Registering your congregation with us is a declaration of your intent to care for creation. Its free and comes with no pre-requisites. Register online today.
Registering your congregation with us is a declaration of your intent to care for creation. Its free and comes with no pre-requisites. Register online today.
As a consequence of the Covid 19 pandemic the United Nations and UK governments have agreed to postpone the CoP26 climate change conference, due to have been held in Glasgow in November 2020.
Responding to the news, Eco-Congregation Scotland chair Mary Sweetland said:
"We understand absolutely the need to postpone the climate conference in the face of a dire emergency but strongly support the conference being held in Glasgow as soon as is possible in 2021."
"Churches and other faith groups around the world have responded to the immediate crisis with practical action, compassion and love. We must build on this to ensure that after the pandemic we work to build a country and a world where we care for each other and for creation. The UN climate conference is a critical part of that response."
"Eco-Congregation Scotland will continue to work positively with churches and other faith groups across Scotland and around the world to make the climate conference in Glasgow a success in 2021."
Eco-Congregation Scotland is already linking regularly with local and national partners, to encourage hospitality with a warm welcome for visitors attending CoP26 and a legacy of transformational change to tackle the climate emergency at home and around the world.
Key partners include: Glasgow Churches Together, Church of Scotland and the Presbytery of Glasgow, Archdiocese of Glasgow, Scottish Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway, United Reformed Church Synod of Scotland, Methodist Church, The Salvation Army; Christian Aid Scotland, SCIAF, Tearfund Scotland, Justice and Peace Scotland, The Iona Community; Interfaith Scotland, Interfaith Glasgow, Edinburgh Interfaith Association, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, Action of Churches Together in Scotland.
Please get in touch to join our work towards making CoP26 a success in Glasgow.
In challenging times for everyone across Scotland during the coronavirus situation, it’s even more important to encourage activities that we can all take part in while we “stay at home”.
This year we’re again supporting the wonderful work of WWF Scotland and encouraging all our volunteers to take part in #EarthHour, the world’s biggest switch off event!
Learn more about Earth Hour and find out how to take part here, with great ideas and tips.
Below is a short meditation written by Rev Elizabeth Houston, retired former minister at Alexandria Parish Church, to use when you switch off lights for the planet. Alexandria recently became our latest Eco-Congregation Gold Award winners, following their union with Jamestown to become Lomond Parish Church.
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord, Your greatness is seen in all the world! Your praise reaches up to the heavens; it is sung by children and babies. You are safe and secure from all Your enemies; You stop anyone who opposes You. When I look at the sky which You have made, and the moon and the stars which You set in their places – what is man that You think of him; mere man that You care for him? You made him inferior only to Yourself; You crowned him with glory and honour. You appointed him ruler over everything You made; You placed him over all creation: sheep and cattle and the wild animals too; the birds and the fish and the creatures in the seas. O Lord, our Lord, Your greatness is seen in all the world!
Prayer
Almighty God, all-powerful and everlasting, we come before You in awe and yet with fear; for You have trusted us to care for this world which You have made, this world which You saw was good; You laid upon us, the responsibility for all the creatures of the earth, including our brothers and sisters across the globe – and, to our shame, we have allowed self-interest and greed to rule our hearts and threaten all creation. Father God, forgive us. Lord God, as we all feel the effects of this ‘coronavirus’, remind us of our responsibility to each other, to all the creatures in this world and, most of all, to You. Lift us from the darkness and remind us that The Light of the World will shine on through any darkness that humanity can devise and lead us, in Your mercy through this time of challenge for the whole earth and back into the safety and security of Your Light. Father God, uphold us. Remind us, Lord God, that our Lord Christ promised His disciples that He would be with His people, ‘until the end of the age’ and fill us with the spirit of peace and humility, inspire our prayers for one another and for all creation and as we walk again into the Light, Your Light, make us wiser and more responsible for the whole world’s sake and in Jesus’ Name. Lord, hear us, help us and heal us, for Your love’s sake. AMEN
Climate action
READ JOB chapter 38 and consider the theme for this year’s Earth Hour: eliminating the use of single-use plastics; preserving biodiversity; the need for immediate climate action. THINK on how you can help to make things better and live up to God’s challenge of caring for creation. PRAY for the people you love and for this earth. PLANT seeds to grow salads and flowers to colour your life. LISTEN to the birdsong as nature gets on with doing what God made it to do. PLACE a candle in your window (don’t leave it unattended) and help scatter the darkness.
