Dear Siblings in Christ,
What a wonderful day we had together on the 30th October at our Climate Action Open Day at Museum Street. It was great to see so many people including BBC Look East who came by to interview our guest speaker, Rev. James Bhagwan. Thank you to everyone who read the informational material, signed the petitions, made a pledge for a specific way to care for the earth, spent time in prayer, and listened and talked to our guests Rev. James Bhagwan from Fiji and the Pacific Conference of Churches and Ph.D. student Robyn Emmerson from the University of Essex.
Note: If you missed the Open Day, then you can watch Rev. James Bhagwan’s presentation which was recorded.
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to a continual journey of change and transformation and sacrifice:
- How has this last nine weeks impacted you?
- How have you changed?
- What have you committed to do differently?
- What conversations have you been having?
- Where have you found new hope?
- How are you inspiring others with hope?
My nine-week journey has had its ups and downs. There were times when reading the week’s information that I wondered if stopping climate change is possible and if there is enough cooperation and willpower to do so. And yet I have been immersed too in so many success stories, some wonderful scientific inventions and discoveries, and have seen the way that Christians all around the world are mobilizing. In our book study, we have learned to read scripture thinking about the earth and the plants and the animals and not just humans. Who is my neighbour? What does do not steal mean when we consider the earth? How can we give the earth a Sabbath day, a day of rest? I was reminded that we are made in the image of God and God’s image includes creativity, love and hope and that we are empowered by God’s hopefulness that has been implanted in each one of us.
This is a long and urgent journey that all the world’s people are on together. It is going to require sacrifice. It will be costly. It will need us all to pull together. We will need new inventions, significant financial investment, and Government policy changes, as well as lifestyle changes. Your voice and support will help our national leaders to make those difficult decisions and see those decisions through. Please hold them all in prayer during COP26.
We are called as Christians to care for the earth and for all its inhabitants. Rev. James Bhagwan told some harrowing stories of climate-induced life for the Pacific Islanders. May our eyes and ears be opened, our hearts be touched, our minds be transformed, our voices be raised, and our hands be active. Let us remember that we do indeed serve a God of Resurrections and New Life.
Learn more about the circuit’s climate action focus here: https://methodistic.org.uk/climate-action/ and anywhere you see this climate action picture. There are nine topics and prayers and lots of ways to learn, speak out, take action and inspire hope. There’s even a climate tip for the day.
Here is November’s preaching plan (*=communion, LA=local arrangement). Or download the plan for the whole circuit.
| Museum St 10.45 a.m. | Chantry 9.30 a.m. | Landseer Rd 11 a.m. | Video from 6 a.m. | |
| 7th Nov | *Pell | LA led by Rokobuli & D Sawyer | No Service (Fellowship at 2 p.m.) | Theobald |
| 14th Nov | Video Sermon (Kimble) led by Finbows | *Pell | *Pell | Kimble |
| 21st Nov | Pell | Nichols | No Service (Fellowship at 2 p.m.) | M Cassidy |
| 28th Nov | @Chantry | Cope | @Chantry | Yelland |
The November issue of our joint magazine for the three churches has been published. Read it here.
In Christ
–Pastor Joan
Joan’s Jottings are written to the churches at Museum Street, Landseer Road and Chantry where Joan is the minister, and a monthly summary is shared here for all to read.