Friday 29 March 2013

Good Friday Passion Play Settle 2013

Settle Passion Play 2013. - photos by Judith Allinson

See also  pictures from 2013 (this page), - 2012 - 2011 -  2009 and videos from 2013 (at foot of his page)

On the way to the Garden of Gethsemane (Pen y Ghent in background)

Further on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane
Judas (in brown) lurks at Settle Cricket Club
 (Pen y Ghent in background)

Jesus has now been arrested, and is being taken to trial

Jesus has now been arrested, and is being taken to trial -
(On Kirkgate, Settle -they have just walked under the Settle Carlisle Line)

Almost at the trial

Peter (in green) is asked if he knows Jesus.

Jesus is sentenced to death and has to carry his cross

Crucifixion scene - in the field opposite Settle Parish Church. In the foreground are disciple John and  Mary  mother of Jesus


Thanks especially due to -- the sound man




and the producer







See Article in Craven Herald 2013

See also  pictures from  2012 - 2011 -  2009 

Friday 22 March 2013

Can Yorkshire Methodists be Green?



On Sunday the President of the Methodist Conference (2012/13), Rev Mark Wakelin, will be coming to preach in Burton-in-Lonsdale Methodist church near where I live. (That is if snow does not interrupt things..)   I have written him (a version of) this letter:-


Dear Rev Wakelin

I am looking forward to your visit to Burton-in-Lonsdale Methodist Church on Sunday morning, 24 March.

I would like to tell you about some green activities in this part of Yorkshire (and Lancs).

People will be coming from around the Settle Methodist Circuit. 

Including one bus from St ­John’s Methodist Church, Settle, 12 miles to the east where I am a member. Burton-in-Lonsdale must be North Yorkshire's most westerly Methodist Church. – It is only  13 miles as the crow flies to the sea at Morecambe Bay.

I am very concerned about green issues. I am a botanist and teacher.  I would like to use this letter to tell you about:-
a) Green initiatives and issues in this part of the world
b) Green projects I am involved with through Christian Ecology Link

I hope we can all share more in Caring for God’s Creation.

First, though, I would like to say how much our  house group at St John's, Settle, has been enjoying using your project Step Forward  which we started in January, and look forward to continuing after Easter..

***************************************************************************

a) Green initiatives and issues in this part of the world  

A1. Christian Ecology Link’s Conference at Leeds last Saturday
A2. Faith & Environment Events at Lancaster Methodist Church on 19-22 April
A3. Eco-House in Burton in Lonsdale
A4. Green Events at St John’s Methodist Church Settle
A5. Farming

b) Green projects I am involved with through Christian Ecology Link

B1. CEL Rainforest Fund Project – 100 churches.
B2. ECEN Church Wildlife Survey
B3. CEL’s website and What’s-on Page

***************************************************************************


a) Green initiatives & issues in this part of the world  

A1. Christian Ecology Link’s Conference at Leeds on Sat 16 March.

Leeds is 55 miles from Burton in Lonsdale. – but Leeds is the biggest city in Yorkshire

70 people attended, including several Methodists, and we had some excellent workshops
http://rainforest-save.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/christian-ecology-link-conference-leeds.html

Whilst there I met a Methodist from Scotforth Methodist Church, Lancaster, Gordon Blair. He is organising a weekend "Faith and the Environment" at Scotforth Methodist Church. on 19-22 April:  which leads us to:-

***************************************************************************

A2. Faith & Environment Events at Lancaster Methodist Church on 19-22 April


Scotforth Methodist Church, Lancaster is only 16 miles from Burton in Lonsdale so may be of more interest to people in Burton. http://faithandenvironment.info/
It would be great if we could publicise that to the people who come to the service at Burton on Sunday. They have some very good speakers on the Saturday

***************************************************************************

A3. Eco-House in Burton in Lonsdale

I have some (Anglican) friends who have a very "green" house in Burton in Lonsdale. He is an engineer so interested in technical things. (with lots of meters so he can read and record the heat he is saving etc) They have a turf roof, a straw bale extra room, air cycling/heat exchange in the house; much of the house was renovated using recycled wood

***************************************************************************


A4. Green Events at St John’s Methodist Church Settle

Over the last 15 years we have had several green events at St John’s including
1) Several Wildflower Walks:,
2) A Day of Prayer about Climate Change (2009);
3) In 2001 Settle Circuit Hymn Festival had the theme “Christianity and the Environment”, and I have produced a draft book “Environment Praise” using these hymns and put several of them on CEL’s website;
4) We have had several coffee mornings to raise money for “The Rainforest Fund;
5) We have a display of CEL leaflets in the Church Foyer, and I sometimes put up displays on a board in the church hall.
6) On 2 March 2013 we had a “Fair Trade Fortnight Fun Night" in the church hall and the £110 raised was put to the Rainforest Fund”

(During this period of time the world population has increased by almost a quarter (by 1.3 billion) The population of  Yorkshire has increased by over 10%; On average about 5 native plant species will have disappeared from individual UK county wildlife lists)



A5. Farming

I haven’t mentioned anything much about farming here. The farmers need our prayers – the average age of farmers (now 59) is increasing and they often have to work alone.

