‘Praycations’ for staycationers

The Church of England has launched a new web service for people taking a Staycation - holidaying from home instead of going away - during the recession. Staycations offer the opportunity to discover everything a local area has to offer, with cathedrals and local churches often at its centre, says a new Church of England website section at www.cofe.anglican.org/staycations. On the website pages, staycationers can plan their ‘praycation’ by browsing a wide selection of holiday-at-home suggestions, and 10 websites are recommended so visitors can find their local church and cathedral to make the most of their staycation. Over the next month the webpages at will be developed with further ideas and suggestions.

Knowledge of the Bible is poor

Knowledge of the Bible is poor, according to a survey undertaken by Durham University, on behalf of CODEC (Communication in the Digital Environment). Over 900 people, from faith and non-faith backgrounds, were surveyed at various locations throughout England and Wales about their knowledge of the Bible.

62% of respondents did not know the parable of the Prodigal Son and 60% were not able to recall anything about the Good Samaritan. There was also a lack of biblical knowledge among churchgoers, with 72% knowing nothing about Daniel in the Lions’ Den. However, three-quarters of people surveyed said they owned a Bible. Just under athird said that the Bible was significant in their lives today, and many said they still turn to the Bible for support and guidance at key moments.

Economy Gastronomy

The Guardian has been running a week long series on Economy Gastronomy by Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett:

One salmon, four dishes
One chicken, three ways
Turn a pumpkin into a feast
Dinner and a treat: escalope of chicken and treacle tart
Spicy black bean quesadilla and anytime cookies

This ties in with a new BBC2 show, Economy Gastronomy, and a book, Economy Gastronomy: Eat Better And Spend Less by Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett, published by Michael Joseph.

Smells like...Earl Grey

If the thought of Infusion perfume doesn't appeal, how about perfume based on Earl Grey? The French skincare/perfume compant L’Occitane is offering a "limited-edition Bergamot Tea fragrance collection that will delight both men and women alike". For the perfume collection, Earl Grey tea is reinvented into an original and contrasted fragrance, associating the distinction of tea leaves to the subtle freshness of the Calabrian bergamot.

Haggis is English?

A historian has claimed that a haggis recipe was published in an English book almost two hundred years before any evidence of the dish in Scotland. A book published in 1615 indicates haggis was first eaten in England and subsequently popularised by the Scots.

See also: haggis

Updated 4/8: Hands off our haggis, say Scots after English claim‏

Liturgy for a moon landing‏

Following the media interest in the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing, I've just found a blog post offering the Liturgy for a moon landing‏. It seems that the first food and drink consumed on the moon was bread and wine, in the sacrament of communion.

Alpha Male: a reporter checks out the Alpha course

Reporter Adam Rutherford of the Guardian is attending an Alpha course. He is writing up his thoughts in The Guardian every Friday - they are also published on the blog as Alpha Male.

Library-themed ice-cream?

Lots of book-related posts recently, and here's another: Book fans develop a taste for library-themed ice-cream. This reports that Ben & Jerry's is considering launching a library-themed ice-cream flavour, after a campaign by a New Jersey librarian gathered thousands of supporters. They signed a Facebook petition asking the icre-cream firmto produce flavours such as Li-berry pie and Sh-sh-sh-sherbet.

Turning books into trees

From my lunchtime scan of Metro: The artist who turns books into trees. Su Blackwell creates paper models from old novels. Her creations - which appear to grow out of the spine of the book - include forests, buildings, people and boats. They sell for up to £5,000 each.

Job hunting in the recession

Evangelicals Now magazine offers Practical tips on how to find a job after redundancy for Christians, with the following outline:

• Think and pray
• Preparation
• Finding opportunities
• Interviews
• Settling into what's next
• Resources

Lewis and Chesterton for beginners

Following on from Monday's quote from C.S.Lewis, I've just come across a Beginner's Reading List for Lewis and Chesterton that may be of interest if you've always wondered where to start with these "portly, homely, undramatic men" who are "still the bookish Christian's rock stars".

Social media updates

Following today's news that the UK government has published a 20-page guide to Twitter (or "140 character communication explained in too many words"), here are more social media links:

• A Facebook song from the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
• Tweeting mouse trap and window: a cottage that sends Twitter messages when a mouse is caught, a window shut, or a light switched on
• Can you Twitter the Gospel? ‘Twittering’ the gospel accurately may be a challenge... but Paul gives us the confidence that we can summarise the gospel and stay on the message of Jesus and him crucified. Oh, that’s another summary and that is — what? — 15 characters in total in English: ‘We preach Christ crucified’ (1 Corinthians 1.23)".
  

