Half a million to be invited Back to Church

Churchgoers across the Church of England are set personally to invite up to half a million people to services on Back to Church Sunday 2009, which takes place on 27 September. This will make the event one of the largest co-ordinated evangelism events shared across the Church in recent history. More details online at http://www.backtochurch.co.uk/.

Round-up of tea news

Tea may be going up in price, but some tea producers are seeking to add more value by interacting with customers in different ways:

• Cafédirect have given their packaging for tea (and coffee and cocoa) a spring makeover.
• You can keep up with the latest news from Cafédirect on Twitter.
• Twinings have recently starting communicating with their customers by teamail. These aim to keep you up to date with the latest news from Twinings, make sure you’re the first to know about new teas, and receive details of special treats.
• The latest TV ad for Twinings shows how to turn tea into art. It showcases the skills of Ilana Yahav, a live animation artist who creates the beautiful art images out of tea leaves.
• The UK Tea Council has launched a monthly series which will focus on the top places to take tea around the British Isles. In May, this looks at Devon & Cornwall.

Sci-fi updates

• The BBC has announced that David Tennant is to appear as the Time Lord in the spin-off show The Sarah Jane Adventures. He will appear over two episodes of a new 12-part series of the CBBC show, which starts in September. The same news item notes that Doctor Who may be heading for the big screen after a spokeswoman for BBC Films confirmed that "a script is in development".
• Seen the new Star Trek film yet? If you are a fan, you may enjoy this Guardian article on the Starship Enterprise as a classic of everyday design.

In our Time on St Paul‏

Going to work this morning I heard a trailer for In our Time, presented by Melvyn Bragg. The focus for today's programme is St Paul: "The spirit of St Paul infuses Christianity still, but his life and his letters reveal the very early church; a community dealing with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without Paul's energy, his encouragement and his ideas, Christianity as we know it would simply not exist". You can listen again for the next week.

European Elections 2009

CARE has developed http://www.vote2009.eu/, a website to help Christians understand the issues surrounding the upcoming European Elections. Of particular interest may be the policy briefings which look at what the European Parliament has done since the last election. The briefings cover the following issues: equalities, family, bioethics, gambling, human trafficking, and the Lisbon Treaty. CARE would like to encourage Christians to engage in these elections, believing that you can make a difference for the sake of the future.

Ramblers Get Walking Day (30 May)

Saturday 30 May is the Ramblers Get Walking Day. Local Rambler groups have organised 138 short walks across England, Scotland and Wales. Most are on the Saturday but there are also some walks on the Sunday too. All walks are short (2-5 miles), across fairly easy terrain, and open to everyone. The walks will be led by friendly, experienced Walks Leaders, who will be waiting for you at the meeting point. Check the Walk Finder to see where your nearest walk will be. The Ramblers provide a Get Walking leaflet with tips and hints.

Hit the Ground Kneeling

We've blogged previously about a couple of books written by Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Reading. His latest book, Hit the Ground Kneeling, takes common statements about leadership – statements that we often take for granted – and questions them in the light of Christian faith and Christian perspectives on leadership. THe publisher's website describes the book as "a timely antidote to the glut of self- help, quick-fix management books!". You can listen to Stephen talking about his new book in a podcast.

See also: Do Nothing to Change Your Life and Do Nothing... Christmas is Coming.

Springwatch

Springwatch is back on the TV this evening for its annual three week run. Checkout the website for:

• Breathing Spaces - content that you can download, print out, and take with you into the great outdoors (pocket guides, MP3s etc);
• Do One Thing - lots of little things to do to make a big difference for nature;
• Springwatch Flickr group - share your pictures of spring or just browse beautiful images of the season's best flora and fauna.

Seeking first the Kingdom

At Holy Trinity, Leicester we have recently begun a sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount(downloads here) and Emmanuel Church, Loughborough looked at the Beatitudes last summer (search on blessed here). Recently we've been singing Tim Hughes' song Living For Your Glory, which fits in with the focus of these sermons on the Kingdom:

And take my life, let it be everything, all of me
Here I am, use me for Your glory
In everything I say and do, let my life honor You
Here I am living for Your glory
Seeking first the Kingdom of my Lord

Star Trek links

The film Star Trek was released earlier this month. It got a definitive thumbs-up from a select group from Infusion who went to see it. If watching it made you want to check this prequel against the original series, you may be interested in Memory Alpha, a collaborative project to create the most definitive, accurate, and accessible encyclopedia and reference for everything related to Star Trek.

See also:

• Wikipedia on Star Trek (2009)
• Damaris Culture Watch on Star Trek
• Christianity Today Movies on Star Trek

How to be Super-Thrifty

I just read Kath Kelly's book 'How I Lived a Year on Just a Pound a Day'. Mainly because I was curious to find out just what was allowed to be included in the £1, as I'd heard about it on the radio, and couldn't believe that this was possible. The book turned out to be an entertaining and informative read.

