The Skein - April 2008

EVEolution
(WAAM women’s group)

EVEolution recently held an evening to learn more about the Lydia Project. Patsy Pitkeathly, from the project, spoke passionately about the work of the project and the impact that it has had on women in 16 Central and east European countries.

Inspiration & Mission

Lydia focuses on women from old regimes who have the courage, imagination and determination to work in projects to help desperately needy people excluded by drastic changes in economic and social structures.  Lydia brings such women together for mutual empowerment, support and training in order to address social needs with confidence and know-how.

New Joint Projects

Currently, Lydia is being supported by the Church of Scotland Guild through five new joint projects.  These projects are:-

Children on the Edge

An ‘education fund’ offering a future to forgotten and excluded children:-

Russian, Ukranian, Latvian orphans and poor Romanian gypsies.

Never too late to learn

New programmes and activities for the elderly staring in Armenia and Romania where pensioners try to live on between £3 and £40 per month.

Qualifying for Effectiveness

In the past, volunteers were not a Soviet tradition – in fact – they were forbidden.  Albanians, Lithuanians, Russians, Polish, Ukranian and Serbian partners plan to change stereotypes and train through creative methods.

Summer school for street children

Funds will pay travel and food for Georgian street children in the first pilot project educational summer camp at the Black Sea.

Child Exploitation & trafficking in human beings

This is a project which works to prevent children being abused by training trainers to work with police, churches, teachers and professionals to alert them to traffickers and endangered children, exploited at ever-younger ages.

As Patsy spoke about the work that has been done and the hopes for the future we couldn’t help but be inspired too.  If you would like further information or would like to contribute to the project in any way, please contact Fiona Williams Hulbert, Lydia Project Co-ordinatior, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1BB or phone 0131 623 8946 or email lydiaproject@fish.co.uk.

Linda Stevens
Team minister

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Hobbies Exhibition

GKOPC are planning a Hobby Exhibition in September and we would like to invite people from the wider WAAM area to take part.  It will run from  26^th to 28^th September and we hope it will cover every kind of hobby from art & craft to gardening, photography, genealogy and anything else people are willing to display or talk about.  So, if you have a hobby you would be willing to exhibit or just talk to people about or demonstrate, please contact Anne Pole in the GKOPC office.

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Baptism

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Team Work   <>        Skein       <>    WAAM

1. The Rev Mrs Linda Stevens is our West Angus Area Minister.
2. Linda and the Rev Mr Malcolm Rooney have baptized children in the Isla Parishes.
3. Linda conducts the New Communicants Classes in WAAM.
4. Linda is also developing EVE-olution for the ladies in WAAM.
5. Linda has also held a Bereavement service for WAAM last November and a group of people have formed a Loss Group (a bereavement group).
6. WAAM produces a newsletter; hold Family Services, focused on young families and children as well as Multi-media Services and has an annual Family Picnic.
7. There is also a WAAM Quest Club, which meets in Kirriemuir on Thursday afternoon between 4 & 5pm.
8. There is elder training available to the elders of WAAM. The training is held every 2^nd Tuesday of the month at the Kirk Session meeting of the GKOPC in Kirriemuir.
9. The SKEIN Trust has been formed to subsidize the work of WAAM.
10. The facilities of the GKOPC office in Kirriemuir have been made available to the WAAM congregations. The personnel will be paid by the Skein Trust.
11. One of the ways we have raised funds was the sponsored walk by the ministers of WAAM.
12. Through the Skein Trust there is now pastoral support for all the WAAM congregations.
13. Our pastoral visitor is Mrs Christine Rooney.
14. WAAM also provides Bible study for the congregations.
15. During the past year the Kerygma Bible study was introduced and well supported.
16. The Kerygma course will restart soon.
17. The WAAM offer mutual cover for each other.
18. The ministers of the West Angus Area meet weekly to discuss the work in the congregations and build relationships.
19. WAAM wishes to build relationships between the Office-bearers and members of the congregations.
20. To that end we have elders representing each congregation on the Session of the other congregations.
21. The Grouping of Eassie & Nevay l/w Newtyle with the Isla Parishes and GKOPC, has greatly benefited all, especially the smaller congregations.

                                                              Ben

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THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND : RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE

 Why is the Church of Scotland Interested in Climate Change?
The Church of Scotland is concerned that climate change poses a serious and immediate threat to people everywhere, particularly to the poor of the earth; and that climate change represents a failure in our stewardship of God’s creation.  We accept the need to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases urgently to avoid dangerous and irreversible climate change; and to promote a more equitable and sustainable use of energy.

