JN
At the last meeting of the Falkirk and West Lothian network it was suggested that we looked at the idea of organising a bigger scale network event aimed at reaching out to more congregations and individuals in the network area. Aberdeen and Edinburgh networks have done this very successfully in 2015 and managed to attract over 100 people to each meeting. This has resulted in some new churches registering as eco-congregations and more people committing to caring for creation.
You are therefore invited to a meeting to discuss this idea on Tuesday 1st March, 7.30 – 9pm at Longcroft Hall, Philip Avenue, Linlithgow, West Lothian, EH49 7BH
We will also have time for an exchange of news and views to catch up with the creation care projects and challenges currently on-going in local eco-congregations. Below is the basic agenda but we are a very informal and friendly group, so do come and join us!
The 2015 Local Networks Seminar took place in Dunblane on Saturday 26th September. This year the main themes discussed at the Seminar have been used to propose an exciting new way of providing web-based resources, which can be downloaded and printed out to encourage more participation in our congregations.
After considering what other resources are available, the ECS Board now plans to invite individuals / congregations / networks, with the relevant experience and expertise, to contribute to developing and writing the new resources.
Local Networks Seminar Report 2015 also lists a whole host of topics and speakers from networks all around the country (see Appendix 3). If you are not already involved in a network, take a look and see what you might be missing! Everyone is welcome at network meetings – you don’t have to be from a registered congregation. Full information about your local network can be found here.
You are invited to a meeting of the West Lothian Faith Group is meeting on Tuesday 24 November 2015 (2.00pm-4.15pm) in the Canon Hoban Hall at St John Cantius and Nicholas in Broxburn.
The first part of the meeting will focus on the theme for this year’s Scottish Interfaith Week – Care for the Environment. Interfaith Scotland have a range of materials on their website which may help inform the discussion on caring for the environment and mitigating the effects of climate change: http://www.interfaithscotland.org/scottish-interfaith-week/care-for-the-environment-resources/. The documents ‘Our Sacred Earth’ and ‘World Faiths and the Environment’ may be particularly useful.
The second part of the meeting will focus on normal Faith Group business. Further information is available from: Joanna.Anderson1@westlothian.gov.uk
Christian Aid are holding a Fair Trade Roadshow next Wednesday, 18th November 2015 at 7.30pm at Carmondean Church, Netherdechmont Community Centre, Fells Rigg, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 8AX.
Notes are available from the last meeting.
150928 West Lothian and Falkirk Network Notes