Leicestershire Round goes Audio‏

The Leicestershire Round is on the radio. Chris Baxter, the afternoon presenter on BBC Radio Leicester has recently walked the Round and 10 minute recordings of his travels are being featured on his programme for the next two weeks. They're also available as RealAudio files on the BBC Leicester website. Along with some nice mellow music it's reminiscent of Julia Bradbury's walking programmes on TV.
[provided by Andrew]

C.S.Lewis on tea and books

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough for me" - C.S.Lewis

[ad for the British Library cafe - "visit our cafe to refresh both mind and body"]

Happy International Cup of Tea Day

Rather belatedly I have discovered that the last Sunday in July is now designated International Cup of Tea Day. Perhaps next year Infusion should celebrate with a tea party!

Summer reading from IVP

The IVP annual summer sale is now in full swing, with many titles available for as little as half price! Sale prices are available at participating Christian bookshops or via the IVP website at www.ivpbooks.com/sales. You can also download a copy of the sale brochure here.

Swine flu: impact on communion

On Thursday The Archbishops of Canterbury and York wrote to Bishops in the Church of England recommending the suspension of the sharing of the chalice at communion. The Archbishops’ letter follows advice from the Department of Health not to share “common vessels” for food or drink. For those who wish still to offer both bread and wine, the Archbishops have recommended use of “personal intinction by the presiding minister” allowing the priest to dip communion wtafers in the chalice before handing them out to communicants.

Elsewhere, thermometers sell out with swine flu scare and prayers for the pandemic.

New rituals for the British summer

The BBC website on emerging trends that say much about Britain in the 21st Century: new rituals for the British summer.

Divine competition

Divine Fairtrade chocolate will be launching a new flavour in stores inthe autumn: 70% Dark Chocolate with Raspberries will join the range in September.

To become one of the first to try the rich dark chocolate infused with real zesty raspberries, enter the competition to win an exclusive bar. Closing date is 31 July.

Plastic bag revolution

Government figures reveal that shoppers are rejecting plastic bags - the national use of plastic bags has halved to 450m since 2007. This has been heralded as a "small green revolution".

Rohan Bags beat the RPI (or MBI)

Rohantime has been tracking the price of Rohan Bags from 1978-2009 against the Mars Bar Index. Why? It’s not often that an item of clothing can be tracked over 30 years because products change so often or are superseded, up or down graded. However, this is possible with Rohan Bags - soon be celebrating over 30 years of continuous manufacturing means that the Bags Price Index can be tracked over all those years. And the Mars Bar Index? Apparently the price of a Mars Bar correlates accurately with the change in value of the pound sterling since World War II.

The price of a Mars Bar has increased by 300% over the years. During the same period, Bags reveal a slightly smaller percentage increase. Read the full results.

World Ebook Fair - 2 million free titles

Until August 4, 2009, the World Ebook Fair is being held and you can have access to over 2 million ebooks for free. Go here to check out the massive selection of ebooks which are available.

Cost of a cuppa is rising

Further news about the rising cost of tea. The blog broke the news back in May: tea news

Celebrating 40 years since Apollo 11 Landing

A Wordle of Neil Armstrong's words from the Apollo 11 mission

• NASA website: Apollo 40th Anniversary features
• The Science of Apollo 11
• Apollo 11 Landing's 40th Anniversary celebrated, new footage released

In the Thick of It

Tearfund have been working with local churches around the world for over 40 years, and are passionate about the role that local churches play in meeting practical and spiritual needs. Believing that their role should be recognised and encouraged, the charity has put together In the Thick of It, a position paper on the role of the local church in development.

The paper is full of stories about local churches in tough situations, reaching out to the people around them and offering hope and help in times of need. Read the press release to learn more about Tearfund's vision of mobilising churches to get even better at working effectively within their own communities.

The Unquenchable Flame‏

The Unquenchable Flame: introducing the Reformation, by Mike Reeves has recently been published:

Burning pyres, nuns on the run, stirring courage, comic relief: the story of the Protestant Reformation is a gripping tale, packed with drama. But what motivated the Reformers? And what were they really like?

