abbotsford.org.uk

Earth Hour - been and gone

We've just had a fabulous earth hour. It was great. Okay everyone says it was all purely symbolic and that's exactly what it as. But it wasn't empty of stuff. It was a mark that said what we think is valuable, that's worth putting on the agenda of the world etc. It was a wee community that chose to be part of something global and recogise the importance of climate change.

So we worshipped a little then we boomwhacked through Genesis One which was on the spur of the moment. then we have a candle lit cup of tea and a candle lit game of badminton. Interesting!? We did have a couple of rallies which was misaculous. A couple did the dark corner of crafts and made amazing things even when they couldn't see and then we had a discussion abot eco things and then blew out the candles closing the hour but knowing the symbol will last because we had a good time and a significant time.

The tower was switched off and on again. The on bit was a great relief because I didn't know if it would work again. So we found a number of things you can do in the dark for earth hour. Roll on the next one and we can try them out.

2 hours to Earth Hour

Already 4 billion people have moved through earth hour. Millions have switched off lights. Hundreds of cities have participated. Right now the Eiffel Tower, Edinburgh Castle and Abbotsford Church tower are all preparing to switch off.

The church here is ready. The candles are prepared. The activities organised, sort of.

We have:

Worship for 10 minutes at 8.30 and 9.20. In between we have the 60 minutes of darkness discussion space; we have the story corner, candle lit stories of covenant and creation; we have the first (possibly) candle lit badminton tournament; we have the dark corner where you can make stuff but in the dark (no scissors allowed); and finally we have the 60 minutes of darkness tea room, candle lit 'tea and fellowship'.

How many other (legal) things can you think of to do in the dark with a stranger...

Earth Hour

Just as wee reminder of the service/vigil/activity in the church 8.30-9.30 tomorrow evening (Saturday). In the dark...

No idea yet what we'll be doing. But there will be stuff happening and it will involve candles and activities and liturgy and tea and darkness. How manythings do you know about darkness and how many thing do you know about light? We'll be having a quiz probably too. And Earth Hour tea. A sixty minute brew. Or better lots or sixty 60 second brews.

We'll also leave a legacy as well. We do something that is lasting, an activity and response that says we lived 60 seconds without light. How many more can we do.

O, and by the way, the tower will be out too. So if you need to find your way here, the tower won't be able to guide you. Perhaps we'll do something under the tower as well, some druid activity like dancing round the stones. Okay, perhaps not that last one, bt we could do the Eco-Christian equivalent whatever that is. Answers on a postcard.

Of course, all this depends on whether I get a sermon written tonight... unless anyone has one already prepared I they would like to do themselves...

Earth Hour

I think we'll be taking part in Earth Hour at the end of March. An hour of darkness across the whole globe sending a powerful (or powerless!) signal to leaders about climate change. I bet there will be people out there who will see the gimmick before the message but it is a pretty big moment if we can darken the hour for 60 minutes as a simple sign and strength of feeling.

    

So I hope to organise a vigil on the Saturday night for everyone. I haven't a clue what to do during that hour. Name all the things you'd like to do in the dark! We might be able to do some of them. I'm looking for ideas so please send them to this blog and we'll get some stuff going.

If anyone would like to be part of a wee team involved in organising the vigil and throwing around ideas then let me know. We'll turn the tower off, and possibly have a few more buildings in Clydebank in the dark for the hour. We might need a wee bit of canvasing for that. Anyone prepared...?

So candles at the ready or glowsticks or kinetic battery torches. We're going to have fun and we've going to do something with a billion others round the globe on the 28th.

In the dark we can... crush it... listen to it... hold it... be held by it... speak into it...