St Paul’s Cathedral Prayers for the Climate

PRAYERS FOR THE CLIMATE AT ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

Prayers for the success of the United Nations Climate Change
negotiations in Durban will be said during choral evensong at St
Paul’s Cathedral on Saturday 3rd December 2011 starting at 5.00 pm, following the end of the annual Climate Justice March in Central
London.

Ruth Jarman of Christian Ecology Link said “I am delighted that St Paul’s has announced today that the prayers will be said. It is vital for our children’s sake that we curb greenhouse gas emissions”, and added, “I can’t think of a better way to end a noisy day of protest that to go to choral evensong at St Paul’s.”

Throughout the day, representatives of the faith communities will be taking part in a range of events in London to mark the global talks. Members of the Green Christian community will end their Climate Justice March day as they started it – in worshipful prayer.

Other events during the day are set to include :-

(*) A Climate Vigil beside the Thames the midnight before (Friday 2nd December 2011)
(*) A Service at 11.30 am Saturday 3rd December 2011 at St Mary le Bow organised by Christian Ecology Link.
(*) The Climate Justice March 1 pm and Rally outside Parliament at 2.30 pm, Saturday 3rd December 2011.

PROGRAMME OF DAY

The night before the march, a Climate Refugee Vigil will be held on the Thames foreshore near the Millennium Bridge between 11.30 pm on Friday 2nd December 2011 and 1.00 am on Saturday 3rd December 2011, to which all faith community members are welcome.

Christian Ecology Link is holding a time of prayer and meditation at 11.30 am on Saturday 3rd December 2011 at St Mary-le-Bow church in Cheapside, London EC2V 6AU to pray for the success of the United Nations climate conference in Durban, South Africa, which is happening during the two weeks either side of that weekend. Revd Steve Paynter, member of the Operation Noah board will lead the service. All are welcome.

At 12.00 midday on Saturday 3rd December 2011, the faith communities will leave the church to join the Climate Justice March and Rally organised by the Campaign against Climate Change. The march will start from the north end of Blackfriars Bridge at around 1.00 pm. People are asked to march in support of the tens of thousands mobilising in South Africa, demanding climate justice at the Durban climate talks.

The London march will culminate at 2.30 pm with a Climate Justice Rally outside Parliament. Attendees will physically form a photo opportunity by splitting into two groups to represent the 7 percent global privileged versus the 50 percent suffering climate injustice, and demand urgent action to achieve a Zero Carbon Britain by 2030.

Christian Ecology Link members and supporters will continue on to St Paul’s Cathedral for the commencement of choral evensong at 5.00 pm.

Bishop David Atkinson, member of the Board of Operation Noah which is supporting the St. Mary-le-Bow service, said, “Care for God’s creation is a crucial dimension of Christian discipleship and a central part of Christian mission. Responding to the threat of climate change by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is a Christian responsibility and one which we share with all people, especially on behalf of the poorest parts of the world, future generations and the wellbeing of all creatures. Our prayers are for all those involved in the United Nations talks in Durban, that they may be given wisdom and courage to act with justice for the good of all people and all God’s creation.”

In November the World Council of Churches general secretary, Revd Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, called the United Nations UNFCCC COP 17 meeting a “last opportunity for the international community to be responsible in addressing climate change”, and called on the meeting to “act now for climate justice.”

For further details on the role of the faith communities in these events, contact Ruth Jarman, Climate Change campaigner for Christian Ecology Link.

ENDS

NOTES FOR THE EDITOR

1. South Africa is host of the next round of talks under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will be held in Durban from 28th November – 9th December 2011. The timing is critical, as the only legally binding international agreement to limit emissions that we currently have – the Kyoto Protocol – is due to end in 2012.

2. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in a recent publication has reported that the risk from extreme weather events due to climate change is likely to increase.

3. The International Energy Agency has announced that it will not be possible to stop global temperatures rising 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels without a rapid decision to reverse the growth of the current fossil fuel infrastructure.

4. Christian Ecology Link believes we are responsible for our impact on God’s creation. The organisation helps members to understand and relate these responsibilities to their faith. Members can then encourage others in their local church to think seriously about these issues. CEL was formed in 1981, and formally constituted in 1982 and supports Christians from all backgrounds and traditions. https://www.christian-ecology.org.uk

5. Operation Noah is a Christian charity providing leadership, focus and inspiration in response to the growing threat of catastrophic climate change. https://www.operationnoah.org

6. Founded in or around 1080 as the London headquarters of the archbishops of Canterbury, the medieval church of St Mary-le-Bow survived three devastating collapses before being completely destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. Rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren, it was destroyed once more in 1941 but was again rebuilt and re-consecrated in 1964. https://www.stmarylebow.co.uk

7. The Climate Justice March and Rally are being organised by the Campaign against Climate Change https://www.campaigncc.org and supported by Artists Project Earth https://www.apeuk.org/.

8. The focus of this year’s national Climate Justice March is the 7:50 percent injustice divide – where 7 percent of the world’s population produce 50 percent of the world’s emissions and 7 percent of the world’s emissions are produced by 50 percent of the world’s population.

9. Zero Carbon Britain is a plan from the Centre for Alternative Technology https://www.zerocarbonbritain.com