A DEVICE that remotely monitors heating at St Mary’s Church, Byfleet, has been praised as a “fantastic example” of the steps parishes are taking to reduce the carbon footprint of historic church buildings.A spokesman for the Diocese of Guildford described the installation as a proactive step towards the Church of England’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2030.“This will help to protect God’s creation and the world’s most vulnerable people who are feeling the effects of climate change soonest and most severely,” the spokesman said.The device, which tracks the temperatures in the building and relays the information via newly installed Wi-Fi, was invented and built by parishioner Chris Glasow, a highly experienced electrical engineer.Chris was prompted to act when he discovered that the rector, the Rev John McCabe, had to cycle to the church at 6am every Sunday to make sure that the heating was working for the 8am service.“I felt sorry for John. I’d been designing electronics for so many years I thought I’d put something together,” Chris said.First, he installed a cellular router to communicate with his device through the thick walls of the mediaeval building.The device measures the radiator and air temperature to check the heating is on, saving John a lot of time and effort.“When my alarm goes off every Sunday, instead of cycling to the church, I can look online and can tell whether the heating is broken,” he said.John believes Chris’s device could help to make the boiler more efficient.The constant tracking has revealed the frost stat, which turns on the boiler to prevent pipes freezing, is set too high, generating excessive and unnecessary heating, especially in the early hours of the morning when the church isn’t being used.“The wider implications are manifold,” John said.“If you build a lighting sensor into the software, it could pick up whether someone has left a light on. You just need to check the website.”Chris, 77, has lived in Byfleet for about 40 years and has been working with electronics since he was 16.He has worked on some major projects, including with the RAF, Plessey Radar and in Boston in the US.Chris runs his own company and has been involved in Heathrow Terminal 5, City Group Tower and the Canary Wharf underground system.He started building the St Mary’s device during the first pandemic lockdown in early 2020, working on it in his spare time and completed it a few months ago. “Chris is a genius inventor and a real Byfleet person,” John said.“He is an engineer of note and an incredible resource in our community.”
It was both awe-inspiring and humbling to be introduced into the House of Lords, having been summoned by Her Majesty 'to be personally present at our aforesaid Parliament... and to give your counsel upon the affairs aforesaid'. The Introduction itself was a short and simple affair, as the bishops of Birmingham and Carlisle walked me into the Chamber, the writ was read, I responded, and then - with a bow to the Lord Speaker - took up my place on the Bench of Bishops. And while I have a rather demanding day job already in the Diocese of Guildford, I do hope to make a real contribution in the Lords as well, especially in the area of FoRB - Freedom of Religion and Belief - around the world. The day itself was much enhanced by having my wife, my sister and three of our children in the public gallery, with little grandson Natti sitting in the Bishop's Robing Room and treating the occasion with due solemnity!Watch the coverage here Bishop Andrew
For the past 30 years St Mary’s in Ticehurst, East Sussex, has invited the small flock - made up of six ewes and their lambs - into the churchyard for part of the year to increase biodiversity.Penny Evans, a licensed lay reader at the parish, explained: “We now have Wiltshire Horns in the churchyard, which works very well with our churchyard conservation project. “Wiltshire Horns do not need shearing, and so there is plenty of wool available for the birds' nests. “Birds even fill their boxes with cosy sheep wool. They also do an excellent job of looking after the grass in the churchyard.”In fact, the sheep helped the church gain a Gold Eco Award from the environment charity A Rocha UK. It is only the 24th church to achieve the award. Increasing biodiversity in the churchyard is part of this work and a summer meadow has been created by St Mary’s.Wiltshire Horns were once very common, before experiencing a decline in numbers during the 19th and 20th centuries. The flock return to its farm between January and March before returning to the parish with their lambs. “Sheep bring great pleasure to people of all ages,” Penny said. “People love visiting to watch the lambs playing. “It's a favourite place in the village for families, and people spend time sitting on the benches and taking in the peaceful atmosphere.”Helen Stephens, from the environment charity A Rocha UK, said: “We are delighted to celebrate St Mary's, Ticehurst Gold Eco Church. “It reflects that caring for God’s creation is integral to the church community’s mission and ministry and recognises the practical steps they are taking, including the 40 per cent of land used as pasture for a small flock of rare breed sheep.“St Mary’s is clearly committed to taking action at every level. We hope this award will prompt other churches to engage in caring for God’s world, to be part of a growing community of churches and other organisations, working together to restore and protect this precious planet.”The Church of England is currently consulting on its “routemap” to net zero carbon. It has pledged to reach net zero carbon by 2030, following a call from General Synod in 2020.
Members of the Church of England General Synod have unanimously backed a motion of support for churches around the world as a bishop warned of the “monstrous evil” of the “wholesale denial” of freedom of religion or belief in many countries.The motion called for dioceses and parishes to pray and offer other practical help to those facing persecution because of their faith and to rally support and raise awareness ahead of a global summit on Freedom of Religion or Belief taking place in London this summer.In a debate which heard powerful accounts of how Christians maintain their faith amid threats, violence, imprisonment and murder, members were told that 360 million Christians - about one in seven around the world - face persecution. The Bishop of Truro Philip Mounstephen, who carried out a review of Persecution of Christians across the Globe for the Foreign Office in in 2019, said the situation has deteriorated even in the last year. He highlighted the “disastrous fall” of Afghanistan to the Taliban, “now making it the most dangerous country on earth to be a Christian”, and the “outrageous murder” of Pastor William Siraj returning home after Sunday service in Peshawar on January 30. “The wholesale denial of freedom of religion or belief in today’s world is a great evil,” he said. Bishop Philip said he had been shocked by the ‘scale, scope and severity’ of what had been found during his review. “That people should be targeted simply because they believe different things and organise their lives accordingly is a monstrous evil,” he said. Opening the debate, brought by Lichfield Diocesan Synod, Penny Allen said: “You may have already seen the Open Doors website and the World Watch List where countries are highlighted where persecution takes place, in order that people may know and accept the reality of the situation in each country. “It is very sobering to learn that now 360 million Christians, that is one in seven around the world, face persecution.” Today’s debate comes after the General Synod held a debate on Freedom of Religion or Belief last April in which the Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, warned that “human dignity and flourishing is diminished” when religious believers and atheists are persecuted. Father Damian Feeney, from the Diocese of Lichfield, co presenting the debate today, said there was an “ethical imperative to love all people without condition”. “Ten months ago, the Bishop of Leeds rightly reminded us that we cannot separate out persecution of Christians from that visited upon other groups and traditions.” He added: “To the Christian, persecution against any is anathema, and the principle of viewing all this through a human rights lens is vital... We pray that today a spark which ignited an individual conscience can blaze into a fire of prayer, advocacy and practical concern for our sisters and brothers for whom danger and vulnerability are the daily reality carried for allegiance to Jesus Christ. “We are dealing here with the lives of fellow humans, the least we can do is to try to understand what happens to people who live in this shadow.” The motion (see below for full wording) was passed with 329 votes, with none against and no abstentions.
