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<td width="50%"></td> <td> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" class="wayback"> <tr> <td width="48%" nowrap><span>May 2003</span></td> <td align="center" valign="bottom" nowrap><img style="display: inline;" wmSpecial="1" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk:80/wayback/images/mark.png"></td> <td width="48%" nowrap align="right"><span>Sep 2008</span></td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="50%"></td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap align="right"><a wmSpecial="1" href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20050705043543/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/news.htm"><img style="display: inline;" title="First version (4:35:43 Jul 5, 2005)" wmSpecial="1" border=0 width=19 height=20 src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk:80/wayback/images/first.jpg"></a><a wmSpecial="1" href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20050705043543/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/news.htm"><img style="display: inline;" title="Previous version (4:35:43 Jul 5, 2005)" wmSpecial="1" border=0 width=13 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"https://ssl." : "http://www." ); document.write( unescape( "%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E" ) ); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> try{ var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker( "UA-7571526-1" ); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch( err ) {} </script> <script> //document.getElementsByClassName("video")[0].innerHTML= </script>  <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#999933" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/040006e0ddwnfv.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage - Oxford's Christian Environmental Group</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>     |    </B></FONT><B> </B><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/index-2.html" target="_top" title="Sage Oxfords Christian Environmental Gr"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/webelieve.htm" target="_top" title="We Believe"><U>We Believe</U></A>   |   <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/contactus.htm" target="_top" title="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A>   |   <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/resources.htm" target="_top" title="Resources"><U>Resources</U></A>   |   <B>News</B>   |   <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/calendar.htm" target="_top" title="Calendar"><U>Calendar</U></A>   |   <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/relatedlinks.htm" target="_top" title="Related Links"><U>Related Links</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" background="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/041bec00esnpes.png"> <div> <B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/365881c0.jpg" border="0" width="136" height="284" alt="Hoopoe weather vein, Cruzinha" align="BOTTOM" hspace="5" vspace="5"></B></div> <div> <B>This is where we will tell you some of the latest Sage exploits and news from the wider Christian environmental scene.</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>News</B></div> <div> <B>All the News back to January 2005</B></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 5th January 2006-</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members, Martin and Margot Hodson, were pleased to welcome Magnus Wåhlin, environmental secretary of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.svenskakyrkan.se/vaxjostift/" target="_top" title="http://www.svenskakyrkan.se/vaxjostift/"><U>Växjö diocese</U></A></FONT> in Sweden, to lunch in Oxford. Magnus was accompanied by Rev. Canon Tony Dickinson, Ecumenical and European Officer for the Diocese of Oxford. The Oxford and Växjö dioceses were twinned in 2003, and Magnus wrote <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> an article in <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/swords2004a.htm" target="_top" title="Sage Words January 2004"><U>Sage Words January 2004</U></A> </FONT>on environmental work in churches in Sweden. We covered a lot of ground in an hour, and very much hope that the visit will lead to closer environmental links between Växjö, Oxford and <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT>. Watch this space!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/5b62ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Port Meadow, Oxford" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Monday 2nd January 2006-</B></FONT> The annual <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> New Year walk this time was blessed by about the best weather you could ever get in early January, and a potentially record attendance of seventeen people! This time the walk set off from the Hodson abode in North Oxford, and we headed out onto Port Meadow. There we were greeted by the most fantastic views across the partially flooded meadows. Fortunately, the meadows were not so flooded that it impeded our walk. We stopped off at several points, and Dave Steel gave us the benefit of his extensive local knowledge. We had a drink at "The Trout", and then ate our sandwiches at the nearby priory. Back at the Hodson's, large amounts of vegetarian food were consumed to replace the energy used on the walk. Lots of discussions about future <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> meetings, and plans for the coming months. Lots coming up!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/5a82ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Sage stand at the Green Fair 2005" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="5">Saturday 17th December 2005- </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> have been going to the annual Green Fair in Oxford Town Hall since 1993. Sometimes it all seems a bit like madness, as it takes a lot of setting up and maintenance at a time of year when things are busy enough already. But when you get there it is great fun. This year our team were Caroline, Clare, Dave, Martin, Margot, Richard, Ruth, Susie and Thalia. Kaihsu and Karl, who were involved in other things at the Green Fair, popped over several times, and took some photos. Once again we were joined by the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/churchyard.htm" target="_top" title="Ss Mary John churchyard"><U>Ss Mary & John churchyard</U></A></FONT> project, and there was a lot of interest in this, and the coming <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/noah.htm" target="_top" title="Operation Noah in Oxford"><U>Operation Noah in Oxford</U></A></FONT> conference. We had a good pitch where it was easier to talk with people. In total we sold nearly £220 of goods, mostly for Cornerstone in Grove. An exhausting day, but well worthwhile. Making plans for next year already!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/5aa2ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Ss Mary and John" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="5"></B><B> <a name="wednesday_14th_december_2005"><img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/1x1.gif" height="1" align="bottom" width="1" hspace="0" vspace="0"></A></B><B>Wednesday 14th December 2005- </B></FONT>Congratulations to Ss Mary and John, Cowley, Oxford, who were successful in their application to become the first church in Oxford to gain an <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.ecocongregation.org/" target="_top" title="http://www.ecocongregation.org/"><U>Ecocongregation</U></A></FONT> award. Ecocongregation aims to encourage churches to consider environmental issues within a Christian context and enable local churches to make positive contributions in their life and mission. The assessors for the award were Dr. Paul Robinson of Oxford City Council and <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> member, Dr. Martin Hodson. They were particularly impressed with all the work that had been carried out by the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/churchyard.htm" target="_top" title="Ss Mary John churchyard"><U>Ss Mary & John churchyard</U></A></FONT> project, and by the extensive plans for energy savings within the church buildings. We very much hope that Ss Mary and John will not be the last church in our area to go for an award!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/59cfaca0.jpg" border="0" width="250" height="202" alt="One of David Thistlethwaite's paintings" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Tuesday 22nd November 2005-</B></FONT> Many of us know David Thistlethwaite, the administrator for the John Ray Initiative in Cheltenham. He was involved in setting up the Lifestyle Consultation and the two Coffee House Days in Oxford in the last couple of years. David is also an artist, and now has a display of his paintings of the Cotswolds hanging in The Vault Cafe, St Mary's Church, High Street, Oxford. Well worth a visit! David also has a <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.artofgod.co.