We need your help!  The world needs your help!

You will be aware of the publication today (9th Aug) of the latest report from the Intergovernmental programme for Climate Change, showing more clearly than ever before how urgently we need everyone to take action to reverse the damage caused to our world by human activity.  

The report shows unequivocally that:

• climate change is causing more intense rainfall and flooding in some areas and more intense drought in others;
• total rainfall will continue to increase in high latitudes, whilst subtropical regions will become even dryer;
• coastal flooding and coastal erosion is increasing, and what were 100-year extreme sea-level events will happen in most years by the end of the century;
• arctic sea ice and permafrost will be lost and glaciers and ice sheets will melt;
• ocean changes will include more acidification, marine heat waves and damage to marine ecosystems;
• cities will be hit with more heat waves and floods;
• wildfires will continue to intensify – the biggest fire raging in California right now is half the size of Suffolk and only 20% contained.

The climate crisis presents us with the most important agenda humanity has ever faced.  We have a once in a civilization opportunity to act and avert catastrophe.  All the experts say we have no more than 10 years in which to change our attitude to the environment and our everyday behaviours.  

To put it in these stark and graphic terms is to underplay its significance.

It is a daunting challenge.  Governments and political leaders have spent the last three or four decades either in denial or kicking the issue into the long grass for their successors to deal with.

Whatever the horror surrounding the pandemic, it has taught us two important things: we cannot treat global issues as someone else’s problem, and that apparently impossible things are achievable when they are given the priority they need.

The climate crisis is daunting.  It is scary.  But it is an especially demanding call when viewed through the eyes of faithful discipleship – recognising that we are called to be good stewards of God’s creation, and in so doing to side with the most vulnerable.  

People find it hard to comprehend, and even harder to understand what we might do individually.  That is why as individuals and as groups, we need to commit ourselves to two things: learning about the issues so that we are less daunted by the unknown, and action which makes a difference.

We (Elizabeth and David) placed a challenge before the circuit meeting for:

• every church to establish an action group and choose just one bit of the climate challenge;
• each church to explore that topic in some depth, to learn about it, find out why that topic is important, what can be done about it, and how to make a difference;
• for every church to draw as many members and friends as possible into the learning process, to begin to turn fear and ignorance into hope and action.
• each church should then find some way of sharing their learning and understanding with others – maybe a drama, or a poster, or prayer headings, or a simple list of changes everyone can adopt to make a difference;
• the circuit to come together regularly to share our discoveries and encourage each other.

The Ipswich Circuit of the Methodist Church committed itself to respond to this challenge, so that we provide inspiring, compelling, passionate leadership to break the log-jam of fear, split the mammoth task into understandable, bite-sized pieces and build meaningful HOPE and mobilise practical, informed action?

We are committed to mobilising an action group across the circuit so that we can support local action groups with two things:

• information and resources so that they can explore what practical action they can commit to;
• a conduit through which ideas and practical experience can be shared to accelerate our progress.

The circuit group has met and made a start, but is small at the moment and still needs more support.  The immediate priority is for every church to create their own enthusiastic team with whom we can work.  The Felixstowe section is already well underway with great and often simple initiatives.  Young people are often the most highly motivated to promote both the understanding and the action for change, and this is also an opportunity to draw people in from the fringes of church life who are already either active or seeking ways to act.  

Dates for your diary

Sunday 5th September is designated as Climate Sunday, and we will be holding a circuit-wide service at 3pm at Landseer Rd.

The COP26 conference: perhaps the world’s most important meeting, will take place in Glasgow from the 1st to the 12th November, and we are hoping that we will be able to host an event over the weekend of 30th-31st October to demonstrate our commitment to action.

Time for action:

Within your churches, please have the conversations and let us know who will be the contact person with whom we can work on this vital initiative.

Keep your eye on the circuit website for ideas and resources that can help your local conversations, as we start to build up its content.

Talk about and share practical things you are already doing to build Hope in God’s Future.

Elizabeth and David Welbourn