No Faith In Fossil Fuels Service

Date: 21st April 2023

Plan: The No Faith In Fossil Fuels Service will take place outside, in the grounds of St Johns Church Waterloo. We will be gathering from 11am, for the service to start at noon. After the service, we will walk together towards Parliament, via Shell headquarters, to join The Big One protest.

What can you expect?

In this critical time for life on our planet, it’s vital that we unite to survive. So imagine this… Christians of different backgrounds and denominations coming together for a prayerful and prophetic service outside in the beautiful grounds of St Johns Church Waterloo.

You are welcome to arrive from 11am, and people will be gathering while music plays. The service itself will start at noon and will involve prayerfully reflecting on why this is a critical time for life on our planet. We will hear from young people whose future is in the balance and those on the front lines of climate breakdown. We will also be joined by Engage Worship, who will be leading us in worship songs relating to God’s creation.

After the service we will walk together to Parliament in pilgrimage. People are invited to write prayers for climate justice on a placard, which you can hold up as we walk. On our way, we will pause outside the headquarters of Shell, before proceeding on to Parliament.

What should I bring?

YOURSELF: The most important thing to bring is yourself!

PRAYER PLACARD: Instead of the usual placards and signs, we are asking people to bring prayers written on paper or cardboard. Please bring your own prayer like the ones in the photos below.

APPROPRIATE ATTIRE: Make sure you dress appropriately – we’re talking suitable walking shoes and an umbrella and waterproof clothing if the weather is looking like it might rain.

THINK OF YOUR NEEDS: If the weather is fine, the service will be outside, in the grounds of St John’s Church Waterloo. If you think standing for an extended period of time might be difficult for you, please do bring a camping chair. We suggest that you bring water and food. You should also bring any medication that you require.

Why we are calling on Shell and our government to end fossil fuel expansion

In 2021, the International Energy Agency said that exploitation and development of new oil and gas fields must stop if the world is to stay within safe limits of global heating. Since this stark warning, all major oil companies are continuing to explore for and develop new fossil fuel reserves.

We believe in the power of prayerful protest, and so our pilgrimage is making two stops on it’s journey. Firstly we are stopping at Shell Headquarters. In the last two years alone, Shell has decided to develop ten new major oil and gas projects, including re-applying to develop the Jackdaw oil field in the North Sea. In addition, Shell already has over 750 permits for assets that are yet to be developed. The Ethical Consumer magazine rated Shell as the worst company of 2022. From spending around $22 million annually on anti-climate lobbying, to being accused of numerous murders, tortures and rapes that were carried out by paramilitary organizations in Nigeria in the 1990s – Shell has a long history of putting profits before human life.

We are also stopping outside Parliament, where The Big One protest is taking place. Despite the advice of the IEA, our government has opened a new licensing round for companies to explore for oil and gas in the North Sea. Nearly 900 locations are being offered for exploration, with as many as 100 licences set to be awarded. Our government is also subsidising the fossil fuel industry using tax-payer money.