What are the Causes of Climate Change?
Climate change has occurred many times in geological history, including both ice ages and extremes of heat.  The changes we are witnessing now are different because they can be linked unequivocally to human activities and in particular to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.    All such hydrocarbon fuels emit carbon dioxide when burnt and, over the past century this has resulted in billions of tons of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. 

 In consequence the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen from under 300 parts per million (ppm) 100 years ago to over 380 ppm today.  It is rising by 1 or 2 ppm each year and is almost certain to rise to over 400 ppm in coming decades.  Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere enhances the atmosphere’s greenhouse effect and will lead to rising atmospheric temperatures.

 In Scotland we have seen the effects of this in recent years.  We’ve had milder winters and warmer summers.  In the past couple of years, September 2006 and April 2007 were exceptionally warm; and 2006 was the warmest year on record in Scotland.

What are the Consequences?
The report to the UN Conference on Climate Change held in Bali in 2007 predicts:

The human consequences of this could be appalling.  Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh in November 2007 killing thousands and Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in August 2005.  Heat waves of the kind experienced in Europe in 2003 could become much more regular.  Scotland could experience heavier winter rainfall and many coastal areas will be put at risk by rising sea levels.  In Africa up to 250 million people may experience water shortages and agricultural production could be severely affected.  In Asia the large and heavily populated river deltas, for example in Bangladesh and Vietnam will be at increased risk of flooding.

 What are Governments doing?
Governments across the world have identified climate change as a major challenge. The United Nations and World Meteorological Organisation established the Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change in 1988 to review research on climate change and assess its implications.  The IPCC has published four assessments and the data that they contain formed the basis for the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Bali in December 2007. 

 The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement requiring the signatories to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in their countries.  The UK agreed to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 12.5% by 2012.  But the agreement has only been partly effective and has attracted a lot of media coverage because of the refusal of the US Government to ratify and implement it.

The Scottish Climate Change Bill
The Scottish Government is taking a lead by developing a Climate Change Bill for the Scottish Parliament.  The Bill includes proposals to:

Consultation on the proposals is already taking place and the bill will be submitted to the Scottish Parliament later in 2008.  The 80 % reduction is enormously ambitious and will not be achieved without considerable change in the Scottish economy, in transport, industry, and energy generation.  Achieving the target will not be easy and will require difficult choices not only for government but for everyone living in Scotland.

What is the Kirk doing?
The General Assembly debated climate change in May 2007.  The report Energy for A Changing Climate is available on the Church website: http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/councils/churchsociety/downloads/csgaenergy.doc

To take forward its commitment the church has established the project Responding To Climate Change.  The project will:

Ten Things You Can Do: The Ten CO2mandments!

Think about your life and your beliefs.  How do you look after creation and how do you love your neighbour? Is your way of life harming others and contributing to the problem.  Are you in a congregation? Then why not become an Eco-Congregation? Further details are at: http://www.ecocongregation.org/scotland/

Be aware .  There’s no excuse for ignorance.  The web is full of information on climate change and scarcely a day goes by without a TV or newspaper story on climate change.  For a start, try the BBC climate change website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/

Get involved. There are groups across Scotland responding to climate change.  Stop Climate Chaos Scotland is an umbrella for groups taking action to promote awareness and pressing for change: http://www.stopclimatechaosscotland.org/index.php.

Cut your fuel bills. Quite simply use less gas, electricity or oil.  Read your electricity and gas meters regularly.   Try using an online calculator to help you monitor consumption. Check the website http://www.carboncalculator.com/

 Make your house a model of efficiency.  Are you insulated?   Contact the Energy Saving Trust for more information on how to warm up your home. http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/

 Don’t shop till you drop.   Consumer madness helps no one. Try to buy only what you need and no more.  Do you shop locally? Find out about farmers markets at: http://www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk/ and Fairtrade at http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

 Do you have to fly?  Getting away to the sun is nice but flying is a growing source of greenhouse gases.  You can offset your carbon emissions but it’s a poor substitute for polluting in the first place.  See the Church of Scotland website for more details about carbon offsetting: http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/councils/churchsociety/cssrtp.htm#cc.htm

Support renewable energy.  Wind turbines, wave and water power help reduce our dependence on coal burning power stations.  And in many places in Scotland a wood burning stove is a good option too. http://www.therenewableenergycentre.co.uk/

 Walk, cycle or hop on a bus.  If you can’t cut cars out of your life at least count the miles, and please, don’t drive a gas guzzler!  The Sustrans website can help find a cycle route near you http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp

 Finally, have fun!  Cutting the carbon out of your life does not mean being miserable.  It could just open the door to a healthier and happier life! 

 For more information about the project ‘Responding to Climate Change’ see http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/councils/churchsociety/cssrtp.htm