The feat - which started as a bit of a dare - seems to have taken place a couple of years ago, so perhaps Ms Kelly managed to avoid some of the food price rises. Rent wasn't included in the £1, but everything else was.... although some of the survival tactics were a little cheeky, like pinching newspapers out of other people's recycling boxes when they were left out on bin-day, to get the coupons to collect tokens for freebies. Other strategies, such as buying reduced price items in the supermarket and picking wild food were rather more familiar.

The author managed not only to survive - AND put on weight - but also to get in a couple of trips away without cheating, which was all very impressive on such a tiny budget. Internet sites that are of use to anyone wishing to live a more frugal - and green - lifestyle are listed at the back of the book, and include Freecycle, organic farm volunteering, and car-sharing sites.

The only snag is that the book itself has a hefty £6.99 price tag..... this seemed to jar with the spirit of the book - so I borrowed it from the local library for just a 25p reservation fee. Ms Kelly would be proud!

An Edible History of Humanity

Earlier this week I listened to a discussion on the Today programme between Tom Standage, the business editor of The Economist, and Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, discuss how the history of food has affected the history of man.

The discussion was stimulated by the recent publication of a new book, An Edible History of Humanity. It was fascinating to hear Standage's thesis that the switch to farming has done more to change the world than any other human activity, and may have been one of man's biggest mistakes. You can read a review from the Sunday Times.

The ‘fuzzy faith’ of the British

A study conducted as part of the EU-funded European Social Survey has revealed that Britain is one of the least religious nations in Europe. The lead researcher says that "the UK is ‘on the road to non-religion’, with Christianity gradually being erased from public life and the older generation failing to pass it on". ‘Fuzzy faith’ is defined as "an abstract belief in God and ill-defined loyalty to Christian traditions". Only 12% of adults in the UK feel they ‘belong’ to a church, compared with 52% in France. Read the study: The Rise and Fall of Fuzzy Fidelity in Europe

Tea to increase in price

Bad news - the cost of a cup of tea is set to rise next month after droughts and the falling pound have increased the price of tea. A combination of factors have driven up auction prices for tea over the past year: the United Kingdom Tea Council reports that droughts in India, Kenya and Sri Lanka have caused crop failures, with production in East Africa falling by 10%. The collapse in sterling has also made tea much more expensive for British importers who buy tea in dollars.

Credit crunch tips from Chelsea

The Chelsea Flower Show opens this week and, in light of the recession, it is turning its attention to credit crunch-busting measures for the garden, featuring ideas from growing plants to make perfume to recycling.

Related posts:
- Get your hands dirty!
- How to be a thrifty gardener
- How green is your garden?

Bring on the bacon butty

National Vegetarian Week starts today but, despite this, there is a Guardian editorial In praise of ... bacon sandwiches‏! It points out that eating bacon will not give you swine flu, and that it is a good time to support (free-range) British pig farmers. And "food boffins" give their opinion on the ideal bacon butty.

Repeat showing of Narnia Code (May 18‏)

If you missed The Narnia Code last month it is to be repeated on May 18 at 7.30pm on BBC4.

Googling to check if it would be available on the BBC iPlayer again, I found this article: Secret theme behind Narnia Chronicles is based upon the stars, says new research with some background to the documentary as well as the official Narnia Code website.

Update: Thanks to Michael for letting me know that the programme IS available on the iPlayer until next Monday (25th).

A restaurant in your living room?

I heard this news item on the Today Programme this morning and thought it sounded a great idea. As part of the Eat Newcastle Gateshead food festival, ten families have opened up their homes for an evening as "underground restaurants". The concept is simple: an amateur cook prepares and serves food for members of the public. There is usually a small charge but for a fraction of restaurant prices, the diners will get a meal that is authentic and distinctive. Check out the story here: a restaurant in your living room. It does sound a little bit like the Infusion formal dinners.

More gourmet budget recipes

Missed some of the Guardian's series on Gourmet eating on a budget? Check out the whole Dinner for under a fiver series for recipes from: Delia Smith, Jamie Oliver, Rose Gray, Sam Clark, and Yotam Ottolenghi.

Social networking through travel clothing?

Both Craghoppers and Rohan have recently launched "communities" to bring together people who wear their clothes. Strange idea? Well, I've certainly had discussions with other holidaymakers also wearing Rohan gear, and I often note the brands people wear when we pass each other on the hills. Check out the sites and see what you think:

• Rohantime: the place to capture the spirit of Rohan Clothing. Share your knowledge, experiences, stories of travel, outdoor life and Rohan Clothing on Rohantime… And you can even follow Rohantime on Twitter.
• Crags Community: less developed but offers competitions, photo gallery, blog posts and info on the clothing.
  

