23
Aug
2018
Divest your church this Season of Creation: 1 September to 4 October
As our scorching summer gradually fades into autumn, the Bright Now campaign is inviting local churches to support the movement for fossil free churches. Could you join us in this next stage of the campaign?
Following the Church of England’s divestment vote in July, now is a good time to start thinking about what we can do to make our Churches more eco-friendly and true leaders on climate change, both locally and nationally.
Operation Noah is therefore inviting local churches of all denominations to make divestment commitments during the Season of Creation (1 September – 4 October), ahead of a joint divestment announcement on 4 October. Your church could meet some of the Eco Church Award criteria in the process!
Photo credit: Ashden
How you can get involved
First of all, you will need to find out how your church finances are managed, usually by asking your minister or treasurer. You may need to put forward a proposal on divestment at a church governing body meeting, such as a PCC.
If your church has investments in fossil fuels, making a divestment commitment would involve selling any shares in fossil fuel companies within five years.
For churches without existing investments in fossil fuels, including those with only a bank account, your church can send a powerful signal about the need for national Churches to divest by making a pledge not to invest in fossil fuels in the future.
You could also speak with friends or family members in other churches encouraging them to support divestment too.
Useful resources for local churches
Our ‘how to’ guide for local churches, Divest your church, has lots of helpful information on how to divest, including FAQs and case studies of churches which have already divested, such as Brighthelm United Reformed Church in Brighton. Please do read this guide if you are thinking of asking your church to divest.
You could also look through our Fossil Free Churches report, which explores in more detail the ethical, financial and scientific reasons why churches should be urgently shifting investments out of the problem and into the solution.
As the former Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, has said:
‘People of conscience need to break their ties with corporations financing the injustice of climate change.’
Get in touch
Please do contact us if your local church would be interested in making a divestment commitment during the Season of Creation (or in the coming months). We would be very happy to hear from you and support you through the process.
Email richard.collettwhite@operationnoah.org to find out more and get started!
