PROGRAMME

ACT Now! for a Better World 2024

The 'ACT Now! for a Better World' day runs from 9.30 until 14:30. Everyone will be able to watch the keynote talk at 10.15 and attend two workshops followed by lunch. We are offering a variety of workshops and you will be required to sign up to the workshop of your choice from 9.30am on the day. Please note that due to space requirements, some workshops may get booked up quickly. If you wish to find out more about the workshops on offer, please scroll down.

Accompanied children and young people are very welcome to join us at ACT Now! for a Better World - please see what's on offer for them below.

From 9:30: Arrival/refreshments and workshop sign up (Acomb Methodist Church, Room 4 - Hall)

Please arrive in good time to sign up to the workshops of your choice.

10:00: Conference welcome and practical information for the day (Acomb Methodist Church Sanctuary, with livestream to Room 4 for young families)

10:15-10:45: Keynote talk - Collective Actions for a Better World by Prof Colin Beale (Acomb Methodist Church Sanctuary, with livestream to Room 4 for young families)

Colin Beale will lead the keynote talk, focussing on how individuals, working collectively at local and national scales can make meaningful changes for a brighter, greener future. He will cover the overwhelming realities faced by individuals, and how collective action not only helps sustain individuals in the face of negativity, but how together we can mean real, tangible improvements to the big picture of environmental change. He will explain how collective action through the Church in particular offers a unique pathway to a greener future.

11:00-11:45: Workshop Session 1 (Acomb Methodist Church)

Choose from:

Workshop 1A in Worship Space - Praying with Creation - Jan Nobel

Workshop 1B in Room 4 - Sparking Ideas: How do we Build an Energy System Fit for a Fair Transition? - York Community Energy

Workshop 1C in Room 5 - Ask a Scientist: Climate and Nature Questions - Abi Perrin

Workshop 1D in Garden Studio - Ideas to Improve Garden Habitats and Environmental Connectivity for Nature - Julie Mackenzie

Workshop 1E in Room 3 - Children and Youth Stream

See below for workshop details

12:00-12:45: Workshop Session 2 (Acomb Methodist Church)

Choose from:

Workshop 2A in Worship Space - Influencing your Community in a Time of Planetary Crisis - Graham Wroe

Workshop 2B in Room 4 - What can my Church do? - Tim O'Brien

Workshop 2C in Garden Studio - Is Going Vegan a Solution to the Climate Crisis? - SF Innovations

Workshop 2D in Room 5 - Making a Plan for Connecting Acomb's Green Spaces - Beki Hagger

Workshop 2E in the Garden - Intergenerational Forest Church - Becky Jarratt

See below for workshop details

13:00-13:45: Lunch - choice of two vegan soups and a roll (Acomb Parish Church Hall)

Please let us know in advance if you have any special dietary needs and if you have any access requirements moving from Acomb Methodist Church to Acomb Parish Church Hall.

13:45-14:00: Plenary and Closing Session (Acomb Parish Church Hall)

14:00- 14:30: Networking - refreshments available (Acomb Parish Church Hall

You will be able to choose from the following five workshops for Session 1 - 11:00-11:45:

WORKSHOP 1A

PRAYING WITH CREATION

JAN NOBEL

In this workshop, Jan will ask how we can align and join our prayers with the praises sung by all creation. Are there spiritual practises which we could adopt to 'earth' our individual prayer and worship?

WORKSHOP 1B

SPARKING IDEAS: HOW DO WE BUILD AN ENERGY SYSTEM FIT FOR A FAIR TRANSITION? 

YORK COMMUNITY ENERGY

The energy system is rapidly evolving as it moves from big fossil fuel stations to scattered renewables. But is it managing this in a way that is fair to all users? And what can we, as citizens, do to improve the journey? This workshop will briefly look at the history and present of the grid, before discussing together its possible future.

WORKSHOP 1C

ASK A SCIENTIST: CLIMATE AND NATURE QUESTIONS

ABI PERRIN

This workshop will take the form of a short interactive quiz, after which there will be time for discussion about the science of the climate & nature crisis and what we can do about it.

WORKSHOP 1D

IDEAS TO IMPROVE GARDEN HABITATS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONNECTIVITY FOR NATURE

JULIE MACKENZIE

Julie will lead a guided conversation, workshopping practical ideas for supporting garden biodiversity and local connectivity of the natural environment. She will cover our own gardens as ecosystems; different factors that support biodiversity; the urban garden/environmental connection from the perspective of nature and where to go to get ideas, support and information.

WORKSHOP 1E

CHILDREN AND YOUTH STREAM

LYDIA HARRISON

In this dedicated children's workshop, children aged 5 - 13 can be left with our trained and DBS checked Children's workers. Here they will access a variety of Messy Church Eco activities and Prayer Stations that explore Creation and caring for God's Earth. Children can attend this workshop without their parents, allowing adults to fully engage in a workshop of their choosing.

You will be able to choose from the following five workshops for Session 2 - 12:00-12:45:

WORKSHOP 2A

INFLUENCING YOUR COMMUNITY IN A TIME OF PLANETARY CRISIS

GRAHAM WROE

In this workshop, Graham will talk about some of the campaigns he has been involved in and reflect on what he has learnt from them. These include the campaign to shut down Sheffield's incinerator, the campaign to save Sheffield's street trees, the campaign to make Sheffield newspapers tell the truth about Climate Change and the Campaign to make Sheffield City Council act on the Climate and Nature emergencies. How could we apply this to make systemic change to our communities?

WORKSHOP 2B

WHAT CAN MY CHURCH DO?

TIM O'BRIEN

We can act now as individuals, but what can we do as a community, specifically a faith community? In this workshop Tim will highlight three practical steps you could take that could make a real difference to the environmental sustainability of your church and have a positive impact on the wider community it serves. For each of these steps, he will try and provide some guidance for how you might get started and some of the pitfalls you might encounter along the way.

WORKSHOP 2C

IS GOING VEGAN A SOLUTION TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS?

JANE AND SEGGY SEGARAN

Only 1% of the global population is vegan, while in the UK it is 4%. Are (mainly young) people correct in moving to a vegan diet to reduce their impact on the environment? Are the days of mass produced meat numbered? Paradoxically, can moving to a vegan diet result in cheaper gas? What is a 'mechanical cow'? Join Seggy & Jane for this interesting and thought provoking workshop.

WORKSHOP 2D

MAKING A PLAN FOR CONNECTING ACOMB'S GREEN SPACES

BEKI HAGGER

Help us formulate a plan to connect Acomb's green spaces for the benefit of communities and wildlife. Green corridors are not always continuous connected pieces of land, especially in urban areas where they are often fragmented. Where spaces are not connected, they can still provide important stepping stones for wildlife to move within an urban area. People are becoming increasingly aware of the need to improve and restore habitat for wildlife, not only for nature well-being but for our own well-being.  This plan will improve opportunities for wildlife while restoring our connection and awareness of the nature on our doorstep.

WORKSHOP 2E

INTERGENERATIONAL FOREST CHURCH SESSION

BECKY JARRATT

In this family-friendly session, we are using the outside space at Acomb Methodist Church to provide a hands-on experience to participate with creation. We aim to learn, worship, meditate and pray in nature.

Photos by Aaron Burden, Anna Pelzer, Kinn Living, Shelby Miller, Mauro Mora, CDC, Piotr Laskawski, Sandie Clarke, Chris LeBoutillier and Pierre Jarry on Unsplash