In this lively, accessible and informative introduction, Michael Reeves brings to life the colourful characters of the Reformation, unpacks their ideas, and shows the profound and personal relevance of Reformation thinking for today.

The Theology Network has a whole host of resources to accompany the book.

The C-factor test / Portrait of Calvin

If you followed up the earlier post about Calvin, you may wish to take the Take the ‘C-factor’ test to find out if you are a closet Calvinist. Developed in the Netherlands, read more about the poll online.

You may also be interested in a free e-book: Portrait of Calvin by T.H.L. Parker with a foreword by John Piper. This reprint of T.H.L. Parker’s classic biography commemorates the 500th anniversary of Calvin’s birth in 1509. Parker is a former Reader in Theology at the University of Durham in England and an expert on Calvin’s life and thought. Parker’s Portrait was first published in 1954 - but it’s not the kind of book that goes out of date, because it’s only trying to be current with the sixteenth century.

Sounds of summer

The chirp of crickets and grasshoppers is overtaking native songbirds as the sound of the British summer, reports the Guardian today.

Twitter for beginners

Yesterday the Guardian published a number of stories about Twitter - you can check them out online. Of particular interest may be:

• How to be a 'twitt': a guide for Twitter's late adopters
• Twitter etiquette: the rules

See also: Infusion posts mentioning Twitter.

Wildlife podcasts

BBC Wildlife Magazine is the world's best-selling natural history and environmental magazine. The website includes resources, competitions, and a monthly podcast reflecting on recent wildlife news.

The RSPB also offer a monthly award-winning podcast: Nature's Voice. Each podcast brings features, interviews and news of birds and wildlife, from back gardens to the Sumatran rainforest.

During 2008/09 the National Trust offered a monthly wildlife podcast service looking at what is going on around England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Grow your own tea?

Last year Jacky reported on home-grown British tea, and yesterday Radio 4's On your farm visited the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall which now sells a range of fourteen teas: four black teas (including Earl Grey) and ten herbal infusions.

Tregothnan teas are now served and sold at a select number of establishments throughout the UK including Claridges and Fortnum & Mason’s in London. They are also available online and you can even buy a tea bush (Camellia Sinensis) to grow your own tea at home!

Comfort-eating through the recession?

The BBC website reports on how Britain eats its way through recessions: "when the going gets tough, the tough, it seems, tuck into pudding". The report suggests that this may be more than just comfort eating, and that there may be profound implications for the way we understand what happens to the economy (in both good and bad times) and for how it might behave in future.

60 years of Bible distribution in Britain

2008 marked 100 years of worldwide Gideon Scripture distribution, with over 1.3 billion copies of the precious Word of God placed and presented around the world. In Gideon's diamond, read about how the United Kingdom became a ‘Gideon’ country in 1949, and by 1975 was a self-supporting National Association. The Gideons' website resources include Bible Helps, Daily Bible readings, and a two-year Daily Bible Reading Plan.

The Happy Planet Index

The Happy Planet Index reveals the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered. The index combines environmental impact with human well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which, country by country, people live long and happy lives. The Happy Planet Index 2.0 was published earlier this month and reveals a surprising picture of the relative wealth and progress of nations. Learn about the ideas behind the HPI, how it is calculated, and why we need it on the HPI website.

Historic Bible pages put online

About 800 pages of the earliest surviving Christian Bible have been recovered and put on the internet. Visitors to the website www.codexsinaiticus.org can now see images of more than half the Codex Sinaiticus manuscript - written in Greek on parchment leaves. For 1,500 years, the Codex Sinaiticus lay undisturbed in a Sinai monastery until it was found in 1844 and split between Egypt, Russia, Germany and Britain.

The British Library is marking the online launch of the manuscript with an exhibition - which includes a range of historic items and artefacts linked to the document.

Boiled eggs for the culinary incompetent

It may be hard to believe, but thanks to a miracle of modern ingenuity you need never boil or shell another egg again. You just buy pre-boiled eggs from the Happy Egg Company - and all the hard work has been done for you! Read the Guardian on making the ultimate convenience food even simpler - or alternatively read Delia on how to boil an egg.