Book of Job chapter 8
Bildad 8 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: 2 “How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. 3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? 4 When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. 5 But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, 6 if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state. 7 Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be. 8 “Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned, 9 for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. 10 Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding? 11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? 12 While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. 13 Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. 14 What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider’s web. 15 They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold. 16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden; 17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones. 18 But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns it and says, ‘I never saw you.’ 19 Surely its life withers away, and from the soil other plants grow. 20 “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers. 21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. 22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more.” New International Version (NIV)
Pray
In the beginning – GOD; in the darkness – GOD; in Gethsemane – GOD; through the living – GOD; in our weakness – GOD; through our hopelessness – GOD; at the endings – GOD. ‘Till the dawn breaks’ – GOD. Glory be to the Father, to the Son and the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, worlds without end. AMEN
Statement from Selkirk Parish Church for Good Money Week 2019
Eco-Congregation Scotland supported the Good Money Week event organised by the Church of Scotland on Saturday 5th October 2019 and provided this statement as a divestment example for local churches to consider.
Selkirk Parish Church is a typical small town parish church,
with around 400 members, and 60-70 regular attenders at Sunday services. For a number of years, members of the
congregation have become increasingly concerned about the damage being done to
the environment and, in particular, the growing threat of runaway climate
change.
The congregation registered as an eco-congregation back in
2013, and achieved its first eco-award in 2015.
Care for creation has become an integral part of the congregation’s
life, impacting its spiritual life through worship and study groups, and
showing itself in practical actions to reduce environmental impact, at both
individual and congregational level.
In early 2018, a congregational 1/2 day conference was
arranged by the eco-group, with most office bearers and many of the
congregation in attendance. The title of
the conference was “Caring for Creation – asking the difficult questions”, and
through presentations and interactive group activities, many issues were
addressed. These included considering the
environmental impact of our financial decisions (what we buy, where we bank,
and our investments).
One outcome of this discussion was to consider whether the
congregation’s investments were compatible with our environmental policy. We ascertained that we had around £14K
invested in the Church of Scotland’s Growth Fund, and became aware that this
fund held investments on our behalf in three major oil and gas companies,
Shell, BP and Total. This was discussed
by the Congregational Board and the Kirk Session, who resolved to withdraw the
invested funds.
The following letter was sent to the Church of Scotland’s Investors Trust on 21st June 2018:
Dear
Sirs,
In
the light of our concerns about climate change driven by the continued burning
of fossil fuels, most recently highlighted by Pope Francis in his meeting with
oil executives, and the failure of the Church of Scotland’s policy of
engagement to bring about significant change in the policies and practices of
Shell, BP and Total over the last 2 years, Selkirk Parish Church has decided to
withdraw its funds invested in the Church of Scotland Growth Fund.
As
an eco-congregation, we do not believe it is ethically acceptable to invest in,
and gain profit from, companies whose main aim is to continue to explore for,
and to extract, fossil fuels. For
example, BP states on its website that its strategy is to “invest in more gas
and oil, producing both with increasing efficiency”. In fact, we believe that
these investments are contrary to the Investors Trust’s current policy not to
invest in companies whose “activities … are felt to
harm society more than they benefit it”.
The activities of Shell, BP and Total (and other similar companies) are
driving the whole world towards dangerous and potentially uncontrollable
climate change, already causing harm to people across many parts of the planet.
We
disagree with the Church of Scotland’s policy to continue to “engage” with
these companies as being impractical and ineffective. Many large institutions, including cities,
universities, some pension funds, the British Medical Association, the Church of
Ireland and the United Reformed Church in Scotland have already agreed to fully
divest from all fossil fuel exploration and extraction. We believe that the Church of Scotland should
be leading the way for others, and should fully divest now from all companies
involved in fossil fuel exploration and extraction; this would give a stronger
signal to these companies than any engagement is ever likely to do.
Within
Selkirk Parish Church, we are committed to caring for God’s creation. We can no longer wait for the Church or
Scotland to act in this matter, so we are taking our own small steps to make
ourselves “fossil free”. Withdrawing our
funds is one step in this journey that we are able to make now, and therefore
we are doing so. We hope that other
congregations may follow our example.
The
funds withdrawn may be either reinvested in an ethical fund or used to
part-fund a children and families worker; we consider this to be a much better
way to invest for growth in God’s Kingdom.
