This is Christian Aid Week and colleagues in Christian Aid are campaigning this year on the climate emergency. It is one of the greatest injustices we face: ’This climate crisis hurts us all. But people living in poverty fight the worst of it every day. From drought to flooding, climate change robs people of control over their lives.’

Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary General, has said that 2021 is ’the make or break year’ for climate action. We see it in the extreme weather conditions. This is no longer something impacting far away places that we can safely ignore. It affects all of us - and it affects the most vulnerable and the poorest people in our world even more. 

In six months, the UN Climate Change Conference will take place in Glasgow. This will be an opportunity for governments and other agencies to commit to securing global net zero in carbon emissions by the middle of the century. Some complain - rightly - that these targets are not ambitious enough. Nevertheless, protecting the environment and mobilising business and capital to finance these changes will be essential. How can we be passionate advocates for this change to take place?

Of course, the real transformation lies not simply in the way governments address these structural injustices. We can also play a part, whether it be taking trouble over recycling, turning off the lights, thinking carefully about the impact of our diet, as well as our conservation of energy and other resources. You may also want to think about supporting the work of Christian Aid. The transformation needs to be personal if it is to be real. 

Here are some words of blessing from Christian Aid:

May God bless us with wonder at creation’s glory.
May God bless us with fury at creation’s spoiling. 
May God bless us with courage at this critical hour. 
And may the blessing of God, 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, 
rest upon us and on all creation,
this day and for the future to come.
Amen.

Church Opening

This coming Monday, in the light of government guidance, the church will be open to visitors from 9.30am-5.00pm Monday - Saturday and from 12noon-5.00pm on Sundays. The tower will reopen and visitors will be able to book tickets in advance online. Although the internal ropes and one-way system is no longer in place, visitors will need to come in via the High Street entrance and leave the building via Radcliffe Square. Please respect this convention as it will help to make the building safe for everybody. We are looking forward so much to welcoming you back to St Mary’s.