Compost links

• Free Green Cone & Food Waste Digester Workshops: Leicestershire Waste Partnership are offering residents the chance to find out just how useful food waste digesters are. The free workshops are a great opportunity to see what units are on offer and get advice on which type would suit you best. A local workshop will be held on Sat 25th July at Loughborough Town Hall, from 10:00am - 12noon.
• If you can't make a workshop then read about Food Waste Digesters and take the opportunity to buy a digesters at up to 60% off the RRP.
• Wiggly Wigglers sells plenty of worms. However, the site, set up more than 10 years ago, also has more than 2,000 gardening goodies to help create an environmentally friendly Eden in your backyard.

Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON)

Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON) was set up almost a year ago to serve the Church by providing information to enable Christians to stand up publicly against a tide of unchristian legal and political changes in the United Kingdom. It brings together focused legal, policy and media expertise and strategic intervention in order to secure favourable legal and political outcomes in areas of concern. It also acts as a rallying point for those concerned with these issues and a place where individual members of the public and organisations will be able to seek assistance and advice. CCFON draws on the skills and expertise of lawyers, but is dependent on the support of thousands of Christians in churches across the UK who want to see the nation turn back to God. Visit the CCFON website or download CCFON's Vision Pamphlet for more information.

New map shop from OS

The Ordnance Survey has recently relaunched its online map shop to make it easier to find the maps that you are looking for. Simply enter the location you want to visit and the OS will take you to a range of products that will help you get the most from your holidays and days out. Checkout OS Select which gives you the opportunity to decide exactly where you want the centre of the map to be - whether it is your house, a town (anywhere in Great Britain), your favourite walk or even a tea shop!

A Platypus for wine

OK, so a Platypus isn't suitable for porridge, but another product from the company behind the Platypus hydration system may intrigue you. The PlatyPreserve claims to be "the best way to protect the taste of an opened bottle of wine by completely eliminating the presence of oxygen". How dies it work? The three environmental factors that damage wine are: oxygen, temperature, and ultraviolet light. The PlatyPreserve solves the first factor by isolating your wine from oxygen. You can deal with the other two factors by storing the PlatyPreserve in a cool dark place.

Birdsong Radio lives on

Did you ever listen to Birdsong radio? Unfortunately the DAB Station went off air on 1st June. However, you can order the CD for offline access, or listen to the peaceful sounds of Dawn Chorus via your computer, using the player on http://www.birdsongradio.com/. You can also become a Facebook Fan or follow the service on Twitter.

Shrinking the Footprint in every parish

A senior bishop and a Government minister have spelled out the importance of the Church of England’s role in mobilising action on climate change, as its Shrinking the Footprint campaign unveiled energy saving toolkits for every parish in a bid to create the 20% Church by 2050. Read more details here.

Calvin at 500

Marking the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, Radio 4's Beyond Belief this week discussed why this major Protestant reformer altered the shape and changed the thinking of Western Europe. Listen here to learn more about the legacy of Calvin and why his ideas still influence churches in Britain and around the world today.

Over on the Theology Network, Mike Reeves introduces us to Calvin, his life and theology, in three talks.

Gadget reviews

The John Lewis website contains a Buying guide for technology gadgets. More informative than just a straight sales pitch, for each topic (e..g. digital cameras, laptops and mobile phones) there is a succinct overview of the technology and the main options. For independent advice, view the Which website (for thousands of products that have been individually tested and rated by experts) and the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI), described as an "unbeatable check-before-you-buy resource".

Recycle Week 2009

Recycle Week 2009 takes place from 22-28 June. It's a campaign that wants you to do less, not more! This Recycle Week is all about the many, easy ways we can all waste less.

It’s easy to get involved this Recycle Week. We can all help by doing anything from re-using our carrier bags to recycling old electrical items – remembering to put as much of our recycling out, reducing our food waste and home composting of course! However you choose to waste less, it helps the environment and you might even save money in the process. To show how much we can contribute as individuals, the website includes a list of easy-to-achieve pledges.

Leading group walks (and other tips)

As midsummer approaches, here's advice on leading group walks in remote areas or demanding conditions, in a helpful factsheet from the Ramblers. There are lots more helpful tips on the Ramblers website.

See also:
- Preparing for hiking

- Long Distance Walkers Association

Students help connect the Vatican to Internet 2.0

A college student helped bring Pope Benedict XVI to YouTube and Facebook — literally. As an intern for the Vatican’s Internet office, Samantha Chin researched different ways for the Roman Catholic Church to publicize the Pope’s message for annual World Communication Day, in May. Ms. Chin was part of a Villanova University internship program that has been working for the past seven years to keep the Catholic Church up to date with multimedia tools and technology. Tools include the Vatican’s YouTube site; a Facebook application called Pope2You, which allows users to send virtual postcards and get-well messages in five languages; and an iPhone application that distributes news.