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.artofgod.co.uk/"><U>web site</U></A></FONT> where you can view more of his paintings. (Note the Vaults display has now ended)</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/58f2ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Ripon College Cuddesdon" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Saturday 19th November 2005-</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Two highly significant events in the Oxford Diocese area happened on the same day. At High Wycombe the Oxford Diocesan Synod debated a Climate Motion. The good news is that the motion was passed. The bad news is that the voting was roughly 60:40 for the motion, so it was not really overwhelmingly carried. The motion will now be costed, and the next Synod will hear a financial report. One (MJH) feels that not all of the Synod are taking the Archbishop's words below at all seriously. Neither were they very concerned by the huge feeling of support generated by the conference </FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/climatechange.htm" target="_top" title="Climate Change: How Christians Respond"><U>Climate Change: How Christians Respond</U></A> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >held in the very same building last February. We have a fight on here.</FONT></div> <div> On a happier note, the Certificate in Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/cres.htm" target="_top" title="CRES"><U>CRES</U></A></FONT>) held its first ever day conference at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, nr. Oxford. The course has recently moved to Cuddesdon from Keele University. Twenty-three people attended from all over the country, and these will now become regular events.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Wednesday 16th November 2005-</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/40/75/acns4076.cfm" target="_top" title="http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/ar"><U>Archbishop of Canterbury's Presidential address at General Synod</U></A> </FONT>Rowan Williams had this to say: "How do we carry through what we say? Synod has always been pretty expert at articulating ideas and principles, on a huge range of subjects. It would do us much good if we could, when we discuss public affairs, once again model something for the Church at large by making sure that we identify what action we can take that will change us as part of the solution to what we have spoken about. There is an obvious example in the debates about <U>environmental crisis</U>: We do largely agree when we talk about it that it is <U>probably the most urgent public moral issue of our time</U>. But what is pressingly urgent for us as a Church is to make sure that we are doing those specific things in our own common life that make whatever difference we can make; which means auditing our environmental policies and practices at every level and resourcing people who can identify further changes." (our underlining!)</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/58dc80b0.jpg" border="0" width="200" height="267" alt="Cavity Wall Insulation" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Thursday 3rd November 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>The latest EcoColumn in the Oxford Diocese newspaper, The Door, is by Canon Christopher Hall, and is entitled <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>Fill up, drive and be speedy, for tomorrow ... we run out of oil</U></A></FONT> </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 3rd November 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>Work began on Averil Stedford's <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/ecohouse.htm" target="_top" title="Ecohouse"><U>Ecohouse</U></A> </FONT>when men from <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.iglooinsulation.co.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.iglooinsulation.co.uk"><U>Igloo Insulation</U></A></FONT> arrived to carry out cavity wall insulation on her house in Headington, Oxford. This is the first major job to be done, and the next work is likely to happen in February- so watch this space for more news!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Wednesday 2nd November 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>The Oxford Mail ran a full page (p12) article about Averil Stedford's <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/ecohouse.htm" target="_top" title="Ecohouse"><U>Ecohouse</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 27th October 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>The  <a name="sustainable_development_commission"><img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/1x1.gif" height="1" align="bottom" width="1" hspace="0" vspace="0"></A>Sustainable Development Commission have published a major report <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#993380" FACE="Arial" ><B>'Sustainable Development and UK faith groups: Two sides of the same coin'</B></FONT>, which features environmental work by faith groups across the UK. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> has several mentions, and a whole section is devoted to us! Writing in the foreword, Jonathon Porritt, SDC Chair states, “Too much is made of the highly visible manifestations of self-interest and apparent indifference; the less visible outpouring of acts of altruism and selflessness are rarely factored into the rather crude generalizations that today’s steely-eyed fatalists tend to make about human nature.” Definitely recommended reading! Follow this link to order your <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://sd-commission.org.uk/news/sdc_uk_faith_form.php" target="_top" title="http://sd-commission.org.uk/news/sdc_uk_"><U>free copy</U></A></FONT>, or download the PDF file from the SDC web site.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Monday 24th October 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>Almost every day there is something on the news about climate change. This time the President of the Royal Society, Lord May, claimed that the effects of debt cancellation could be wiped out by future climate change. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4370598.stm" target="_top" title="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4370598.st"><U>See article</U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/55d2cab0.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="171" alt="Chilswell Valley- learning about seeds." align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Saturday 15th October 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>A dozen <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members and friends attended the latest <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/walks.htm" target="_top" title="Walk with the Creator"><U>Walk with the Creator</U></A></FONT> walk in the secluded Chilswell Valley,  just south-west of Oxford. This walk was the second of four walks in the series "Exploring Oxford's Countryside". It was a beautiful sunny autumn afternoon with wonderful views over Oxford. We spent a lot of time trying to work out which spire was which! We examined the many varieties of fruits and seeds in the hedgerows and fields. Caroline Steel led us in a short session thinking about seeds, and the parable of the mustard seed in particular. We finished the afternoon at the Wyevale Garden Centre for a cup of tea and cakes. </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/55f2ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="l. to r. Chris Garforth, Ian James, and Martin Hodson" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Friday 14th October 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>About fifty people from around the Reading area attended  a <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#660000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Climate Change Seminar</B> </FONT>at Caversham Methodist Church as part of Caversham One World Week. The speakers were Revd Professor Ian James, Professor Chris Garforth, and Dr Martin Hodson from <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT>. There was a lot of interest in the displays and stands (including one from Sage), and a lively discussion took place after a Fair Trade tea and coffee break. Thanks very much to Owen Jewis for organising the event.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sunday 9th October 2005-</B></FONT> In a sermon at Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Norway the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, tackled the dominion problem- "When God tells Adam in the first chapter of Genesis that he is to subdue and have dominion over the earth......" <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/sermons_speeches/051009.htm" target="_top" title="http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/se"><U>See Sermon</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/55396c80.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="200" alt="Hedge Mulching" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Saturday 8th October 2005-</B> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Boundary Brook Work Party.</B>  This year's autumn work party found us attending to a young hazel hedge in the newer area of the Nature Park. To protect the hedge from any keen weeds that might think about taking over, it had been planted through a fibrous membrane, which will also allow rain through but keep moisture in the soil from evaporating, and we spent a couple of hours cutting back bramble and mulching over the top with a couple of inches of chipped wood (provided by various local sources) making sure that any growing tips on the hazels weren't smothered. We had various discussions about the pros/cons of wheelbarrows vs 4 wheel trolley for transporting said chippings over allotment terrain (great load in trolley but can't beat satisfying `tippability' of a wheelbarrow); the cause of the few gaps in the hedge already (had the plants died or been pulled out by local muntjak deer?) and the pleasing look of earth ground into boots and new gloves, proving what hard work one had done…. Tea and apple cake, brewed in the education hut, was much welcomed, then in the drizzle we did a little weed digging to renovate a path, before the rain really got the better of us. </FONT></div> <div> <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/555c8960.jpg" border="0" width="200" height="150" alt="Spindle" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">The park is really beginning to show its lovely autumn colours and produce - crimson and scarlet leaves & berries of the guelder rose as if racing to be first to show off its colours; the deep black buckthorn berries, a few blackberries still looking tempting, the hawthorns dotted with dark red fruits, and the always slightly outrageous pink and orange of the spindle seed pods. Some of the less obvious seeders also caught my eye - the delicate dandelion-like Hawkweed seeds patiently waiting to be blown away, and the trumpet seed pods of the not-so-glamorous Rosebay Willowherb (or Fireweed) announcing its seeds to the world.