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Ordinary Christians, Extraordinary Times

We are responsible for our impact on God’s creation as a whole. CEL helps members to understand and relate these responsibilities to their faith. Members can then encourage others in their local church to think seriously about these issues. CEL was formed in 1981, and formally constituted in 1982 and supports Christians from all backgrounds and traditions.

Contact:
CEL Information Officer:
10, Beech Hall Road, Highams Park, London, E4 9NX, UK.
tel: +44 (0)845 4598460
info@christian-ecology.org.uk

Christian Ecology Link – Aims

• Offers insights into ecology and the environment to Christian people and churches.
• Offers Christian insights to the Green movement

Operation Noah (encouraging a Christian response to climate change). CEL did much of the work in setting up Operation Noah on behalf of CTBI. Operation Noah is now a separate organisation.

Finance
CEL is entirely dependent on Membership subscriptions and donations.
Each year CEL has to submit Financial Accounts, Independent Examiner’s Statement and a Report from the Trustees for the past year to the Charity Commission and to Companies House.

CEL welcomes donations towards the cost of office work, organising meetings, the website and especially towards the cost of publication of materials, leaflets and postage for use at events, schools etc. 
Please consider donating online

Local Groups
In some parts of Britain there are local CEL groups. To find out if there is one near you, or visit our local groups page or get in touch with our Local Groups Contact (see below)

Membership
Membership Categories.
How to join CEL.
We welcome new members.

CEL Officers 
CEL Chairman in 2012 is Paul Bodenham

The Information Officer is Jo Abbess, to whom most email questions should be sent.

Editor of Green Christian: Chris Walton

Local Groups Contact: Isobel Murdoch, tel 01790 763603

Web Editor: Judith Allinson

At present the vast majority of the work in CEL is carried out unpaid. CEL has a Steering Committee of 12 people which meets at least three times a year, and has three telephone conference calls between meetings. Our AGM is usually in November.  Some members help on a regular basis with membership, distribution of resources, proof reading, website and prayer diary.  Other members contribute by helping produce material for topic leaflets; by organising events; by taking CEL display posters and leaflets to local events and national events such as Greenbelt; and in many other ways. We always welcome offers of help.

Much of CEL’s administrative work is divided between three teams:
Challenge: – i.e. activities, campaigns and events – (Chair George Dow)
LOAF, ecocell, Annual Members Meeting and Conference, Prayer Community, Retreat, Climate Service.

Creative: – i.e Design, media, (Chair Paul Bodenham)
exhibitions, leaflets, Green Christian, Storm of Hope, web design.

Community – i.e. Membership database, accounts (Chair Barbara Echlin)
localgroups, links with other organisations.

Meet the 12 members of CEL’s Steering Committee plus CEL’s Information Officer, Jo Abbess who also attends Steering Committee meetings.

Steering Committee Members

People (apart from Paul, the chair) are in reverse alphabetical order:- Paul Bodenham (Steering Committee Chair) Paul lives in Nottinghamshire. He works for English Heritage, and is also on the board of Operation Noah. He is a lay member of a Franciscan community. Chris Walton (Chaplain and Editor of Green Christian) Chris is a Trustee of the Ringsfield Study Centre near Beccles in Suffolk Deborah Tomkins Deborah lives in Bristol with her family, and enjoys growing things to eat, and writing. She studied French and Linguistics before becoming a dictionary writer, has educated her children at home, and is passionate about supporting local initiatives such as food and transport. Ashley Ralston Ashley, a former engineer in the food industry, now spends some time now with his local Justice and Peace Group Poppy Pickard (Web Designer) A keen Traidcraft seller, activist and speaker, active in her local WDM group, enjoys gardening. In a previous existence lectured in Computing and Maths Eleanor Orr (CEL Treasurer) Accountant – working for Christian Medical Fellowship. Lives in Inner London Cycle commuter Ruth Jarman Ruth read Chemistry at University before a career in the semiconductor industry. She is now a full-time campaigner and mother of three and lives in a village in Hampshire where she worships at the local evangelical C of E church Tony Emerson (Ecocell coordinator) Semi-retired management lecturer and consultant.Other voluntary organisations include Friends of Hillside Gardens (local park) and Carfree UK. Lives in car-free house in South London with Oona (wife) and two young adult children. Howard Gardner Barbara Echlin (Steering Committee Secretary) Barbara lives on the south coast where she helps tend an organic fruit and vegetable garden and enjoys cooking and preserving the produce. She is actively involved with the local UNA and WDM, Bexhill and Rother District environmental groups and worships at the Saxon foundation parish church. George Dow Lives in Hackbridge, south London. Likes organic gardening, local food, bread/soup making, Green Party, Transition Towns, One Planet Sutton, Zero Carbon Band member performing at local festivals and…..Crystal Palace season ticket holder. Judith Allinson (Web Editor) Judith lives in Yorkshire and carries out botanical survey work, and teaches grasses, sedges and wildflower courses Jo Abbess (Information Officer)

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