End of the Age of Thorns

Surviving consumerism

Saturday 5 March 2011, (10.30 for) 11am to 5pm

St John's Church, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8TY

with

Peter Owen-Jones

Sussex vicar, presenter of BBC's 'How to live a simple life', 'Around the World in 80 Faiths', and 'Extreme Pilgrim'. Writer of several books including Letters from an Extreme Pilgrim (2010) and Psalm:The World's Finest Soul Poetry in a Contemporary Idiom (2009). He is also founder of the Arbory Trust, the first Christian woodland burial site.

Conference theme:

"Some of the seed fell among thorns," the story goes. "Wealth and desire strangled them." In today's world, enslaved to economic growth, that goes for all of us. But something in the seed has changed. The thorns have competition.

CEL's conference in 2011 will explore spiritual roots for a new economics, for our own humanity and all life on Earth. Engage with Peter Owen-Jones on a new relationship with money, followed by a seminar, workshops and discussions.

In the afternoon you can join ‘our own’ Tim Cooper, Professor of Sustainable Design and Consumption at Nottingham Trent University, who is giving an introduction to green economics ...

Price :

£15 -- Early bird price for all those who book by the end of January 2011

£15 -- For CEL members whenever they book, including on the day itself.

£20 -- Full price for non-members February onwards.

Bargain tickets of £5 for the first 20 students, under the age of 25, who apply.

Click here for a booking form .

How to get there:

St John's Church, Waterloo Road , London SE1 8TY is situated at the south end of Waterloo Bridge, opposite Waterloo Station and Waterloo East Underground.

 Draft programme:

10.30 Doors open

11.00 Welcome and worship

11.15 Peter Owen Jones

1pm Lunch (please bring your own, drinks available)

2pm Choice of workshops -- or time out to network and look at resources

3.15 Choice of workshops -- or time out to network and look at resources

4.30 Worship

5pm Close

Workshops: Sign up on arrival.

Prof Tim Cooper will run two different sessions on 'Green Economics', combining input and discussion. Both sessions will be self-contained so you can go to both, or just one.

'Shopping as if the Planet Mattered' led by Ashley Ralston will be run twice. Bring your own ideas to share.

'Greening the Church in Daily Life' led by Ruth Jarman will run once. Eco-congregations are not just for Sundays' They should give every member the chance to change their life. Come and discuss ideas and experiences that can help people start on a journey of a lifetime - including CEL's ecocell programme.

'Time Out': Networking, resources to look at, or just chill out.

Those signed up for CEL's ecocell 2 programme follow the energy module.

For more information on ecocell 1 and 2 visit a new CEL website: www.greenchristian.org.uk

Further information:

Please bring your own lunch, drinks will be available. If you have any further queries please contact either Alison, Conference Booking Secretary, by email at bookings@christian-ecology,org.uk or Jo, CEL's Information Officer, by phone on 0845 459 8460.