</div> <div> During the afternoon we met frogs a-plenty of various sizes and had to take care when weeding and digging that they were jumping away from, rather than into, the danger zones. The autumn spiders were in evidence (they may not be everyone's favourite bit of wildlife, but their webs and body-paint have to be admired, if you can get that close!) There was also excitement as a cry of `was that a parrot?' went up (not such a daft question as there have been sightings of the local East Oxford Parakeet) - <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/55796c80.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="200" alt="Spider" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">but as we peered into the thicket after it, there flew out the green-yellow-red flash of a green wood-pecker. Well spotted Elaine!</div> <div> Our next work party will be in the New Year - opportunity for warming-up mid-winter. The <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.ouwg.org.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.ouwg.org.uk"><U>Oxford Urban Wildlife Group</U></A></FONT> also hold their work parties on alternate Sundays, and the next Boundary Brook Open Day is on Sunday 30<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> October 2-4pm. Do visit to explore the area, with guided walks, pond-dipping, and plant & book-stalls.</div> <div> <I>Clare Newgass</I></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 6th October, 2005-</B> </FONT>The Quaker meeting House was the venue for the initial planning meeting to organize an inter-denominational day-workshop to promote <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.christian-ecology.org.uk/noah/" target="_top" title="http://www.christian-ecology.org.uk/noah"><U>Operation Noah</U></A></FONT> (the church Climate Change campaign) among Oxford congregations on Saturday, 11th February, 2006. About 25 people were present, including quite a number of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members and contacts. More details are available at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/noah.htm" target="_top" title="Operation Noah in Oxford"><U>Operation Noah in Oxford</U></A> </FONT>Contact <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="mailto:alan.allport@psy.ox.ac.uk" target="_top" title="/external.html?link=mailto:alan.allport@psy.ox.ac.uk"><U>Alan Allport</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Wednesday 5th October 2005-</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2005/10/05/cizik/" target="_top" title="http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2005/"><U>Cizik Matters</U></A> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >An interview with green evangelical leader Richard Cizik</FONT></div> <div> by Amanda Griscom Little. It appears that a large section of American evangelicals may be changing their view on Climate Change. Later this month they will be releasing a policy document on the issue. Eagerly awaited!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Wednesday 5th October 2005-</B></FONT> The Oxford Diocese publishes on-line its article from the Door- <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/page/2331/" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/page/2331"><U>Glebe land: helping to pay for today’s church</U></A></FONT>. This is evidently at least partly in response to the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/news.htm" title="News"><U>Skimmingdish Allotments</U></A></FONT> crisis highlighted below. Having taken soundings amongst <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members and friends, opinion on the allotments is divided. In this circumstance we will continue to report both sides of the argument, but will not support either the Diocese or the campaigners causes.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Tuesday 4th October 2005-</B></FONT> The latest EcoColumn in the Oxford Diocese newspaper, The Door, is by <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> member, Karl Wallendszus, is entitled <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/page/2326/" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/page/2326"><U>Stop Climate Chaos</U></A></FONT>, and concerns the setting up of a new pressure group under that name.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Friday 30th September 2005- </B></FONT>Depressing news just in is a survey of church responses to Climate Change- <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC3300" FACE="Arial" ><B>Left To Churches There Would Be No Earth To Inherit - suggests New Climate Survey</B></FONT>. See <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.just2fish.org.uk/pressrelease.htm" target="_top" title="http://www.just2fish.org.uk/pressrelease"><U>Survey</U></A></FONT>. Is the situation really that bad?? Has 15 years of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> and the very considerable efforts of CEL, JRI, A Rocha, Ecocongregation and others made no difference at all? My (MH) guess is that we are in a lag phase. Fifteen years ago hardly any Christians in the UK even <U>talked</U> about environmental issues. Now there is a lot more talk, but concerted action has yet to click in. But we have seen that when churches do take action (e.g. on debt relief, Make Poverty History, Fair Trade) they can be extremely effective. Maybe the "lag phase" is needed to change people's minds and hearts. The answer to the survey is obvious- action!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Friday 30th September 2005-</B></FONT> Interesting article on last Monday's theme from Nick Spencer of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity- <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.licc.org.uk/culture/hurricane-rita-and-your-thermostat" target="_top" title="http://www.licc.org.uk/culture/hurricane"><U>Hurricane Rita and your thermostat</U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Monday 26th September 2005-</B></FONT> Seems to me (Martin Hodson) that everywhere I go people are asking whether the recent hurricanes are due to climate change. JRI give a balanced view at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.jri.org.uk/content/view/85/1/" target="_top" title="http://www.jri.org.uk/content/view/85/1/"><U>Hurricanes Katrina and Rita</U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/5422cc70.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="199" alt="Oxford Coffee House Day" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Saturday 17th September 2005-</B> </FONT>The JRI Coffee House Day in the Oxford Pastorate Centre, St Aldate's, Oxford, was a very successful event. About twenty people gathered, including a number of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members. Four of our members took an active up-front role: Mike Morecroft, Kaihsu Tai and Martin Hodson spoke, while Margot Hodson chaired the day. A considerable variety of topics were covered, and it was an excellent day for networking.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Saturday September 10th 2005- </B></FONT>Congratulations to <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> member, Emily Wilkins, who was today awarded her Certificate in Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/cres.htm" target="_top" title="CRES"><U>CRES</U></A></FONT>), with a distinction, after giving a presentation on her dissertation at Offa House. For more details see <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.jri.org.uk/content/view/84/78/" target="_top" title="http://www.jri.org.uk/content/view/84/78"><U>CRES news</U></A></FONT>. Emily has now moved back to Scotland, and we will all miss her!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday September 1st 2005- </B></FONT>A new grouping of secular and Christian environmental and development agencies has been formed to tackle Climate Change. The BBC web site reported on it at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4201372.stm" target="_top" title="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4201"><U>Stop Climate Chaos</U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday September 1st 2005- </B></FONT>This is is official day when the validation of the Certificate course in <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.cres.org.