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BAILDON METHODIST CHURCH GREEN FUND

AND OTHER GREEN INITIATIVES WITH A METHODIST SLANT

I would like to tell you about one Methodist church where some green things are happening, mostly due to John Anderson, a Local Preacher at Baildon Methodist Church, in Bradford.

On Sunday 28th October Baildon Methodist Church Green fund will be launched.

This is a fund for people to contribute money to for the church to make environmental improvements – and people are especially welcome to contribute if they need to do a lot of travelling, to make up for their carbon footprint.

John Anderson’s Sermon that day will be on the theme “Royal Oil” – There are lots of mentions in the bible of the importance of oil – anointing people, healing etc.  – but John will be linking it into how we need to use it carefully.

Two years ago he proposed that his Methodist church and each church in the Circuit should appoint an Eco-Officer (voluntary), just as each church has officers for Overseas Missions, Finance etc. He has written a job description for the post. His Church Meeting has adopted this proposal, as has the circuit. After failing to interest  other candidates, he was elected the Eco-officer for both!

I live 30 miles away from Baildon and met John through “Bradford EarthCare” which is a very small team of people in the Bradford Diocese encouraging churches (of all denominations) to do green things. www.bdec.org.uk

Last year the Interfaith Centre in Bradford was putting on an exhibition for Islam Awareness week and John coordinated a poster that included both Christian and Moslem aspects of looking after Creation.

Judith Allinson

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