No Faith in Fossil Fuels Service and Pilgrimage to Parliament at The Big One
Green Christian on Friday 21 April is joining forces with many other charities in supporting The Big One climate protest with a Christian service and pilgrimage to Westminster
Our ask is our prayer: No more fossil fuels. Amen.
If you do one thing for God’s Creation this year, this is it – just be there. And bring your churches, family, friends with you.
- NEW! 10.30am Peers for the Planet panel discussion inside the church – see more here
- From 11.15am – Gather in the garden at St John’s Waterloo (or inside if wet) for Music from Engage Worship and The Salvation Army
- 12 noon – Christian service
- 1pm – Pilgrimage to Parliament Square (this will be step-free)
- 2pm – prayers for government and blessing on the protest at Westminster
- 2.30pm – Some of us will be joining the Climate Choir at Westminster
If you’d like to meet up and pray and and walk together with other Green Christian members and friends, please register here:
The family-friendly protest continues over the weekend (21-24 April, ending at 6pm each day). Christian Climate Action is holding a prayer vigil throughout and organising different activities for public worship. See Christian Climate Action’s website for the latest plan. For example, Green Christian member Judith Russenberger has organised a Prayer Walk (or here for printable document) starting at 5pm at the Gandhi statue each day.
This is the moment for ordinary, law-abiding people to come out in support of what groups like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil are saying about how serious the situation is, but without resorting to their methods. The science is clear – the head of the UN says we are “firmly on track toward an unliveable world”. The International Energy Agency has said there can be no new oil and gas development. Yet our government is opening new oil, gas, and even coal mines. As Christians it is our job to care about this, to be prophetic, to call out our government’s flagrant dereliction of duty and to demand action. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said:
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.
Speak and act with us on 21 April!
Help get people there!
The No Faith in Fossil Fuels Service and Pilgrimage is for everyone! Here’s some templates you can use to encourage people to join in (just “make a copy” and edit as you wish):
Or/and simply invite your friends! Here’s the email our Information Officer, Ruth, sent to her church family (just “make a copy” and edit as you wish)
We’ve also started a list of ‘What to Bring‘! Do add more suggestions to the comments below!
Can’t get to London?
Some churches that are a long way from London are going to hold No Faith in Fossil Fuels services in their locality. You are welcome to print our Order of Service, below, if you do this. Please note that most of the songs are subject to copyright. So you must either use your own CCL licence or use the contact details in the service sheet to pay for the licence. You will also need the detailed Order of Service, below, which includes suggested readings and how to do the prayers.
Green Christian member Judith Russenberger has put together The Big One prayer collection to help us all pray in the run up to, and at, the rally. Anyone who can’t make it to London, please pray with us from your homes and churches that weekend.
Next: Why I am going to “The Big One”
Previous: Easter prayer for climate justice
Comments on "No Faith in Fossil Fuels Service and Pilgrimage to Parliament at The Big One"
Sunniva:
Calling on UK climate activists and people aligned with the climate movement who have thoughts on or intentions of attending Extinction Rebellion's The Big One protest in London! Take part in a social psychology study run by the University of St Andrews. It will help deepen understanding on intentions to take part in mass climate protests, on engagement with the climate crisis, and on feelings about the new Public Order Bill protest laws being introduced in England & Wales. There's also a £100 cash prize draw. Study link: https://standrews.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Eovcql1TG2Fi8S
Ruth Jarman:
Hi Eric, do encourage your local church to have a parallel service in support! See above for the service outline.
Eric Johnson:
I would love to be there. I am now in my eighties and the prospect of travelling to London from Christchurch is, for several reasons daunting. Is there a local parallel event that I and others of our generation could more easily attend?
Ruth Jarman:
Hi Gaynor, I will ask!
gaynor ayres:
Please would it be possible to live stream the service at noon ? It would be really appreciated by those of us unable to attend
Jennifer Percival:
It is true that we shouldn't put all our eggs in one basket. There are many excesses such as destroying the rain forest. I believe we should be less wanting. My concerns are we are polluting the Earth. This is not just about oi.
Ruth Jarman:
Hi Maggie, there's a flyer at the bottom of this CCA web page: https://christianclimateaction.org/2022/10/22/the-big-one/ Not sure about posters though
Maggie Lippiett:
We have rather amateurishly enlarged The Big One poster - are there any others we could have?
Add your own comment to "No Faith in Fossil Fuels Service and Pilgrimage to Parliament at The Big One"
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Leave a Reply