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.cres.org.uk/"><U>Christian Rural & Environmental Studies</U></A></FONT> (CRES) moves from Keele University to <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/rcc/RCC.htm" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/rcc/RCC.h"><U>Ripon College, Cuddesdon, nr. Oxford</U></A></FONT>. Several <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members are involved in <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/cres.htm" target="_top" title="CRES"><U>CRES</U></A></FONT>, and Martin Hodson is now Senior Tutor. The course is still recruiting for 2005 entry until the end of September, so if you are interested <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/contactus.htm" target="_top" title="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 25th August 2005-</B></FONT> The latest EcoColumn in the Oxford Diocese newspaper, The Door, is by <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> member, Margot Hodson, is entitled <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/page/2250/" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/page/2250"><U>Hope for the Future</U></A>,</FONT> and concerns the G8 summit.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/53a10e10.jpg" border="0" width="272" height="225" alt="Portugal visits Sage!" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Thursday 25th August 2005-</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC3300" FACE="Arial" ><B>Portugal revisited again!</B></FONT> Or rather maybe this should read Portugal visits us! A number of the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://en.arocha.org/portugal/" target="_top" title="http://en.arocha.org/portugal/"><U>A Rocha Portugal</U></A></FONT> team were in Oxford for a wedding, and we could not resist inviting them all over for a meal with <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT>. Rachel Simonson, her daughter Rosie, Marcial and Paula Felgueiras, wardens of Cruzinha and their children, Bea and Ze, all joined us. We were able to repay some of their hospitality for our trip to Portugal around Easter (see <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/portugal2005.htm" target="_top" title="Portugal 2005"><U>Portugal 2005</U></A></FONT>).</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 25th August 2005-</B></FONT>  <a name="skimmingdish_allotments"><img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/1x1.gif" height="1" align="bottom" width="1" hspace="0" vspace="0"></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#990000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Skimmingdish Allotments</B></FONT> Hitting the local and national press in recent weeks is a story from near Bicester in our area. It concerns the possible development of Glebe land, owned by Oxford Diocese, for light commercial use. The land has been used for allotments for many years. The case is complicated, involving planning, environmental, legal, community and ethical issues. For a variety of views on this topic see:</div> <div> <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.unauthorisedversion.co.uk/index.cfm" target="_top" title="http://www.unauthorisedversion.co.uk/ind"><U>The Unauthorised Version</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >-  an early view from the Oxford Diocese (25th May 2005)</FONT></div> <div> <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/page/2221/" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/page/2221"><U>Glebe Land adjacent to Skimmingdish Lane, Bicester</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > - a later view from the Oxford Diocese (August 11th 2005).</FONT></div> <div> <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.savetheplot.co.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.savetheplot.co.uk"><U>Save the Plot</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >- the web site of the campaigners.</FONT></div> <div> <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/4173398.stm" target="_top" title="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfor"><U>Church set to weed out gardeners</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > - from the BBC News web site (August 22nd 2005).</FONT></div> <div> <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1744664,00.html" target="_top" title="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,"><U>Gardeners must get out of Eden</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > - by Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent of The Times (August 22nd 2005).</FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >has been asked for an opinion, and is in the process of consulting members, and others who have expertise in this topic area.  If you have any ideas then </FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/contactus.htm" target="_top" title="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Monday 8th August 2005- </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#009900" FACE="Arial" ><B>Simply amazing news! </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >The </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >web site has been archived by the British Library's </FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.webarchive.org.uk/index.html" target="_top" title="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/index.html"><U>UK web archiving consortium</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >. The project archived our site on 4th July 2005, and they say it will be regularly archived from now on. You can see it at </FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.webarchive.org.uk/tep/12233.html" target="_top" title="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/tep/12233.h"><U>Sage archive</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >! Even more astounding is that we are among the first 21 "religious" sites selected from the whole of the UK. Go to </FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.webarchive.org.uk/subject/19.html" target="_top" title="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/subject/19."><U>Arts & Humanities</U></A><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.webarchive.org.uk/subject/19.html" target="_top" title="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/subject/19."><U> </U></A><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.webarchive.org.uk/subject/19.html" target="_top" title="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/subject/19."><U><B><</B></U></A><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.webarchive.org.uk/subject/19.html" target="_top" title="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/subject/19."><U> Religion</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > for a complete listing- an esoteric collection!!</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/3d3fabc0.jpg" border="0" width="250" height="188" alt="Meal in Keynsham on Saturday night" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Thursday 4th August 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/008/22.66.html" target="_top" title="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005"><U>Environmental Wager</U></A></FONT>. Why evangelicals are—but shouldn't be—cool toward global warming. Interesting article by Andy Crouch in Christianity Today Magazine.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Saturday 30th to Sunday 31st July 2005- </B></FONT>A team of eight <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT>members visited <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.keynshamparish.org.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.keynshamparish.org.uk/"><U>Keynsham Parish</U></A></FONT> near Bath and Bristol for the weekend. This was a return visit after an absence of five years. On the Saturday evening five of us were treated to a wonderful meal in the church hall put on by the verger, Graham. The following morning we took part in a Family Communion service on an environmental theme. This was a joint benefice service at St John's, Keynsham (for all 5 churches in the benefice). Margot Hodson both spoke and presided at communion. </div> <bR> <div> <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/3d2c80b0.jpg" border="0" width="200" height="267" alt="Walk around Elm Farm, Burnett" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">After a bring and share lunch in the church hall, we all went to <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.elm-farm.com/" target="_top" title="http://www.elm-farm.com/"><U>Elm Farm</U></A></FONT> at Burnett, a rural part of the benefice. There we enjoyed an afternoon's guided walk, led by farmers John and Phillipa Padget, around the farm looking at the impressive environmental schemes. There had been considerable changes since our last visit five years ago.We spotted several species of butterflies on the walk. Once again, we are grateful to the Rector of Keynsham, John Samways, for making all the arrangements for this visit. It was great to be back!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Saturday 23rd July 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>The annual <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> barbeque was again held by Karl & Felicity. About fifteen people attended, the weather was not too bad, we said goodbye to Emily as she was returning the Scotland the next day, and an idea for the next Sage trip away was floated (more anon!). Thanks again to K&F.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/3ce2ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="On the farm at Warmington" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="5">Sunday 10th July 2005- </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> member, Margot Hodson, spoke at Choral Evensong at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sandfordchurch.org.