Ideal job for mountain lovers?

In a first for Scotland, a Unesco chair has been created at Perth College UHI in recognition of the institution's work into maintaining mountains and their communities. Martin Price, director of the Centre for Mountain Studies, will take on the new chair in Sustainable Mountain Development, where he will work with international partners to promote the field. Professor Price was appointed the world's first Professor of Mountain Studies in 2005; in 2007, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with former US vice-president and environmental activist Al Gore. See also: 'I like mountains because of the physical challenge and the aesthetics'.

Save on travel and language books

Travelling this summer? Borders is currently offering 25% off a host of travel books including guidebooks, travel journals and classic travelogues. You can also save 50% off Take Off in Language Courses - multimedia courses which allow you to work at your own pace and provide a compact and complete language course. All orders over £10 come with free UK delivery.

Jonathan Porritt on the ultimate recession

As part of the Centenary celebrations at Loughborough University, and to highlight the institution's commitment to environmental sustainability, the University is hostinga Centenary Lecture by Jonathon Porritt on Wednesday 24 June at 5pm: "From Credit Crunch to Climate Crunch: Avoiding the Ultimate Recession". Further information.

Grow a garden from matchsticks?

Planning on starting a credit crunch garden but don't know where to start? Maybe you need a matchstick garden... What appears to be a book of matches is actually 10 strips of card, bearing seeds. You just tear off a strip, stick in a plant pot, and watch your greens grow in front of your very eyes. You don't need a big garden, a swanky greenhouse or fancy gardening skills to get started! Available in Mixed Greens and Italian Garden varieties.

Interview with Narnia Code author

You may be interested in an interview with the Rev. Dr. Michael Ward, an Anglican minister and the author of Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis. The book was featured in The Narnia Code - the BBC documentary called broadcast on BBC1 in April and May.

New teashop for Snowdon!

[above: Infusion climbed Snowdon in 2004]

An £8.3 million visitor centre, is to be formally opened today (12 June 2009) on the top of Mount Snowdon, Wales's highest mountain. Although Hafod Eryri, comprising a rail terminus, cafe and visitor centre, opened its doors to the public in May, the official opening will be carried out by the Rt. Hon. Rhodri Morgan who will unveil a special mountain stone set into the rear terrace of the new building. Eryri in English is Snowdonia but there is no translation for Hafod, an old Welsh term for residence on high land. Check out the Snowdon Summit Blog for more information.

Library reward scheme

Members of Leicestershire libraries can join the free, new library reward scheme. You can collect a point on your rewards card each time you visit a county or mobile library and borrow six or more items. You can collect up to 12 points on each card and these can be cashed in for one of a range of rewards. More on the library service blog.

The poetry of the Psalms

This week's edition of Poetry Please on Radio 4 was dedicated to the poetry of the Book of Psalms, in old translations and new. Some were read in the King James version, and others in the recent translation of the Psalms by Robert Alter. It was presented by Roger McGough and read by Kenneth Cranham and Henry Goodman. There are five more days to Listen again to the programme.

Hold a Blooming Great Tea Party

The UK Tea Council is encouraging us all to hold a Blooming Great Tea Party between June 12 and July 12 in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Every tea party, however big or small, will help Marie Curie Cancer Care nurse someone with terminal cancer, giving them the choice to be cared for at home.
You can sign up now and receive a fundraising pack bursting with ideas to help you create your perfect party by visiting www.mariecurie.org.uk/teaparty.

Environment Sunday

Following World Environment Day on Friday, today is Environment Sunday. To coincide with this, A Rocha UK have launched the new website for their Living Lightly initiative. It aims to encourage and motivate you to make practical changes in all these areas through giving you ideas of things you can do, further information on key issues, links to useful websites and resources, and an on-line community that you can share your thoughts and questions with. See also: Pray now, act now.