This amazing website I found just now show 13 different graphs showing the crisis in British Farming

The winning hymn in the local category in the Settle Methodist Hymn competition in 2001 was about farming, by Mary Whitfield of Low Gill. http://www.greenchristian.org.uk/archives/5147

I used to have a "Wayside Pulpit" poster once which said "Farmers are Stewards of God's Creation"



***************************************************************************


b) Green projects with Christian Ecology Link

B1. CEL Rainforest Fund Project – 100 churches.

What is this Rainforest Fund I keep talking about?

As the population increases and as our demands for a higher lifestyle increase, habitats for wild animals and plants are being lost.
It is important to save what we have now for future generations.  (Inter-generational justice it can be called)
Most of us want to leave the world a better place. But haven’t you read about the pressure on whales, orang-utans, black rhino, fish?   . If we can save some wild habitat for future generations no then it will be worth it.

So at St John’s we have had “The Rainforest Fund” since 2008 and chose three charities to support – two secular charities which can “buy an acre of wildlife habitat” for £100; and the third, a Christian charity: A Rocha Ghana, which works with environmental education and with villages next to the Mole National Park Nature Reserve with sustainable projects such as bee keeping.

In 2012 CEL made this project into the “CEL 100 churches project” – We are hoping to get 100 different churches to raise (at least) £100 for the Rainforest Fund Project.

So far 12 churches have contributed – but this includes 3 repeats and Settle Spinning club – so maybe I should say so far 8 churches have contributed.  This includes one other Methodist Church (Clun) and 2 URC churches, and one Methodist Church which helped an Anglican Church

If you know of any churches that might like to take part, please do tell them. www.greenchristian.org.uk/100churches


***************************************************************************

B2: ECEN Churchyard wildlife questionnaire/ survey:  UK launch

In August 2012 I attended the European Christian Environment Network Assembly in Holland. There were 98 people from 22 different countries. I was in the Biodiversity Group. We wrote a simple questionnaire for church congregations/groups to carry out in their church.  Now we are encouraging British churches to take part: http://www.greenchristian.org.uk/archives/4999 Do have a go. They are simple questions, fun for anyone to answer,  and encourage awareness and discussion.

***************************************************************************
At the CEL Conference at Leeds last week one person had waxed lyrical about his efforts to campaign to keep open the Settle Carlisle Railway Line. I realised that it was due to campaigners like him that the line had been kept open: Without the line my wheelchair using friend and I, and also two people from Appleby would not have been able to get to the conference.

By chance you see my friend and I on Settle platform the following day me in yellow waistcoat, along with another member from St John's Church) - Enjoy!


and again in Settle Square http://youtu.be/8SmVBZs0rrM

Well, that's what we're up to in this part of Yorkshire.

And in the UK?  Here's a link from July to the question

What are UK Methodists Doing to be Greener? (July 2012)

Finally - And I've found this out since I started writing this letter - 
 both the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury mentioned protecting the environment in their inaugural sermons  !!!!! 

Looking forward to meeting you on Sunday.

Thursday 21 March 2013

Letter to President of Methodist Conference


On Sunday the President of the Methodist Conference (2012/13), Rev Mark Wakelin, will be coming to preach in Burton-in-Lonsdale Methodist church near where I live. (That is if snow does not interrupt things..)   I have written him (a version of) this letter:-


Dear Rev Wakelin

I am looking forward to your visit to Burton-in-Lonsdale Methodist Church on Sunday morning, 24 March.

People will be coming from around the Settle Methodist Circuit.  including one bus from St ­John’s Methodist Church, Settle, 12 miles to the east where I am a member. (Burton-in-Lonsdale must be North Yorkshire's most westerly Methodist Church. – It is only  13 miles as the crow flies to the sea at Morecambe Bay.

I am very concerned about green issues. I would like to use this letter to tell you about
a) Green initiatives and issues in this part of the world
b) Green projects I am involved with through Christian Ecology Link

I hope we can all share more in Caring for God’s Creation.