Bluebells in Charnwood

It is the peak time for viewing bluebells in and around Charnwoood at present. The following sites are recommended if you want to wander walk through bluebell-carpeted woodlands: Serpentine Wood on the Calke Abbey Estate, Outwoods in Charnwood near Loughborough, Jackson’s Bank in Staffordshire or Staunton Ridgeway through Spring Wood Nature Reserve, near Staunton Harold.

See :

- Rolling Out The Blue Carpet in The National Forest

- The National Forest leaflet showing where to see wildlife, including wildflowers.

New members of the Three Peaks of Yorkshire Club

Paul, Peter, Phil, Simon and Tricia completed the Three Peaks of Yorkshire challenge in eleven hours.

Gourmet eating on a budget

The Guardian is running a week-long series of "affordable recipes from Britain's top chefs". Today Delia Smith shares her ideas for eating deliciously on the cheap - and offers two exclusive recipes for dinner under £5: Potato, onion and cheese souffle with sage and Spiced rhubarb and ginger brulee .

World Fair Trade Day

Today is World Fair Trade Day - a global festival of Fair Trade with events organised worldwide to campaign for justice in trade. The theme for this year's World Fair Trade Day is Big Bang!

National Forest Walking Festival

The National Forest Walking Festival will run from 16-25 May 2009. Volunteers will be leading 42 walks over the 12 days, including several evening walks. Walks will range from 1 - 12 miles in length. You can download the Walking Festival brochure on the NF website.

Ned Flanders: America's best-known Christian?

From Saturday's Times: God is back: How Ned Flanders won the evangelical crusade: the media may portray evangelicals, such as Ned Flanders, as losers, but US-style Christianity has gone global. [Thanks to Andrew for the link]

Swine Flu: advice‏ and prayers

From today, all UK households will receive leaflets giving information about influenza A/H1N1 ('swine flu') and advice on how to prevent its spread. The advice is the same as for regular flu: use clean tissues when you cough or sneeze; bin tissues after use; and wash hands with soap, hot water or gel.

The Church of England has published the following selection of prayers for use in churches from this weekend, in light of the developing situation:

Heavenly Father,
giver of life and health:
comfort and restore those who are sick,
that they may be strengthened in their weakness
and have confidence in your unfailing love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Creator and Father of all,
we pray for those who are ill.
Bless them, and those who serve their needs,
that they may put their whole trust in you
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Porridge in my Platypus

.....you had to be there during the Infusion walking weekend in Ingleton (1-3 May) to truly appreciate what this means! However, we did think it might make a great title for a book.

Five of our group completed the Three Peaks Challenge in around eleven hours (earning them membership of the Three Peaks of Yorkshire Club) and the other five completed the AP Whernside Challenge (twelve and a half miles) in considerably less time. Although the teashop quota was low this weekend, a number of us did make the semi-obligatory stop at the Long Preston Rohan shop. [photos to follow soon]

Second Blogaversary

The Infusion blog clocks up its second birthday today, and will probably reach 500 posts this month.

See also: Blogging Birthday and Welcome to the Infusion blog!

Foodie walks in Scotland

Any combination of food, walking and Scotland has to be good as far as I'm concerned! VisitScotland has put together a series of ten downloadable walks which take in great eateries. These easy-to-print walks including details on great places to eat: from top notch fish and chip shops and gastro pubs to luxurious restaurants, so that visitors can build up an appetite with something tasty to look forward to. The ten walks across Scotland offer walkers the choice of different levels of ability and eateries for all budgets.

Why you don't read your Bible

Dan Hames suggests three reasons why we don't read the Bible:

• ‘You don’t have time’
• ‘You think the bible’s all about you’
• ‘You think your bible reading is for God’s benefit.’

However, "in the same way that skipping breakfast is more of a missed opportunity than a morally dubious choice; not going to the scriptures for nourishment is not a matter of calling down the anger of God, but of omitting to take advantage of His good gifts to his children".

Would you wear recycled rubbish?

Using bottles that were destined for rubbish tips and landfill sites, designers at Debenhams have spent a year creating a 100% recycled women’s trouser suit for sale on the High Street. After being cleaned and having the labels removed, the bottles were melted down, then refined and woven into a soft, but hard-wearing polyester. Far from rubbish, the purse-friendly £55 suit - with single-buttoned jacket nipped in at the waist, subtle herringbone lining and modern boot-cut finish trousers – offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for the office.

Ten wild corners of Britain & Ireland

Want to get far away from the madding crowds over the Bank Holiday? Here's advice on ten favourite "wilderness spots" in Britain and Ireland from the Wanderlust website. "A few special places on these busy islands where it’s still possible to feel as if you're the only person in the world".