At our Vestry Away Day in January 2021 we decided to make Eco-footprint a focus for this year. This was mainly to come in line with what is going on in the world and the Church at large: at the General Synod last summer the Province pledged that the SEC would be carbon neutral by 2030; and this year COP26 is coming to Glasgow in November and the eyes of the world will be upon Scotland and all things green.
With this in mind the Vestry have already been considering ways to make a difference. Our energy contracts are all up in October this year – so we have already signed for our Gas and Electricity to be 100% from renewable energy (how this works with the gas, I have yet to really find out!). We are also considering LED lights in the church – which would also negate the necessity of John and Stewart running the gauntlet every month or so climbing up high ladders to change bulbs as well as being better for our planet.
We have also just formed a group to look at Eco issues in the church – thank you for those who volunteered. Holy Trinity is already an Eco Church – but as time has moved on things have got more urgent and there are more things to address.
In the autumn we will also celebrate Creationtide which will bring into our worship our stewardship of the world. I hope as the year progresses we may organise talks for us to learn more of how we can make a difference. Meanwhile you might like to use this prayer which was written by the Eco-Congregation Scotland Environmental Chaplain, the Rev Trevor Jamison:
O God of this earth,
We pray for the representatives of the rich and the powerful,
And for those sent there by the poor and the vulnerable.
Give to them all gifts of wisdom and discernment,
that they might truly understand what faces your world today,
and see what needs to be done in days ahead.
Give to them qualities of kindness, justice and determination,
that they may hear creation’s cry of distress,
and together take binding actions to safeguard the climate.
And stir up in us what we expect from others.
make us wise and discerning, kind, and just,
determined to play our part in caring for creation, now and for ever. Amen.
