NW NJPN E BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2024
The November issue of the NW NJPN E Bulletin is a bumper edition with articles on COP 29, Gaza, a tribute by Ian Linden to Peruvian Dominican priest Gustavo Gutiérrez, regarded as the father of Liberation Theology, who died on 22 October 2024 aged 96 plus news from around the NW region. Jenny Sinclair, founder and director of Together for the Common Good looks at the de-humanising effects of Liberalism and suggests that as Christians our conception of the human person is not individualistic – it is relational – ‘we are not complete without each other’. Curlew Action’s Mary Colwell shares her thoughts and feelings on this heart-breaking – yet unsurprising – news: The Slender-billed Curlew is now deemed to be extinct. She adds, ‘Gus Speth, former dean of the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies at Yale, has been widely attributed as saying, “I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and climate change. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed, and apathy.”’ He went on to say that, “to deal with those issues we need a spiritual and cultural transformation.” There are also resources, news of webinars and diary dates.
There was no bulletin in October and this November one is later than usual as I’ve been busy compiling a series of Advent resources with fellow parishioner Penny Howes. In place of our usual format of Pray and Reflect services, this year we are offering 4 one-hour Let us Pray sessions based on the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love with readings, reflections, discussion, gentle music, art and prayer. As we journey together over the next four weeks we will seek to deepen our relationship with the God who loves and cares for us as we prepare to welcome the Christ child who fills our hearts with the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love.
Attached is a very condensed booklet to give you a flavour – please email me if you want to know more. You are welcome to use this in full or pick out extracts, however, if you choose anything from writer and artist Jan Richardson she asks that you give the source and also her website address.
Wishing you all a restful Advent,
Anne O’Connor
NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin November 2024