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.sandfordchurch.org.uk/"><U>St. Andrew's Parish Church</U></A></FONT>, Sandford on Thames. Every 2nd Sunday in July the church holds a Flower Festival, and has a special ‘green’ sermon on the environment and creation, which Margot was able to provide! Martin Hodson gave a short presentation on the work of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> and manned a stand afterwards. We then stayed behind for a wonderful bring and share after the service. Thanks very much to St. Andrew's for the invitation.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Saturday 9th July 2005-</B></FONT> Half a dozen <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members spent the day at Manor Farm, Warmington, nr. Banbury as the guests of farmer, John Neal (Treasurer of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.cruc.org.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.cruc.org.uk/"><U>Christian Rural Concern</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" >), joining a larger crowd of folk interested in rural issues</FONT>. In the morning we walked around Warmington village looking at how the village had changed in the last 100 years or so. Before lunch, Rev. Philip Wagstaff, a Methodist minister in charge of a large rural circuit in Devon, gave his views on rural ministry. We then took a walk to see the environmental schemes on the farm, led by John Neal. To finish the day we heard about the latest developments on the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/cres.htm" target="_top" title="CRES"><U>CRES</U></A></FONT> course from Martin Hodson, and had a short service led by Rev. John Whitehead. Thanks particularly to John Neal for ably organising the whole day!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Tuesday 5th July 2005- </B></FONT>In the run up to the G8 meeting in Edinburgh to BBC posted an interesting article <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4642241.stm" target="_top" title="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4642"><U>US evangelicals boost green lobby</U></A></FONT> concerning the changing attitudes in the United States on climate change- unfortunately this does not seem to have moved President Bush much- yet!!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/3cace700.jpg" border="0" width="206" height="112" alt="Marbled White Butterfly" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="5">Saturday 2nd July 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#990000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sydlings Copse</B></FONT> was the venue for the first of four <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/walks.htm" target="_top" title="Walk with the Creator"><U>Walk with the Creator</U></A> </FONT>walks in the new series "Exploring Oxford's Countryside". Eleven <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members met to explore one of the best botanical sites in midland Britain. This local Wildlife Trust reserve contains a variety of habitats, including an area of limestone grassland with large anthills! We stopped for a while by one of these, and Caroline explained some details of ant society. We saw many marbled white butterflies, and tried to capure them on camera. After the walk many of us went back to Clare's for cake and refreshments. Very pleasant afternoon, and the rain kept off. Next walk is on <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/calendar_saturday_15th_october_2005.htm" target="_top" title="Calendar"><U>Saturday 15th October 2005</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/3cc2ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Sage at Sydlings Copse" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="5"></B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Wednesday 29th June 2005- </B></FONT>Sadly, St. Clement's, Oxford, one of the most supportive churches of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> activities, was seriously damaged in a freak storm, and will require considerable repairs. The BBC Oxford website has a full <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/4636295.stm" target="_top" title="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfor"><U>report</U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sunday 26th June 2005- </B></FONT>John Houghton: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.jri.org.uk/content/view/57/1/" target="_top" title="http://www.jri.org.uk/content/view/57/1/"><U>Take the flood tide now</U></A></FONT>. Britain's top climatologist says a G8 fudge on global warming could be disastrous (The Independent).</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sunday 25th June 2005-</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> member, Margot Hodson, chaired the JRI Coffee House Day at South Parade Baptist Church in Leeds.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 23rd June 2005- </B></FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground’</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > is the title of the EcoColumn written for the Oxford Diocese newspaper, The Door, by </FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.rroxf.co.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.rroxf.co.uk/"><U>Revd Glyn Evans</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >,</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Thursday 23rd June 2005- </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml" target="_top" title="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jht"><U>'Earthy evangelist' changes US climate</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >. Interesting article from The Telegraph concerning how Rev. Richard Cizik is working to change the minds and hearts of American evangelicals on Climate Change.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Monday 13th June 2005-</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> member, Margot Hodson, spoke on God, the planet and us for an environment day at Oxford High School. She focused on Climate Change, and asked whether this is a faith issue.</div> <bR> <div> <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/3b79d720.jpg" border="0" width="157" height="114" alt="St. Columba's" align="LEFT" hspace="5" vspace="5"><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sunday 5th June 2005-</B></FONT> For the seventh successive year <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> was involved in an Environment Sunday service. This year we were at St. Columba's, United Reformed Church, in Oxford. For all the news see<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" > <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/envsun2005.htm" target="_top" title="Environment Sunday 2005 "><U>Environment Sunday 2005 </U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 2nd June 2005-</B></FONT>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>“Like a lamp, you must shed light among your fellows” said Jesus in Matthew 5 vs 16.</U></A></FONT> Ian James wonders whether floodlighting churches is a good idea.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/39364a50.jpg" border="0" width="100" height="165" alt="Cross at St. Clement's" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Saturday 28th May to Sunday 5th June 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#990000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>Sage in Artweeks</B></I></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> member Clare Newgass was the main organiser behind<B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin_edwards/news.htm" target="_top" title="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin_edwar"><U><B>Encounters</B></U></A></FONT>, the temporary art gallery at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.stclements.org.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.stclements.org.uk/"><U>St Clement's, Oxford</U></A> </FONT>for <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.artweeks.org/" target="_top" title="http://www.artweeks.org/"><U>Oxfordshire Artweeks</U></A></FONT>. She wrote: "I've been having quite an extraordinary couple of weeks really. Intense preparation week, then wonderful launch to Artweeks at St C's (apart from minor encounter with a ladder at the last minute finishing things, which has meant a rather beautifully sprained foot!) - quite a buzz about the place and the church does look quite good. It is wonderful to see everyone's contributions. We had Exodus 35... as last night's passage - and to me it does seem like so many people have given their willing contribution in so many different ways to make a sumptuous vestment for God's church - both the building, but moreso as a people, which I hope will have a continuing momentum. Even if we don't get lots of visitors it somehow it won't matter as it feels like we have achieved something at this point alone." <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> had a special <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/display.htm" target="_top" title="Display at St. Clements"><U>display</U></A></FONT> featuring the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/walks20045.htm" target="_top" title="Walk with the Creator 2004/5"><U>Walk with the Creator- 2004/5</U></A></FONT> series, which was based at St. Clement's.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/38dbc960.jpg" border="0" width="188" height="150" alt="Bacalhau" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Saturday 21st May 2005-</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC3300" FACE="Arial" ><B>Portugal revisited!