Category Archives: International

Booking now open for Annual Gathering 2015!

Booking is now open for the Eco-Congregation Scotland Annual Gathering on April 25 2015.

Eco-Congregation Scotland Annual Gathering 2015
Preparing For Paris

 

Saturday 25th April 2015, 10:00am – 3:15pm
Falkirk Trinity Church, Manse Place, Falkirk.
(Nearest rail station, Falkirk Grahamston)

Booking form (PDF File)

Booking form with full workshop, speaker and travel details (Word Format)

 

Main speakers

Aileen McLeod MSP, Minister for Climate Change, Scottish Government
Kathy Galloway, Director, Christian Aid Scotland

 

 About our Annual Gathering

This December leaders from around the world will meet in Paris to try and reach an international agreement on climate change. Come along to our Annual Gathering to find our what the Scottish government and voluntary organisations are doing to put pressure on world leaders for an agreement on climate change, and how to make your voice head. We will also have practical workshops on making your congregations more climate-friendly.

 

Report from the International Conference on Climate Change and the Developing World at Kottayam, Kerala, India, January 2015

vcxvx

The Rev. Norman Hutcheson spoke about the Eco-Congregation movement at the International Conference on Climate Change and the Developing World at Kottayam, Kerala, India, last month. The conference was arranged by the Church of South India in conjunction with the College and Nilackal Ecological Commission.

vxcvx

Many presentations were given on the theme of climate change and the developing world, such as information about the world’s first interfaith initiative to create a world where every human has access to clean drinking water; impacts of climate change already being experienced in the Indian river systems and the Aral Sea; focus on the value of indigenous knowledge of environmental care; biodiversity; and energy issues.

sdfsdf

The Bishop Thomas K Oommen, Bishop of Madhya Kerala Diocese, set out the challenge to Christians based on the missiological call of the 1988 Lambeth Conference: “That churches pursue the integrity of God’s creation and sustain the life of the earth”.

Students from the Botany department produced a book detailing the vast biodiversity found on campus (over 500 different species of plants), as well as laying on an evening of Kerala dance and traditional music.

sdfs

A beach at Fort Kochi on the Arabian Sea has a large sculpture of a crab made out of thousands of recycled plastic bottles.

ujhtfgn

Norman’s address to the conference can be read here.

His full report of the conference can be accessed here.

A new look for our award application forms!

We are pleased to announce that we have redesigned our Eco-Congregation award application forms to help make the award application and assessment process easier for congregations. There are now three different award application forms depending on which award your congregation is applying for, and clearer guidelines throughout the form to make the process as smooth as possible.

Don’t forget, if you have any queries or need assistance applying for the award, please just get in touch.

Untitled

We now have 117 award-winning congregations with more joining their numbers all the time – why not join them!

 

New events calendar for Eco-Congregation Scotland!

We now have an online calendar to easily find events that eco-congregations are hosting around the country. Network meetings, our Environmental Chaplain Rev Trevor Jamison’s worship-leading and talk sessions, as well as events such as our Annual Gathering and supported events such as Fast for the Climate will all be included.

Please do let us know if you have any events coming up that you would like us to add to our calendar!

Local Networks Seminar report and summary now available

The report and summary report from the Local Networks Seminar held on 6th September are now available to download. You can access them here:

International Eco-Congregation Scotland activities – Ghana and Brussels

St Andrews Church of Scotland Brussels had a visit from their twinned church , Christ Presbyterian in Adentan Accra, Ghana. Both congregations are registered Eco-Congregations outside of Scotland! Their minister Rev. Ashittey and elder Hanson Budu visited us in September and they went on an ecowalk in the Foret de Soignes. When Rev. Ashittey preached he empasised the importance of our being eco-churches together and stressed the urgency of combating climate change.

Some photos from the visit, and also of an eco activity taking place in Adentan, can be found below.

1

2

3

4