First, though, I would like to say how much our  house group at St John's, Settle, has been enjoying using your project Step Forward  which we started in January, and look forward to continuing after Easter..

***************************************************************************

a) Green initiatives and issues in this part of the world  

A1. Christian Ecology Link’s Conference at Leeds last Saturday
A2. Faith & Environment Events at Lancaster Methodist Church on 19-22 April
A3. Eco-House in Burton in Lonsdale
A4. Green Events at St John’s Methodist Church Settle
A5. Farming

b) Green projects I am involved with through Christian Ecology Link

B1. CEL Rainforest Fund Project – 100 churches.
B2. ECEN Church Wildlife Survey
B3. CEL’s website and What’s-on Page

***************************************************************************


a) Green initiatives & issues in this part of the world  

A1. Christian Ecology Link’s Conference at Leeds on Sat 16 March.

Leeds is 55 miles from Burton in Lonsdale. – but Leeds is the biggest city in Yorkshire

70 people attended, including several Methodists, and we had some excellent workshops
http://rainforest-save.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/christian-ecology-link-conference-leeds.html

Whilst there I met a Methodist from Scotforth Methodist Church, Lancaster, Gordon Blair. He is organising a weekend "Faith and the Environment" at Scotforth Methodist Church. on 19-22 April:  which leads us to:-

***************************************************************************

A2. Faith & Environment Events at Lancaster Methodist Church on 19-22 April


Scotforth Methodist Church, Lancaster is only 16 miles from Burton in Lonsdale so may be of more interest to people in Burton. http://faithandenvironment.info/
It would be great if we could publicise that to the people who come to the service at Burton on Sunday. They have some very good speakers on the Saturday

***************************************************************************

A3. Eco-House in Burton in Lonsdale

I have some (Anglican) friends who have a very "green" house in Burton in Lonsdale. He is an engineer so interested in technical things. (with lots of meters so he can read and record the heat he is saving etc) They have a turf roof, a straw bale extra room, air cycling/heat exchange in the house; much of the house was renovated using recycled wood

***************************************************************************


A4. Green Events at St John’s Methodist Church Settle

Over the last 15 years we have had several green events at St John’s including
1) Several Wildflower Walks:,
2) A Day of Prayer about Climate Change (2009);
3) In 2001 Settle Circuit Hymn Festival had the theme “Christianity and the Environment”, and I have produced a draft book “Environment Praise” using these hymns and put several of them on CEL’s website;
4) We have had several coffee mornings to raise money for “The Rainforest Fund;
5) We have a display of CEL leaflets in the Church Foyer, and I sometimes put up displays on a board in the church hall.
6) On 2 March 2013 we had a “Fair Trade Fortnight Fun Night" in the church hall and the £110 raised was put to the Rainforest Fund”

(During this period of time the world population has increased by almost a quarter (by 1.3 billion) The population of  Yorkshire has increased by over 10%; On average about 5 native plant species will have disappeared from individual UK county wildlife lists)



A5. Farming

I haven’t mentioned anything much about farming here. The farmers need our prayers – the average age of farmers (now 59) is increasing and they often have to work alone.

This amazing website I found just now show 13 different graphs showing the crisis in British Farming

The winning hymn in the local category in the Settle Methodist Hymn competition in 2001 was about farming, by Mary Whitfield of Low Gill. http://www.greenchristian.org.uk/archives/5147

I used to have a "Wayside Pulpit" poster once which said "Farmers are Stewards of God's Creation"



***************************************************************************


b) Green projects with Christian Ecology Link

B1. CEL Rainforest Fund Project – 100 churches.

What is this Rainforest Fund I keep talking about?

As the population increases and as our demands for a higher lifestyle increase, habitats for wild animals and plants are being lost.
It is important to save what we have now for future generations.  (Inter-generational justice it can be called)
Most of us want to leave the world a better place. But haven’t you read about the pressure on whales, orang-utans, black rhino, fish?   . If we can save some wild habitat for future generations no then it will be worth it.

So at St John’s we have had “The Rainforest Fund” since 2008 and chose three charities to support – two secular charities which can “buy an acre of wildlife habitat” for £100; and the third, a Christian charity: A Rocha Ghana, which works with environmental education and with villages next to the Mole National Park Nature Reserve with sustainable projects such as bee keeping.

In 2012 CEL made this project into the “CEL 100 churches project” – We are hoping to get 100 different churches to raise (at least) £100 for the Rainforest Fund Project.