</B></FONT> Eleven <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT>members, including the eight who visited the A Rocha Portugal centre in the Algarve around Easter (see <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/portugal2005.htm" target="_top" title="Portugal 2005"><U>Portugal 2005</U></A></FONT>), met at the Hodson's in N. Oxford. We put on a special bring and share Portuguese meal. Menu:</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Sopa de legumes a camponesa (farmer's vegetable soup) by Felicity</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Bacalhau (Portuguese salt cod) by Margot- extra special thanks to Rachel who sent us the fish!!</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Salads by Sue</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Bread by Margot</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Olives from Richard and Judy</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Lemon sweet by Caroline (according to Rachel's recipe)</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Freshly squeezed orange juice by Clare</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Mateus Rose (the only Portuguese wine Martin could find in the local shop!)</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Vintage Port from Richard</div> <bR> <div> <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/38f2ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Portugal revisited!" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">After this amazing feast we then spent a bit over an hour looking at a whole series of takes on the Sage visit to Portugal:</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Martin did a reprise of his PowerPoint presented at the women's fellowship at St. Clement's.</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Sue showed some of her digitals</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Dave's photos got slightly lost in the ether (somewhere between his computer and Martin's), but he gave us his impression of the visit minus photos.</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Clare showed us her wonderful scrapbooks, drawings, paintings and photos.</div> <div> <img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" height="16" width="24" align="bottom" hspace="0" vspace="0">Karl finished off the evening with his superb wildlife slides.</div> <div> Quite an amazing team effort!</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Friday 13th May 2005- </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >We are saddened to hear of the death of Rt Rev Hugh Montefiore, the former Bishop of</FONT></div> <div> Birmingham. Bishop Montefiore was a vocal advocate of environmental concerns both within the church and in wider society. His books on the subject include <I>Preaching for the Planet </I>(1992) and <I>Time to Change </I>(1997), and he chaired the board of the Friends of the Earth Trust from 1992 to 1998. Older <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> supporters may remember the service at St Aldate's, Oxford in 1991, at which Bishop Montefiore preached on environmental themes, one of the first public occasions that Sage had a major involvement in. He will be missed by many in the environmental movement. The Guardian has published an <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,3604,1483815,00.html" target="_top" title="http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/sto"><U>obituary</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Tuesday 10th May 2005- </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT><B> </B>members Martin and Margot Hodson had a busy day: in the afternoon Martin spoke at the women's fellowship at St. Clement's, Oxford, on the recent Sage visit to A Rocha Portugal (see <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/portugal2005.htm" target="_top" title="Portugal 2005"><U>Portugal 2005</U></A></FONT>); and in the evening Margot spoke at "Contact", the spouses fellowship at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford on <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC33FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>"God, the planet, and us"</B></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Friday 6th May 2005- </B></FONT>Congratulations to the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.greenoxford.com/index.php" target="_top" title="http://www.greenoxford.com/index.php"><U>Oxfordshire Green Party</U></A></FONT> who, as a result of the County Council elections, now have five seats on the County Council (up from one). Greens Councilors elected were Deborah Glass Woodin and Jon 'Chip' Sherwood (Isis Division), Larry Sanders and Craig Simmons (East Oxford Division), and Sushila Dhall (Oxford West Central). <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT><B> </B>is not a political organization, and members hold a variety of political views, but once again it does show that environmental issues are continuing to move up the agenda in the Oxford area.</div> <div> On a related topic, <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxfoe.co.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.oxfoe.co.uk/"><U>Friends of the Earth</U></A></FONT> in Oxford recently conducted a survey of all 304 candidates who stood for election to Oxfordshire County Council on 5th May, and asked them about their views on incineration as part of the County's future waste strategy. You can see the results (which make interesting reading!) at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://home.clara.net/wallendszus/oxfoe/campaigns/waste/survey.html" target="_top" title="http://home.clara.net/wallendszus/oxfoe/"><U>Waste Campaign</U></A></FONT>. </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Monday 25th April 2005-</B></FONT> The latest EcoColumn in the Oxford Diocese newspaper, The Door, is by <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.rroxf.co.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.rroxf.co.uk/"><U>Revd Glyn Evans</U></A></FONT>, and is entitled <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>Every Little Helps</U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Saturday 23rd April 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B>Several <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT><B> </B>members and contacts attended the secular day conference<B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF00FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sustainable Oxfordshire</B></FONT> at Oxford Brookes University. There were about 100 delegates. Martin Conway, Chair of The Oxford Diocese Board of Social Responsibility, kindly sent us an interesting <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/sustoxford.htm" target="_top" title="Sustainable Oxfordshire"><U>Report</U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Monday 18th April 2005-</B></FONT> BBC television 10.00pm News bulletin finished with a c. 5 min slot featuring Richard Chartres (Bishop of London) whose theme was the environment. He was been filmed at the Minet Country Park, Southall, and interviewed Dave Bookless, Director of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://en.arocha.org/uk/" target="_top" title="http://en.arocha.org/uk/"><U>A Rocha UK</U></A></FONT>. Congratulations to all concerned on an inspired bit of broadcasting!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/367c8ad0.jpg" border="0" width="200" height="173" alt="Cruzinha flowers" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Tuesday 29th March 2005-</B></FONT> The latest EcoColumn in the Oxford Diocese newspaper, The Door, is by  Canon Christopher Hall, and is his view of the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>Climate Change Conference</U></A></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 24th March - Saturday 9th April 2005-</B></FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> visit to A Rocha Portugal. See details of this trip at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/portugal2005.htm" target="_top" title="Portugal 2005"><U>Portugal 2005</U></A></FONT> </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Wednesday 23rd March 2005-</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >  The Rev. Prof. Ian James is the Environmental Adviser for the Oxford Diocese, and chaired the steering group for the conference </FONT><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/climatechange.htm" target="_top" title="Climate Change: How Christians Respond"><U>Climate Change: How Christians Respond</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >(Feb. 26th 2005). He then gave a report at the diocesan synod, and wrote</FONT> <a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>Uniting Christian belief and care for environment</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > for the Oxford Diocese newspaper, The Door.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/3532ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Pupils from Bishop Perowne performing a specially choreographed dance for Go Green Day" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Friday 18th March 2005- </B></FONT>Teacher, Richard Wood, from Worcester, attended the conference <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/climatechange.htm" target="_top" title="Climate Change: How Christians Respond"><U>Climate Change: How Christians Respond</U></A></FONT>, and soon after had his whole school (Bishop Perowne CE High School, Worcester)<I><B> </B></I>involved. See what happened at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/gogreenday.htm" target="_top" title="Go Green Day"><U>Go Green Day</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thursday 17th March 2005-</B></FONT>  A  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#663300" FACE="Arial" ><B>FULL</B></FONT> report on the conference <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/climatechange.htm" target="_top" title="Climate Change: How Christians Respond"><U>Climate Change: How Christians Respond</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>(Feb. 26th 2005) is now available, with reports on all the keynote addresses and workshops. Lots of PowerPoints, PDFs etc. to download. Have a look!