This was a small, but significant practical action that we could readily
take. Other congregations may lack the confidence to take this step, and so it
is important that we continue to campaign for total disinvestment by the Church
of Scotland from all fossil fuel companies, and reinvestment into other areas
that are compatible with the church’s
care for creation.
Selkirk Parish Church still has other investments held by the Church of Scotland in its “consolidated fabric fund”, but we have no information about whether this fund includes fossil fuel investments. As we are not able to withdraw these funds, we hope that the 2020 General Assembly will resolve to divest completely from fossil fuels across all its investments.
ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND LAND REFORM COMMITTEE
Eco-Congregation Scotland (ECS) welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to the committee on the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets)(Scotland) Bill in advance of appearing on 6 November 2018.
Who are we?
Eco-Congregation Scotland is a Christian environmental organisation that helps local church congregations address environmental issues through their life and mission. There are over 430 eco-congregations in Scotland. 139 of them have the EcoCongregation Award for environmental excellence.
Our programme has three strands:
• Spiritual living: Making the link between environmental issues and the Christian faith
• Practical living: Taking practical action in the church and in the home to reduce our environmental impact
• Global living: Influencing attitudes and taking action in the local or global community on issues like climate change
Encouragement and peer support is provided through 20 local networks across Scotland with two network co-ordinators promoting local activity.
Action on climate change
As a faith driven organisation we encourage congregations to consider in prayer and worship why care for creation is an essential part of Christian faith; and how they should respond to climate change. Creation Time is a new fixture in the church calendar each September and has been widely taken up in Scotland as elsewhere in Europe as an opportunity to explore care for creation in worship.
Practical action to reduce carbon emissions in churches includes working with the Energy Saving Trust and its delivery partners to encourage churches to take advice on energy management in church buildings and in their own homes. Church buildings are notoriously difficult to heat and a project in Cowal churches in Argyll identified air source heat pumps as the most effective low carbon heating for remote churches off the gas grid. The project recently won a Roman Juriga award from the European Christian Environment Network as a leading example of energy management in churches across Europe.
ECS receives funding from the Scottish Government to promote awareness and behaviour change. This has helped deliver a range of activities including carbon conversations with church groups around Scotland. There are signs of significant behaviour change with minsters and other church members installing low carbon heating at home, driving electric cars and promoting community food and other low carbon projects. Many other churches have taken advantage of Climate Challenge Funds and other grants to promote low carbon projects in church buildings of benefit to the wider community.
Activism includes encouragement to church members to get involved in campaigning activity with partners such as Christian Aid, SCIAF, TearFund, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) and others. It is noticeable that, at lobbies of parliament and other SCCS events, church members are prominently represented.
What motivates action?
One of the principal drivers of climate action in churches is the impact of stories from partner churches around the world. Messages from church members in Tuvalu or Malawi or Bangladesh about the loss and damage consequent on climate change have a big impact on church audiences in Scotland, probably more so than scientific reports or statistics. It is worth considering how such stories could be shared more widely across Scotland to increase awareness and promote behaviour change.
What next?
That over 400 churches have registered with ECS is indicative of the commitment and concern in churches. In worship and advocacy many churches are actively engaged but there remains concern that members of congregations will struggle with behavioural decisions necessary to achieve the target of a zero carbon emissions Scotland by 2050, whether that is in changes to domestic heating, food, other shopping or travel.
One opportunity of increasing interest is in decarbonising finance. We know that many church members have concerns about investment in fossil fuel companies but the debate is beginning to spread to the role of savings, investments and pensions. Promoting awareness, campaigning and action on fossil fuel finance is likely to be a priority for coming years.
Commitment
ECS and sponsoring denominations are committed to supporting the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government make the rapid transition to a low carbon economy. We have joined other SCCS members in calling for a net zero carbon emissions (100%) target in the Bill and offer our commitment to support the Scottish Government and others in helping bring about this outcome.
As the Church of Scotland currently invests in BP, Shell and Total, the letter calls on action from each of those companies to keep global warming as far below 2°C as possible.
In October, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that urgent changes are necessary to achieve climate targets and avoid the dangers of drought, extreme heat, floods and poverty for hundreds of millions of people.
Mary Sweetland, chair of Eco-Congregation Scotland said: "We need to drastically reduce our use of carbon fuels as the recent IPCC report shows. Big oil companies promised to clean up their act to meet the Paris commitments; now we need to know how quickly they are changing."
