Christian Climate Pilgrimage from Newquay begins ahead of G7

Setting out from Newquay this morning

A group from protest group Christian Climate Action (CCA) have begun a four-day walking pilgrimage from Newquay to Carbis Bay today, ahead of the G7 summit taking place this weekend. They aim to draw attention to the need for more urgent action from developed nations on climate change. CCA, an inter-denominational organisation made up of laypeople and clergy, welcomes anyone of any faith or none to join them on their walk.

The pilgrims are particularly inviting people to join them on the final stretch from Phillack Church to St Unys in Lelant. The meeting point is Phillack Church at 11.30am on Friday. They will also hold a Eucharistic service on Sunday morning near Carbis Bay, where prayers will be said for the Earth and for world leaders.

Walkers will be praying that politicians are inspired to engage in action rather than words and broken promises. This is to mirror the theme of "Drowning in Promises" which is being used by Extinction Rebellion protestors during the G7.

Stephen Jarvis, one of the pilgrims, said: "The UK is very good at claiming to be world leaders in the fight against climate change whilst tinkering round the edges but not actually implementing any of the serious actions needed to protect our fragile Earth."

Rev Helen Burnett said: "Unlike a traditional pilgrimage our progress will be halted, not because we arrive at a holy place, but by a police cordon; however our walk will be waymarked by prayers for the world. Our purpose is to focus our hearts and minds on the deep injustices of the world. The climate and economic injustice we see all around us is a result of the policies of the wealthiest represented this weekend by the G7. Decisions made by the minority affect the majority, whose voices will not be represented in Carbis Bay. As part of that silenced majority, we will walk as a witness to the need to imagine a better world, a world imagined by Jesus Christ whose greatest commandment was 'to love your neighbour as yourself."

Christian Climate Action is a community of Christians supporting each other to take meaningful action in the face of imminent and catastrophic anthropogenic climate breakdown. We are inspired by Jesus Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit. Following the example of social justice movements of the past, we carry out acts of public witness, non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to urge those in power to make the changes needed. Since November 2018 we have worked closely with Extinction Rebellion and have become known as the Christians in XR. www.christianclimateaction.org.

More information about the pilgrimage: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_-2Xe0OPG8tpglP1hdYP-nX7Ajo3O8PJ/view

Blogs about the pilgrimage will be posted on: www.christianclimateaction.org