So far 12 churches have contributed – but this includes 3 repeats and Settle Spinning club – so maybe I should say so far 8 churches have contributed.  This includes one other Methodist Church (Clun) and 2 URC churches, and one Methodist Church which helped an Anglican Church

If you know of any churches that might like to take part, please do tell them. www.greenchristian.org.uk/100churches


***************************************************************************

B2: ECEN Churchyard wildlife questionnaire/ survey:  UK launch

In August 2012 I attended the European Christian Environment Network Assembly in Holland. There were 98 people from 22 different countries. I was in the Biodiversity Group. We wrote a simple questionnaire for church congregations/groups to carry out in their church.  Now we are encouraging British churches to take part: http://www.greenchristian.org.uk/archives/4999 Do have a go. They are simple questions, fun for anyone to answer,  and encourage awareness and discussion.

***************************************************************************

To lighten things up - you can see three people from our church on the right hand of this Youtube video filmed on Sunday 17 March
(me in yellow waistcoat)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=f3kiMl2OeN0

and again http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=8SmVBZs0rrM&feature=endscreen

Well, that's what we're up to in this part of Yorkshire.

And in the UK?  Here's a link from July to the question

What are UK Methodists Doing to be Greener? (July 2012)

Finally - And I've found this out since I started writing this letter -

I note both the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury mentioned protecting the environment in their inaugural sermons.

Looking forward to meeting you on Sunday.


Monday 18 March 2013

Christian Ecology Link Conference Leeds 16 March 2013

Christian Ecology Link held their annual conference in Leeds this year on 16 March. It meant that Althea and I were able to travel there by train, on the Settle Carlisle Line starting at 7.30am from Settle Station.

Paul Bodenham, the Chairman of CEL,
 introduces the day.

Philip Roderick demonstrates the hangdrum


He tells us about body prayer He leads a workshop on nourishing our Christian environmental witness in prayer, contemplation and intercession. Philip is percussionist, educator and Anglican priest. He is Founder-Director of The Quiet Garden Movement (www.quietgarden.org), Community Leader of Contemplative Fire (www.contemplativefire.org) and Adviser in Spirituality to the Bishop of Sheffield (http://www.whirlowgrange.co.uk/spirituality-centre)

The long lunch hour give opportunity for networking (and lunch).. and ..


And looking at material on display



It's an opportunity to promote other events
such as the Faith and the Environment Weekend
at Lancaster Methodist Church 19-22 April -
a Weekend of Discussion, Action and Reflection
leading up to Earth Day

or chat


or have a go playing the hang drum



After lunch there is half an hour of Open forum - People can raise issues or publicise events.


One participant holds up a little thermometer that shows temperature -
and indicates that the temperature of our room
 is much higher than necessary.  (A CEL miniprojct)
Fortunately the chairman is able to point out that the radiators
were actually switched off in the morning - it is the heat produced
by the 70 plus participants (7KW) that is now heating the room..



In the afternoon there are six workshops running simultaneously, then repeated after the tea break

Bill Cross talks about the many problems facing farmers. This slide illustrates just some of the many organisations that send representatives, often unannounced to inspect the farms, or which request the farmers to fill in forms online .. when they may even live in a place where there is no internet connection.
He explained what all these different organisations are
(which in itself was educational to the audience)
The major form of accident and death is to older farmers working alone.

He explained the high animal welfare and environment standards we have in the UK....

But that every hour vast amounts of farm produce is
imported illegally  from abroad where there are lower standards
making it cheaper for meat to be produced abroad

Here a group led by Lindsey Pearson of 
Christian Aid discusses development 
and environment issues


Chris Walton led the service at the end of the day.
Chris is raising money for Ringsfield Hall Christian Eco-Centre
(where CEL holds its autumn retreats). He will be running the London Marathon to raise money for this centre. Would you like to sponsor him?








Monday 4 March 2013

Fair Trade Fortnight Event at Settle






I'll write this as a letter (to a friend in London who does a lot during Fair Trade Fortnight)

Dear Poppy,

Thank you for suggesting we have a "Mad Hatters Hat" competition at our Fair Trade Fortnight Fun-night. That part went really well. (Well it all went well. )

I knew it would be a good idea to get people involved beforehand by collecting old colourful wrappers from Fairtrade items.But standing back, watching the grown-ups and young teenagers/children absorbed in what they were doing and seeing the creativity it produced was an unexpected delight.

Before describing more of the evening I need to say thank you to our two saints.. 

To Elizabeth Towers and to Mary Hewitson. 
They like me had spent time this morning preparing the vegetable stew and the beef stroganof.
And they came early with me at 4pm to set things up...