Rev Dr Richard Frazer, Convener of the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council stated: "Oil companies have a critical role in deciding whether or not global warming stays within targets set by the Paris Agreement of 2015. That agreement was to limit global warming to 1.5°C if possible and at most 2°C. I am now writing to ask them to tell us if they are committed to limit global warming and if so what are they going to do?"
Sally Foster-Fulton, Head of Christian Aid Scotland commented: "Right now, climate change is eroding life for the most vulnerable in our world and robbing our children of a future. Right now is the only time we have and time is running out. Christian Aid Scotland stands together with the Church of Scotland and Eco-Congregation Scotland in asking oil and gas companies to be leaders and solution-makers, moving intentionally and quickly to a fossil-free future."
Burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal causes carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere, one of the principal causes of global warming. The Paris Agreement urges a transition toward low carbon energy sources.
Commissioners at the Church of Scotland’s 2018 General Assembly voiced serious concerns about climate change and instructed the Church and Society Council to open discussions with the oil companies and press them to align their business plans with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Eco-Congregation Scotland is excited to announce the appointment of Stephen Curran as manager.
Stephen brings a wealth of skills and experience with him to this important post. As a Glasgow City Councillor he has served as City Treasurer, and Executive Member for Education and Young People; and has been active in the Justice and Peace movement and a wide range of community organisations.
Mary Sweetland, Chairman of Trustees, welcoming Stephen to the team said:
We look forward to a step change in Churches taking action to mitigate the impact of climate chaos with the appointment of Stephen and our new Eco-Chaplain, Rev David Coleman, next month.
Stephen is joining ECS at a time of rapid growth, with the number of eco-congregations across Scotland now over 430 and growing. He said:
With a longstanding interest in environmental issues and faith action, I am delighted to take on the charity manager role at Eco-Congregation Scotland, supporting churches to tackle climate justice and address more sustainable use of assets and resources.
I recognise the growing impact of individual congregations striving to live the Gospel today in addressing climate justice, linking environmental issues to faith in practice.
Encouraging and supporting this work is one of the great challenges of our time and I am honoured to be asked to manage Eco-Congregation Scotland to help achieve this.
Stephen has been involved in church life across Scotland, supporting and encouraging a range of churches on social action. He has three children and has lived on Glasgow’s south side for twenty years where he attends St Helen’s parish.
Biographical details:
Stephen has three decades of voluntary involvement in a range of charities, boards, committees and campaign groups. He developed a keen interest in environment and development issues at church and school in Ayr, where he started a Justice and Peace group, fundraising for charities working at home and overseas. He studied law to postgraduate level at the University of Dundee, where he chaired the Catholic Society and participated in ecumenical chaplaincy activities including the Christian Union and One World Group.
He subsequently worked in healthcare, retail management and IT training before eight years as a parliamentary aide for an MP and MSP representing Scotland’s most ethnically diverse constituency, engaging with local churches and campaigners on sustainability and climate change. He continued that interest through his role as an elected Councillor in Glasgow since 2003 – assuming senior roles on finance, service reform, health and social care integration, scrutiny of policing, education and community planning – bringing to the charity manager post significant experience in building partnerships.
Stephen served ten years as a Strathclyde Pension Fund trustee and successfully encouraged more focus on corporate, social and environmental responsibility in local government pension fund investments. For the past nine years, he was also a board member of The Hidden Gardens Trust, a community development charity encouraging volunteering through a multi-cultural greenspace.
Since 2015 he has served three years in his most recent employment as Scotland and North of England operations manager with Community Money Advice, a Christian charity supporting 157 free debt advice centres run by churches, foodbanks and local groups.
Congratulations to Eco-congregation Granton Parish Church who obtained a Climate Challenge Fund grant for a joint project with the local community under the banner “Granton Goes Greener”. On a beautiful summer day – Saturday 30th June – the project was launched by local MP Deirdre Brock, with a guided walk, children’s activities, bike repair workshop, poetry readings, miniature garden workshop, clothes swap, and soup, cakes and coffee in the church. Read more at http://grantongoesgreener.org.uk/2018/07/02/granton-goes-greener-has-now-officially-launched/
Stephen has three decades of voluntary involvement in a range of charities, boards, committees and campaign groups. He developed a keen interest in environment and development issues at church and school in Ayr, where he started a Justice and Peace group, fundraising for charities working at home and overseas. He studied law to postgraduate level at the University of Dundee, where he chaired the Catholic Society and participated in ecumenical chaplaincy activities including the Christian Union and One World Group.