25p CRUX Issue 48 Church for a different world September 2018 CREATING A BUZZ Church for a different world CRUX September 2018 A LEARNING CHURCH? OUR ECO CHURCH JOURNEY In five months since first hearing the Diocesan Environmental For many, September marks a And that’s the challenge I want to set for Officer, John Hughes, talk passionately about the potential time of fresh beginnings. Some us all this autumn. Can you think and for Manchester to become an Eco Diocese, Christ Church 60,000 children will be settling pray about one area of our faith or life in Friezland has achieved an Eco Church bronze award! into new classes in our Church that you want to know more about, or to Schools this month, and even engage with more deeply? It may involve more students will be starting nothing more strenuous than reading a Church members Matt, Yvonne and in future plans and involve them in or returning to universities in book or two, or finding resources on the Niamh Carson were invited to become decision making. They want to carefully Manchester, Salford and Bolton. internet. If you’re not sure, ask your local the church’s Eco Champions back consider their future purchasing habits, clergy for help. Let’s make the Diocese of in February. They see the role as efficient use of the building and land, The process of education doesn’t end Manchester a learning church for all ages. “encouraging the church in its duty and might even consider having cycle with leaving school or graduation. In of care to the environment, setting racks, keeping bees and installing solar a typical year we have around 50 men a good example to the community panels on the church roof. Their plans will and women training for ordination, while and pointing to a better future.” be made more visible through policies others are training as Readers and ALMs, and regular involvement of church or doing the diocesan Foundations for When Matt registered the church on the A members and the wider community. Ministry course. For every one person Rocha website and started completing the who is starting a formal accredited online questionnaire, he was surprised at The Revd Mike Donmall, Associate course there should be many who are how many things the church was already Priest, is fully behind the move. He simply seeking to deepen and broaden David Walker doing that qualified for Eco Church says “Our Christian faith is not church- their knowledge and understanding Bishop of Manchester points. These included regular prayers bound. It’s what we do in our lives is of different aspects of our faith. and support of international charities, what really matters. By becoming an sharing lifts to church, recycling and Eco Church we can see opportunities encouraging wildlife on church land. to involve the local primary school in our efforts to care for the environment “But we know we can do a lot better”, and share our journey with the whole says Matt. “We’re just at the start of the Saddleworth team of churches.” of a lifelong journey for the church. Eco Church has got its hooks into me!” The target for the diocese is to AT THE HEART ON THE EDGE have 32 churches registered for Eco Encouraged by the bronze award and Church by Easter next year. Register wanting to go for silver, Matt and the at https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk Congregation – resources for liturgy, PCC are keen to involve the whole church worship and day-to-day – gathered and local Commerce – being entrepreneurial, sustaining enterprise and generating finance for church Compassion – how to grow participation and volunteering to address social need Exploring mission, sharing ideas, Culture – art, music and ideas to uncovering solutions and finding reimagine the Christian narrative for support. A day with Revd Dr Sam your context Wells and guests on 31 October at St Peter’s House, Oxford Road M13 9GH. With refreshments, lunch, panel discussion and networking. Cost £10. For more information and to book, please visit tinyurl.com/ybrtnd93 Front Cover Caption: Bee in the City at Manchester Cathedral. PAGE 2 PAGE 3 Church for a different world CRUX September 2018 BAN THE WASTE BAN THE WASTE HARVEST SUPPERS GREEN HARVEST SUPPERS Delicious, fresh vegetarian meals made with food saved from waste by FareShare. Prepared for you by our chef. A good night out with a side order of Eco Church. HEROES Whether or not you have decided to share Manchester’s journey Pupils grow their own lunch to become an Eco Diocese by registering as an Eco Church, we and tend the gardens at are all involved in the care of God’s creation. You may have Newchurch Primary School, signed up at home or church with a green energy supplier, winning themselves a reduced your purchase of single use plastic and remembered Green Heroes Award. to put your rubbish in the correct recycling bins. But how Headteacher, Jane Thistlethwaite, much is our care of God’s creation woven into our lives? said, “We have been doing lots of work over the past couple of years to develop the pupil’s environmental We are following up the Eco Church awareness. We have a very active workshops held at the recent Gardening Group who have planted archdeaconry events, with an invitation food which has been harvested and to a ‘Ban the Waste’ Harvest Supper this eaten at lunchtimes. They have month, where all five Marks of Mission also been responsible for improving will be served up with an eco twist. 8 September: St Bride’s, Old Trafford M16 9NW / 6pm the school outdoor environment 16 September: St Barnabas, Clarksfield OL4 1NL/ 6pm by planting flowers, bulbs and 23 September: Holy Rood, Swinton M27 0EZ/ 6pm trees in the school grounds. The Food will be vegetarian, not 29 September: St Stephen and All Martyrs, Lever Bridge BL2 1NZ / 6pm least because the global livestock industry produces more greenhouse For further information and to book your place, visit: “Some of the year 4 and 5 children https://tinyurl.com/y9xo2kza also attended the North West Eco gas emissions than all cars, planes, Conference at Blackburn Rovers and trains and ships combined. are looking forward to establishing an Eco group next year. We are Most of the food will be sourced from only on the start of our journey FareShare, an organization that tries but we are very excited about it!” to distribute some of the 1.9 million tonnes of food that would otherwise Are the opportunities for your be destined for landfill. Qualified chef church to work together with the and Church Community Worker, Duane local school to promote awareness Kenneally, will make the food delicious. CREATIONTIDE and action on environmental issues? Creationtide (1 September to 4 October) offers an ideal opportunity to reflect on how we can enrich our care through worship, bible study, practical action and celebration. A helpful calendar is available to guide us each day of the season. Further information at https://creationtide.com/ Twitter: @DioManchester will be tweeting prayers, actions and reflections every day throughout Creationtide. Follow and join the conversation using #Creationtide and #EcoDiocese PAGE 4 Church for a different world CRUX September 2018 BRIEF ENCOUNTER Brenda Hamlin “When I pray I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and it helps me to feel calm and put everything in God’s hands.” “It’s lovely that St Matthew’s think of the deaf people, I don’t have to ask or explain what I need; they already know and are very deaf aware.” Brenda recently took part in the Growing Deaf Church Leaders (CPAS) course which she really enjoyed. “At first I thought, ‘I’m not a church PROVIDING 1800 FREE leader!’”, she said, “but I learnt that I can do anything and it’s important to be LUNCHES EVERY DAY! open to what God is calling me to do. “I learnt so much about the Bible An army of volunteers in Bolton has been working hard as the course was in BSL - in my over the summer, providing free packed lunches for own language. Because the leaders children who might otherwise go hungry over the holidays. were deaf themselves, I felt I could Brenda Hamlin first went to church ask any question I wanted to. Mobilised by Christian charity Urban Sam’s father, Dave Bagley, who set as a child when her parents moved Outreach, hundreds of volunteers up Urban Outreach, was inspired by to Northenden. “I was the only Brenda also feels welcome at her local have been up at the crack of dawn the Biblical story of the feeding of the deaf child at Sunday school and the church of St John’s Brooklands. “Two preparing 1800 sandwiches a day and 5000. When people were complaining Sunday school teacher included me, different people have sat with me and filling bags with a snack, a drink and that there was nothing to eat, which is how my faith developed. showed me where I am in the service. a piece of fruit. The lunches are for Jesus said to James “You give them children and young people who would something to eat.” Dave explains, I’m still in touch with her.” One also wrote notes on the sermon normally receive a free school meal. for me during the service so that I As an adult it was important for could understand it. Another said how Churches play an important part in the Brenda to find a church community lovely it was that I was with them.