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Tuesday 15th March 2005-</B></FONT>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> members Martin and Margot Hodson spoke on <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#9933CC" FACE="Arial" ><B>"The Science and Theology of Green Issues"</B></FONT>.at the Methodist Church Hall in Headington, Oxford. This was part of a series of Lent talks organised for Churches Together in Headington. About 30 people were present, and there were a lot of questions!</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Monday 14th March 2005- </B></FONT>The <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> web site had its <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC3333" FACE="Arial" ><B>5000th visitor </B></FONT>to the home page at 16.35 today. We started the site on 16th January 2001, more as an experiment than anything. Over four and a bit years the site has expanded in size quite considerably. Traffic around the site has also increased year on year, with an almost exponential increase in the last six months- at least partly due to our hosting the pages for the conference <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/climatechange.htm" target="_top" title="Climate Change: How Christians Respond"><U>Climate Change: How Christians Respond</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" >. </FONT>But more and more people are investigating "Christian environmental" in Google, and find us that way. It seems that the movement is growing in Oxford, our area, and well beyond. If the<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> web site has had even a small part in building this movement, then the "experiment" will have been worthwhile.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Saturday 12th March 2005- </B><B> <a name="evangelicals_take_on_environmental"><img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/1x1.gif" height="1" align="bottom" width="1" hspace="0" vspace="0"></A></B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF33FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Evangelicals Take on Environmental, Social Issues.</B> </FONT>This week's Evangelical Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., addressed issues such as environmentalism, poverty at home and abroad, and non-violent resolution to global conflict. Scott Simon speaks to the Rev. Rich Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals. Go to <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php" target="_top" title="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story"><U>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4532625</U></A></FONT> Note that Rev. Rich Cizik attended <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.climateforum2002.org/" target="_top" title="http://www.climateforum2002.org/"><U>Climate Forum 2002</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>in Oxford and has been involved ever since in persuading American evangelicals that climate change is a real threat, and is something that they should care about. For more on this go to <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview/localnews/ci_2605922" target="_top" title="http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview"><U>Evangelical leaders join global warming battle</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" >.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tuesday 8th March 2005-</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, delivered another thoughtful "green" lecture at the University of Kent, Canterbury. Go to </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/sermons_speeches/050308.htm" target="_top" title="http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/se"><U>Ecology and Economy</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Saturday 5th March 2005- </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT>member Martin Hodson gave a presentation on "The Christian Environmental Movement in the UK" at the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/cres.htm" target="_top" title="CRES"><U>CRES</U></A></FONT> meeting at Keele University, Staffordshire.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Tuesday 28th February 2005- </B></FONT>You may remember the "Lifestyle Consultation" held in Oxford in October 2003? Well the paper arising from that consultation has now been written up by David Thistlethwaite and can be downloaded at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.jri.org.uk/brief/lifestyle.pdf" target="_top" title="http://www.jri.org.uk/brief/lifestyle.pd"><U>Christian Lifestyle</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" >. </FONT>(You will need Acrobat Reader installed to view this file)</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/2ab2cc70.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="199" alt="L. to R. David Shreeve, Sir John Houghton, Claire Foster, Bishop Richard Harries, Rev Prof Ian James" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Saturday 26th February 2005- </B></FONT>After months of preparation, and a huge amount of effort, the conference <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/climatechange.htm" target="_top" title="Climate Change: How Christians Respond"><U>Climate Change: How Christians Respond</U></A></FONT> finally happened. Over 220 people attended from across the region and beyond, and it was an incredibly successful day. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >members played a significant role in the planning and execution of the conference. We are now gathering materials to convert the conference advertisement page into a permanent report on the day.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Friday 25th February 2005- </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >The Diocese web site has now introduced RSS (Really Simple Syndication), and so we can link directly to their pages from here, and new articles will appear as if by magic! We decided to link to the</FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/door/index.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/door/inde"><U>Eco-column</U></A></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >articles in the Diocese of Oxford newspaper, the Door, and the "Just World" section of the Board of Social Responsibility pages, which are the most relevant pages for </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT>members. Go to <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/relatedlinks_articles.htm" target="_top" title="Related Links"><U>Articles</U></A></FONT>. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Thanks to Philip Hind, the Diocesan webmaster, for providing this facility.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Friday 18th February 2005-</B></FONT> The latest Eco Column in the Oxford Diocese newspaper, The Door, is by  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage </B></FONT>member, Margot Hodson, and is entitled <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/door/content.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/door/cont"><U>God's Planet is in serious trouble</U></A></FONT>. The web site is a bit ahead of itself, as the article is intended for the edition of The Door to be published <I>after</I> the conference on February 26th! Still it is better early than late! The greening of the Oxford Diocese web site continues at a remarkable pace. Now we need some concrete actions (Martin Hodson speaking!).</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Friday 18th February 2005-</B></FONT> A review of<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>"Sharing God's Planet" has been published on the LICC site at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.licc.org.uk/culture/planet" target="_top" title="http://www.licc.org.uk/culture/planet"><U>http://www.licc.org.uk/culture/planet</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>As this is a forum article, it might be worth visiting a few times over the next month to see what the responses are like! It also has a pretty good list of web sites at the bottom of the page including a link to <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" >.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/2a0b4700.jpg" border="0" width="180" height="624" alt="Sage Sloe Gin- Made with sloes gathered during the Sage New Year's Day walk 2004" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Tuesday 15th February 2005-</B></FONT> The Oxford Diocesan web site has an article about <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> linked from its home page!!! Go to <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>Sage article</U></A></FONT>. The intention of the article is to help people find us in the weeks around the big General Synod debate on the environment in London and the conference <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/climatechange.htm" target="_top" title="Climate Change: How Christians Respond"><U>Climate Change: How Christians Respond</U></A>.