My number 1 choice for Room 101 has always been street litter. I hate to see it & I know that many of you reading this feel the same! We all know how irritated we feel if our rubbish bins are not emptied in any particular week, but do we ever think about those countries where regular rubbish collection doesn’t happen at all? I remember my visit to NorthEast India in the 1990s when an eager church member drove us to see one of the area’s beauty spots – a spectacular waterfall. When we arrived, to his embarrassment, the lack of rain meant that the waterfall was totally dry but even worse, the local people had been tipping all their rubbish over the fall and what we were looking at was not a waterfall but an equally large rubbish-fall. I can remember how emotional I felt about what I was seeing – primarily anger but also huge sadness that there was no system in place for the collection and disposal of rubbish. The rubbish-fall was almost entirely composed of 21<sup>st</sup> century rubbish that would not easily rot down. The charity called bintwinning.org are trying to tackle the worldwide issue of rubbish collection & disposal in those countries where there is no system in place by local authorities. Our two dustbins at St Mary’s are now twinned with this charity in a scheme in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The project in Haiti is working towards these outcomes: · A weekly door-to-door rubbish collection service will be set up for 4000 local households · Organic waste will be converted into compost · Plastic waste will be recycled into paving bricks for roads and driveways · Young people will be encouraged to change their attitudes towards waste and plastic pollution · Local government will be urged to do more to reduce the amount of waste being generated and to improve waste management services · Waste being dumped into oceans or burnt openly will be reduced by 123 tonns per month by 2023 Our two church bins now have their twinning sticker attached to them for all to see. If you would like to see your own rubbish and recycling bins twinned then the details of the scheme can be found at https://www.bintwinning.orgMy number 1 choice for Room 101 has always been street litter. I hate to see it & I know that many of you reading this feel the same! We all know how irritated we feel if our rubbish bins are not emptied in any particular week, but do we ever think about those countries where regular rubbish collection doesn’t happen at all? I remember my visit to NorthEast India in the 1990s when an eager church member drove us to see one of the area’s beauty spots – a spectacular waterfall. When we arrived, to his embarrassment, the lack of rain meant that the waterfall was totally dry but even worse, the local people had been tipping all their rubbish over the fall and what we were looking at was not a waterfall but an equally large rubbish-fall. I can remember how emotional I felt about what I was seeing – primarily anger but also huge sadness that there was no system in place for the collection and disposal of rubbish. The rubbish-fall was almost entirely composed of 21st century rubbish that would not easily rot down. The charity called bintwinning.org are trying to tackle the worldwide issue of rubbish collection & disposal in those countries where there is no system in place by local authorities.Our two dustbins at St Mary’s are now twinned with this charity in a scheme in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The project in Haiti is working towards these outcomes:• A weekly door-to-door rubbish collection service will be set up for 4000 local households• Organic waste will be converted into compost• Plastic waste will be recycled into paving bricks for roads and driveways• Young people will be encouraged to change their attitudes towards waste and plastic pollution• Local government will be urged to do more to reduce the amount of waste being generated and to improve waste management services• Waste being dumped into oceans or burnt openly will be reduced by 123 tonns per month by 2023Our two church bins now have their twinning sticker attached to them for all to see. If you would like to see your own rubbish and recycling bins twinned then the details of the scheme can be found at https://www.bintwinning.org
St Mary's has had a long association with the Church of North East India - based in Shillong but serving a large area in NE India.On 5 May 2021, our great friend Bishop Michael Herenz, sent us an urgent message about the shortage of ventilators in their hospitals in Tinsukia. He asked us for both prayer and the possibility of financial help to obtain 4 ventilators for those hospitals. We have responded immediately on both fronts. Please pray with us for the doctors and nurses working in India that the equipment they so desperately need to treat their patients who are suffering from COVID-19
A fantastic new resource from the church. Telephone prayers and hymns on a free phone number.Do you know someone, a neighbour, friend, or family member who does not have the internet but in need of spiritual nourishment?Let’s share this phone number with as many as we can 0800 804 8044 and help them stay connected and a part of our church family.
Please join us in wishing a very happy anniversary to the Rev Ian Whitehead who was licensed to lead our Churches one year ago tonight. It has been a year of trials for him I am sure, including repeated flooding at South Wingfield, a stone through one of the stained glass windows at Crich and now a virus which has closed the doors on both of our beloved Church buildings.There have of course been high points including the Rev’s “banana Christingle” which is also my favourite so pictured below!We are so grateful to Ian and his wonderful wife Christine for sharing themselves with our Church communities through these troubled times whilst bringing incredible moments of God filled joy.May we share many more times both good and bad with Ian and pray that we will all be physically back together soon. God bless him and Christine.And as Ian would say MIZPAH!! (The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another)Joanne Morton Benefice Secretary
