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Welcome to the September edition of Churches Together in Cumbria's Newsletter.

The Anna Chaplaincy ministry in Cumbria continues to support older people on their spiritual journeys due to the hard work of our Chaplains, Dementia Enablers and volunteers who support them. 

The date of the Anna Chaplaincy and Dementia conference - Breathing in Hope Working with Stories of Change

is coming upon us on September 18th 2021 approaches. As an online conference, we are attracting participants from across the UK and internationally including Canada, the USA and Australia.

We do have limited spaces so please do book a place now if you intend to come - we don't want you to miss out on this important event in Cumbria supporting the spiritual care of older people and people with dementia in Cumbria. Click on the button above to book your place.

We look forward to being with you then.

Social Responsibility

There is a distinct leaning towards all things ‘green’ for this month’s social responsibility newsletter contributions. This is due to various national and international events happening this season. I’ve been busy connecting with folk in the church and in secular arenas in concern and action for stewardship of our environment and climate change.

There’s also a ‘heads up’ about Suicide Prevention Day in September.

Climate Sunday is an initiative originating from Churches Together in Britain & Ireland. It is calling on all local churches across Great Britain & Ireland to hold a climate-focused service on any Sunday before COP26 (November 2021). At this service, congregations are encouraged to make a commitment to greater action to address climate change in their own place of worship and community and to use their voice to tell politicians we want a cleaner, greener, fairer future at the heart of plans agreed during COP26.

Their vision is to leave a lasting legacy of thousands of churches better equipped to address this critical issue as part of their discipleship and mission and to make a significant contribution to civil society efforts to secure adequate national and international action at COP26.

There are tons of really good and easy-to-use resources on their webpage: https://www.climatesunday.org/service-resources .

Churches Together in Cumbria and our friends at Food Carlisle are happy to be working together to host an event to amplify the voice of some pilgrims passing through the city on their way to the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November 2021.

On 5 September 2021, 40 walkers will set off from London and from Bristol a few days later, on a 500 mile journey to the conference and will reach Carlisle on 14th October.

On Friday 15^th October, the following day we invite you to come to a lunchtime event to meet and hear from some of the pilgrims at an event at St Cuthbert’s Church in Carlisle from 12:00 noon to 2:00pm. Food Carlisle are making available a low carbon lunch. Please book your place for lunch here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/camino-to-cop-low-carbon-lunch-and-climate-talks-tickets-168600100439

There will be opportunity to send written messages of your hopes of what will be achieved at the summit on ribbon which will be delivered by the pilgrims. We will hear what they have to say about why they are making this lengthy pilgrimage and opportunity to hear from some local climate change experts.

There will be an opportunity to send written messages of your hopes of what will be achieved at the summit on ribbon which will be delivered by the pilgrims. We will hear what they have to say about why they are making this lengthy pilgrimage and have the opportunity to hear from some local climate change experts.

The walk has been called “Camino To COP” in reference to pilgrimages made since medieval times. It is inspired by the faith tradition of pilgrimage and great justice marches of the past – such as the Jarrow March in the UK, the Salt March in India and the March on Washington in the US. The aim is to share personal, human stories and inspire others to add their voices to the growing global chorus demanding that governments treat the climate crisis as the emergency that it is. The pilgrimage is also fundraising to empower activist groups in areas most impacted by climate change to join the conversation themselves. People can donate at https://caminotocop.com/donate

You can find out more and get involved here https://caminotocop.com/

I spoke with Melanie Nazareth, one of the pilgrims who will be walking recently and I’m looking forward to meeting her in October as they pass through Carlisle:

“My ethnic roots are in the small Indian coastal state of Goa and I grew up in the Solomon Islands,” says Melanie, age 61, lawyer, mother of 4 from London, Strategic and Spiritual Lead for the Camino To COP “What is happening in these two places connects the ecological crisis and the climate crisis straight to my heart. The people most affected by ecological and climate breakdown are not being heard. I hope that we can amplify voices like these as we walk the Camino.”

Another pilgrim shares:

“Our carbon emissions are harming people who least deserve it,” says Sandie Stratford, a member of Christian Climate Action. “Since 2008 I have voted, lobbied, nagged, marched and cried. To no avail: emissions have increased. During lockdown, I joined an online praying community. Sitting in grief with others somehow helped me to kindle hope that things could be different. So we are going to embark on a journey to COP26 in Glasgow, sharing stories as we go with communities which will offer us floor space.”

Wigton Road Methodist Church in Carlisle is one of those communities offering space to rest as the pilgrims pass through. We are very grateful to St Cuthbert’s Church for generously allowing us to use their ‘home-space’ for this event. Watch our FaceBook page for more news as we approach their visit.

(If you have any questions you can contact Jo Phillips, the Ecumenical Social Responsibility Officer at Churches Together in Cumbria – jo@churchestogethercumbria.org.uk )

Friday 10^th September is  World Suicide Prevention Day and it feels needful to make use of such an occasion to think about what we can do to remain aware and ready for action in this area.

There were 5,691 suicides in England and Wales in 2019, that is 321 more compared to the year before. The rate for females under 25 has increased by 93.8% since 2021, to its highest level in 2019. Men aged 45-49 and women aged 50-54 had the highest suicide rates in England and Wales in 2019. The rate for men aged 45-49 was 25.5per 100,000 and the rate for women aged 50-54 was 7.4 per 100,000. (stats. from Samaritans).

This year the theme for the day is ‘Creating Hope Through Action’ exploring the complicated idea of ‘hope’ in suicide prevention.

A general awareness of the stigma attached to mental health issues and how to engage with the issue as Christians is an important and perennial challenge in the church. There are however, some great resources to help. Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries are a great place to start https://www.sanctuarymentalhealth.org/uk/ . These include free courses for your church or small group, podcasts and blogs.

We are in regular conversation with other third sector, local government and NHS groups working in the mental health and bereavement services arena. I will shortly have some new resources from them to share with you concerning where to look for support and help across Cumbria. More on that next time!

General Secretary

Churches Together in England

• Full time/Flexible over 5/6 days per week incl. weekends/evenings, travel etc.
• Salary range £55,204-£58,422 pa (dependent on experience) plus homeworking allowance.
• Home based, accessible to London

Due to the impending retirement of the current post holder, Churches Together in England (CTE) is seeking an able and inspiring General Secretary to provide vision and leadership within CTE, whilst promoting the unity and mission of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The ideal candidate will

• lead and manage the organisation and the staff team
• have wide ecumenical experience with diverse church traditions
• be a confident communicator
• be skilled at brokering and developing relationships
• take responsibility for external relations with member churches
• have experience of managing organisational change.

An application pack can be downloaded at www.cte.org.uk/GSV

To arrange an informal chat, please contact rowenaloverance@btinternet.com

Closing date: 12 noon on Friday 1 October 2021
Interview date: w/c 18 October 2021 (tbc)

There is a Genuine Occupational Requirement for applicants to be a practising Christian and an active member in good standing of a Member Church of CTE or CTBI.

www.cte.org.uk