These are my experiences from 7.00 till about noon. Later in the day I know more and exciting things happened!
Walking over Westminster Bridge as Big Ben struck 7 a new day began. In front of the Carriage Gates three vigillers beamed as Sandie and I arrived. Peter and Anne were already folding up their bivvy bags whilst Ben was still snuggled down inside his sleeping bag. Greetings and a few photos and then it was goodbye as Sandie and I settled down behind the climate justice banner.
I pray of God’s holiness and the holiness of every created thing.
Watching the traffic, at 7 in the morning it’s mainly commercial vehicles – plus the ever-circulating buses – and specifically ones serving the construction industry. As the morning passes so the number of cars increases which is not to say that the construction vehicles were any less. Basically the road just gets busier! One was a cement lorry making a delivery to the works going on at Parliament, which claimed to be carrying eco-cement. Cement -which produces 622kg of CO2 per tonnes – accounts for about 7% of global total emissions. It maybe that as well as green cement we need to think twice about building new roads, tower blocks or even just drive ways.
I pray for God’s will, God’s rule – that God’s way of doing things would prevail in our hearts and minds.
During the morning others joined the vigil – a merry band of pilgrims! One had come only a short way – he worked for the Methodist Church. We talked about money. It seems more obvious to swop your pension to an ethical one because pensions obviously deal in investments. But greening your bank seems – initially – less obvious. They just look after your money, nothing more? I talked about CCA’s campaign to encourage charities and dioceses to move away from Barclays. He talked about working with the local circuits to discuss ethical banking.
I pray that God’s kingdom would come with its transformative ordering of the world. I pray for daily bread – how come we live in a world with food that goes to waste whilst many go hungry?
A mum from Birmingham had extended her visit to her son in London to be able to come. A woman from a UR Church in south east London joined the group. Then a group from a church in Sutton. And a then a fellow Franciscan tertiary. At one point we were accosted by a man asking why we were praying. He thought we should raising money for the scientists in white coats rather than praying to ‘a fairy in the sky’.
We knelt our ground.
The footfall, like the traffic changes through the day. Initially it is people going to work, streaming out of the underground and striding out down towards Millbank, coffee cups and lunch bags grasped in their hands. There is a slight lull before the tourists dominate the pavement – and large groups of teenage students being shown the Houses of Parliament and more frequently the companions from my night shift – Mandela, Gandhi and Millicent Fawcett.
There are more families than usual as it is still half term and several children carefully read our posters and ask their parents what we are doing. One young man spends several minutes filming and then interviewing us – he wants to understand more about the climate crisis.
I pray for forgiveness and healing.
Ten or so small toddlers walk by, each wearing Wellington boots and a small high viz vest and a wrist strap linking them to their respective nursery carer. Like puppies they don’t walk in a straight line and ver off wherever the fancy takes them. I think they’re going to the gardens between Parliament and Lambeth Bridge. Emmeline Pankhurst stands inside the gateway keeping an eye on all who come and go.
Faithfulness is why we’re here.
The Green Tau 