But then during the evening (whilst I was organising or playing games, or sitting eating.. they spent most of the time in the kitchen, cooking the rice and quinoa, heating the food, slicing up the cakes, making the tea.. and then afterwards washing up. Though I did notice Derek washing up too!)

Thank you. Thank you!


My hard work sending out emails and putting up posters, and other people's work inviting people paid off, as eventually we had 35 people. (I wish we had twice as many it was such a good evening) - and they came from a variety of backgrounds.
THANK YOU EVERY ONE for coming - Your presence was almost as important as the cooks!

So what did we do?

We played "Tell Me" - a simple quiz game. Stephen Normanton was quizmaster. (The winner was sent off to choose a fair trade present in the room next door)

We had a "game"- "Sit next to someone new, find out what they are called and then introduce them to everyone else."- The "buzz" when people start asking their neighbours questions is tangible.. and I find it SO useful to me to hear names of people whose names I don't know or have forgotton...

Then Rachel Avison Fell who had brought a display of fairtrade  and also locally made crafts that she sells at her new shop on Settle Market Place Dales Angels, assisted by Vicky Black and Hatty.

We made the hats.

We looked at the display of goods in the adjacent room:  supplied by Growing with Grace, Wholesome Bee, Booths, the Coop and Tradecraft (at the Friends Meeting House).. and sampled the chocolate.

The Hats made from Fair Trade wrappers







Showing the goods from Dales Angels -1

Showing the goods from Dales Angels -2

Sampling goods from Tradecraft

Cutting the cakes
 After the meal, and before we listened to FR Tony Boyaln's talk, I mentioned three points:

  1.  The Differences and similarities between Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance Accredited goods
  2.  The availability of the SHARED INTEREST Scheme - You can put some of your savings in a place where people who need Fairtrade type loans to help them with their businesses can borrow it: www.shared-interest.com  -Shared Interest may as well be doing something good with your money (as compared with some of the banks who may be investing it in things you would rather not be investing in)
  3.  For many people, the (Fare trade) quinoa which we had served as an alternative to rice was a new dish. I hope they enjoyed tasting it. (Quite a few people just did not want to try.... )

After the meal Father Tony Boylan talked about Trade Justice.Some of our unfair trade rules (imposed by the rich powerful countries) are making poor countries even poorer, and explained the terms tariff and subsidies
Tariff: e.g. a country prevents a crop (say) rice from being imported into the country by putting a 500% tax on any rice imported. (So a poor country cannot export the crop)
Subsidy: A country gives its farmers grants/subsidies for producing a crop. The farmer rows lots of extra crop to get the subsidy. Then there is too much so it is exported to third country at a very low (loss making price - but that doesn't matter because the farmer has made his profit by claiming the subsidy). The third country's farmers cannot grow their crop so cheaply so they stop growing it.


He had a draft letter which he showed us - , to send to

The G8 countries will be meeting in Ireland in July - but if we wish to encourage our leaders to do useful things, then NOW is the time we should be writing letters (not July) .
Changing the Trade rules will have a bigger effect than buying a few extra bars of chocolate.

I do hope some of us will do this. (write the letter I mean)
He reminded us of the meeting on Trade Justice in autumn 2012 when our MP Julian Smith came






We passed a plate round and received £129. After expenses for food (though much was donated) , and buying a few extra Fair Trade products that will leave us £110 - to donate to the Rainforest Fund. We will donate it to World Land Trust Project in Bolivia, where it can save an acre of Savanna 

Thank you to everyone!

Here is a link to the advert for this evening

Sunday 3 March 2013

Big Hairy Bikers at St John's Church Hall

A TV programme can mean many things to many people..

Age UK (formerly Age Concern) hold a lunch club every Friday  at St John's Church Hall, Settle. Several of my friends attend - and last year I was invited to give a talk to them on Hay Meadows.

Last autumn they were all amazed when "The Hairy Bikers" - stars of a cookery programme descended. They served the food. They had prepared a special meal as a treat for the Age UK Chef, Ruth O'Brian, and then they went off to serve her that..

The programme appeared on TV last Wednesday 27 Feb.

About 54 minutes through you see a view of the church hall with .. in the background -- the poster display I made of the loaf posters

Local Organic, Animal Friendly, Fairly Traded.


See the man in the background near the hatch and the notice board - well look below

There's the LOAF posters on TV!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01r0zkf/Hairy_Bikers_Everyday_Gourmets_Luxury_Lunches/

Watch the program 1 min in and 59 minutes in.

Well here's a photo I took earlier...
LOAF - Local - Organic - Animal friendly - Fairly traded Jan 2012