</FONT> </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Saturday 12th February 2005-</B></FONT>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> had a very busy day! in the afternoon half a dozen members were at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/boundarybrook.htm" target="_top" title="Boundary Brook Nature Park"><U>Boundary Brook Nature Park</U></A></FONT> hedgelaying amongst other tasks. Then in the evening a dozen of us gathered in the new Hodson abode in North Oxford for the grand flat warming. Karl and Felicity just joined us for the first bit, but brought with them a very rare vintage bottle of Sage Sloe Gin- made with sloes gathered during the Sage New Year's Day walk in 2004. We all had (small!) samples of this delicious, and rather strong, liqueur. Food was excellent, and it was a great evening.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Wednesday 9th February 2005-</B></FONT> The Oxford Diocesan web site again has a "green" article mentioned on it's home page <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>Why should Christians be concerned about the environment?</U></A></FONT> It appears that some sections of the Diocese are beginning to take the environment more seriously.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Friday 4th February 2005- </B><B> <a name="sharing_god_s_planet"><img border="0" src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/1x1.gif" height="1" align="bottom" width="1" hspace="0" vspace="0"></A></B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#993300" FACE="Arial" ><B>SHARING GOD'S PLANET</B></FONT> is a 72 page report just produced for the Anglican General Synod. A motion on 17th February 2005 will ask Synod to commend the report. You can buy it for £5-99 plus £2-50 p&p at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp" target="_top" title="http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.as"><U>http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp?id=2383277</U></A></FONT> Or you can download it for free at  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1558.pdf" target="_top" title="http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensy"><U>http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1558.pdf</U></A></FONT> (you will need Acrobat Reader installed to read this file).</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Friday 28th January 2005-</B></FONT>  Jo Rathbone of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.ecocongregation.org/" target="_top" title="http://www.ecocongregation.org/"><U>Ecocongregation</U></A></FONT> had an extended double page spread on <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/door/content.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/door/cont"><U>Climate Change – Preaching a green message: the Church and global warming</U></A></FONT> in the Oxford Diocesan paper, The Door. Also in The Door, Ian James used his Eco Column to discuss the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/door/content.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/door/cont"><U>Asian Tsunami; what we can learn</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/2992ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Revd Canon Glyn Evans" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Saturday 22nd January 2005- </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.rroxf.co.uk/" target="_top" title="http://www.rroxf.co.uk/"><U>Revd Glyn Evans</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >, a good friend of Sage, was installed as honorary canon of Christ Church Cathedral, in Christ Church, Oxford at Evensong led by the Bishop of Oxford. Four other honorary canons were installed at the same service, and the Cathedral was packed. A number of Sage contacts were present. When we caught up with Glyn after the service, he saw the camera and said, "The Sage web site??"</FONT></div> <div> Many congratulations to Glyn and thanks for all he does in rural and environmental ministry.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B><img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/36bc8e40.jpg" border="0" width="200" height="228" alt="Grey Squirrel" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">Thursday 20th January 2005- </B></FONT><B>Walk with the Creator, Headington Hill Park. </B>Six people met at Headington Hill Park for our last walk in the series, “Exploring Trees in Four Seasons”. We had three tasks for our winter walk. Firstly, to look at the variety of tree shape and form, easily seen in winter when the branches are leafless. The advantage of parkland trees is that they have space to develop their representative forms and we marvelled at the different sizes and shapes, from the stately limes and London planes to the slender birches with graceful dropping branches. We also looked for signs of early flowers and were thrilled to see the tiny red flowers of the Persian Ironwood. Our second task was to look at the Horse Chestnuts and we observed the stout winter twigs with their sticky buds. Caroline pointed out the large shield-shaped, leaf scars with a `horse-shoe' arrangement of old vein traces, like horse-shoe nails. It is likely that the name of the tree comes from this horseshoe pattern. Clare read a poem “The God of Hope” which describes the Horse Chestnut twig, followed by a verse from the Bible (Isaiah 53:4,5). Caroline shared that we too carry scars from hurts and disappointments, but that Christ died and shared in our sufferings. We also looked for the dying Horse Chestnut tree, but discovered that it had been felled, probably for safety <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/36d2ce10.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="225" alt="Evergreen identification" align="RIGHT" hspace="10" vspace="10">reasons. Finally, we walked around the Park and concentrated on identifying the different evergreens. We looked at the arrangement of the conifer needles, smelt the fragrance of the needles and observed colour variations and foliage patterns. We discovered that some conifers, like the larch and swamp cypress are deciduous, and their thin, textured needles formed a dense carpet beneath the trees.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Tuesday 18th January 2005- </B></FONT>Martin Conway of The Oxford Diocese Board of Social Responsibility wrote an interesting reply to a question from a church in Slough- <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.php" target="_top" title="http://www.oxford.anglican.org/detail.ph"><U>What to do with a church yard</U></A></FONT> The reply is based very much on the experience of the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/churchyard.htm" target="_top" title="Ss Mary John churchyard"><U>Ss Mary & John churchyard</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sunday 16th January 2005- </B></FONT>The fourth anniversary of the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage</B></FONT> web site! Our home page counter read 4361 at the end of the day, which means about 3.06 visitors per day over the whole four year time period. On the same date in 2004 we calculated 2.42 visitors per day over the previous three years, so the figure is definitely increasing with time. Undoubtedly, part of the reason for the increase is the extra traffic generated by us hosting the pages for <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" >the coming </FONT>conference <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/climatechange.htm" target="_top" title="Climate Change: How Christians Respond"><U>Climate Change: How Christians Respond</U></A>.</FONT> Other popular pages are this News page, our <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/calendar.htm" target="_top" title="Calendar"><U>Calendar</U></A></FONT>, <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/relatedlinks.htm" target="_top" title="Related Links"><U>Related Links</U></A> </FONT>and the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><a href="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/churchyard.htm" target="_top" title="Ss Mary John churchyard"><U>Ss Mary & John churchyard</U></A></FONT> page.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Saturday 1st January 2005- </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >New Year's Day saw an intrepid band of Sage folk walking on the RSPB's Otmoor <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/28bc80b0.jpg" border="0" width="200" height="267" alt="View towards Charlton-on-Otmoor" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10">reserve. Fortified by brunch at the Steels' we visited the two hides and saw wildfowl in profusion. Mallard, tufted duck and shoveler were particularly in evidence, as was a solitary cormorant which flew to and fro as if on display. It was fascinating to see how creative conservationists had seen the potential in the low lying cereal fields of a decade ago to become areas of wild wetland. Bitterns and bearded tits are particular foci of the conservation efforts.</FONT></div> <div> <I>Caroline & David Steel</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/28d2cdf0.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="223" alt="Bird ID at hide on Otmoor" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Good walk on New Year's Day - fine mixture of mud, duck identification, grebe spotting, more mud, butterfly-egg searching, brunching + tea drinking.........and mud". Clare.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <img src="http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060107120000/http://www.sageoxford.org.uk/2922cb50.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="181" alt="Bird watching" align="LEFT" hspace="10" vspace="10"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Thanks to Clare Newgass and Richard Riggs for the photos.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>