Faith and the environment The Diocese of Lincoln has a group that is actively engaged with environmental issues. We are looking at a range of ways to encourage greater awareness of the environment, and the spiritual aspects of this. Items regularly appear in our magazine, Crosslincs, and we are working towards an environmental policy for the diocese. If you would like to know more, please contact Richard Steel, Mission Team Leader, by email or by calling 01522 50 40 30. The group also currently supports an ecumenical group that runs a conference each year. The next conference will be held on Saturday, 12th May 2018 at St Giles’ Church in Lincoln (Lamb Gardens, Lincoln LN2 4EJ). Speakers are to include Prof. Edward Hanna FRMetS (Professor of Climate Science and Meteorology, School of Geography, College of Science, University of Lincoln), and a copy of the programme is available here. The conference website may be found here, and a link for tickets may be found here. USPG International Consultation – Fiji 2016 In July 2016, Bishop Christopher represented the Church of England at an international consultation in Fiji that involved members of the Anglican Communion. Hosted by USPG, a total of 19 Anglican provinces were represented and welcomed by the Most Revd Dr Winston Halapua, Bishop of Polynesia and Primate and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia. The Archbishop invited delegates to the Diocese of Polynesia because some 676 villages in Fiji were at risk of flooding due to a rise in sea levels. During the course of the consultation, delegates learned a great deal about the far-reaching and wide-ranging impact of climate change, and it is hoped that the Church will further help to raise awareness of this issue. Bishop Christopher shared a letter of greeting from the Archbishop of Canterbury with delegates and members of the congregation at a special service held in Holy Trinity Cathedral (Suva, Fiji), and speaking towards the end of the consultation, he said: “It’s taught me the connection between man, God and the environment. These are things that I knew with my head, but now I understand them more with my heart because of being in this context and meeting people from this part of the world. [I’m] understanding for the first time the real implications of climate change upon real people’s lives. “I’m clear that it’s something we have to address creatively and imaginatively. We’ve got to bend our backs to do something to meet our challenges. And I hope that people across the world within the Anglican Communion and the Diocese of Lincoln can work hard to plan and work to try to play our part in reducing global warming.” In addition to the subject of climate change, other mission priorities were shared and discussed by delegates, including the significant and global issue of safeguarding. Representatives of the Diocese of Polynesia offered a presentation on a zero-tolerance policy towards violence in homes, schools, communities and the church, and delegates affirmed their commitment to working to stand firm with the vulnerable and the marginalised. A series of short films featuring representatives from around the Anglican Communion were recorded in Fiji. These films feature Bishop Christopher and also: The Most Revd Dr Winston Halapua, Bishop of Polynesia and Primate and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia Professor Elisabeth A. Holland, Director of the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development The Most Revd and the Hon. Dr John Holder, Bishop of Barbados and Archbishop of the Province of the West Indies The Most Revd Ephraim Fajutagana, Iglesia Filipina Independiente The Rt Revd Derek Kamukwamba, Bishop of Central Zambia The Most Revd Philip Richardson, Bishop of Taranaki and Archbishop of the New Zealand Dioceses