Round-up of animal stories

• City birds sing higher than country cousins: birds living in cities sing higher-pitched songs than country-dwelling birds in order to be heard above the urban din.
• Beavers return after 400-year gap: beavers brought over from Norway for a reintroduction programme have been released into the wild in Argyll.
• Wallaby spotted in Cornish garden: a wallaby with a baby joey has been photographed hopping around the back garden of a house in Cornwall.
• Baby anteater finds its feet: a baby anteater has made its public debut at an aquarium in Tokyo.

Happy World Environment Day!

The UN has dubbed every 5 June as World Environment Day (WED) a day used by the United Nations to stimulate worldwide awareness of environmental issues and encourages political action.to try and get the planet to be top of mind for a change. Here is Cafédirect’s take on WED.

USB-rechargable battery

USBCELL rechargeable batteries are a new concept in rechargeable batteries - you simply plug them into the USB ports on your computer to charge them up, then use them in your electrical gadget. With over 15 billion alkaline batteries made and thrown away each year - wasting resources, C02 and creating toxic landfill - it's good to come across an eco-friendly alternative. Even better when the eco-friendly alternative can be re-used hundreds of times and doesn't require a charger or adaptor cable, saving money, hassle and waste.

USBCELL batteries are available from Amazon and the Onya company (who also sell the Onya Weigh and wrapsacks).

Hungry Elephant - affiliate scheme for charities‏

The Hungry Elephant website runs an affiliate scheme for charities to obtain a financial contribution from a vendor when someone uses the charity's code to shop online. It can be a way for voluntary organisations to lever income from the spending of your members or supporters. For example, some supermarkets will pay a certain percentage of the bill to the charity when people shop online with them. And the name? It comes from the "feeling that trying to fundraise is a bit like trying to feed a hungry elephant...a lot of hard work for very little gain". [forwarded by Phil]

My YHA

Somehow I missed the launch of My YHA at the end of last year:
Since My YHA was launched in December, more than 1,500 people have signed up to become part of YHA’s online community. Registering your details on the site allows you to start your own topics in the forum, respond to comments left by other users, and submit reviews of any hostel . You can use the online forum to help you find out information about what YHA has to offer. People have so far been discussing anything from their favourite hostels to looking for suggestions for their next holiday.

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".

Toolkit and quiz for World Fair Trade Day (May 9th)

To celebrate World Fair Trade Day on May 9th, Cafédirect have created a short quiz that you can hold over a cup of delicious Cafédirect coffee, tea or hot chocolate at home with friends or in your work canteen. You can download the quiz, and get in touch to receive a Toolkit packed full of resources and delicious samples to make more of a bang!

• Download the quiz
• Order a Toolkit

Making the perfect cup of coffee

In Who needs an espresso machine?, coffee obsessive Tim Hayward describes his journey of discovery after his prized espresso machine broke down. In his search for alternatives he learned that there are good cups of coffee to be had without the huge investment of a temperamental, steam-spitting appliance. He discusses the use of the Cafetiere, Moka pot (caffetiera), Syphon pots, and the Handpresso.

See also: Espresso: the ideal beverage for a recession

Square Mile

The Evangelical Alliance are asking "Would anyone notice if your church ceased to exist?" as they introduce a new resource called Square Mile. Square Mile is a website and a DVD-based course for churches and small groups, aimed at 'grassroots' church members.

The 'Mile' in Square Mile' very conveniently stands for:

• Mercy: demonstrating God's compassion to the poor
• Influence: being salt and light in the public life of the community
• Life Discipleship: equipping Christians for missional living as workers and neighbours
• Evangelism: faithful and relevant communication of the gospel

Coffee taster's tongue worth £10m

The BBC reported that Costa Coffee have insured the tongue of their chief coffee taster for £10m. Gennaro Pelliccia personally tastes a sample of each batch of raw coffee beans at Costa Coffee's London plant before they are roasted and shipped to its stores.

The insurance policy was taken out with Lloyds of London. "The taste buds of a Master of Coffee are as important as the vocal cords of a singer or the legs of a top model, and this is one of the biggest single insurance policies taken out for one person," said a spokesman for the insurance brokers.

Online Bible verses give hope in credit crunch

Words of hope and specially selected Bible verses have been added to the Church of England’s Matter of Life and Debt online initiative to help those suffering from the agony of hopelessness in the current financial situation. Finding hope when struggling with debt complements practical advice and resources for escaping problem debt with simple ways to develop a sense of hope for the future.

The new pages advise website visitors to look beyond the here and now, to count their blessings, and to remember that they are valuable to God, even if they lose the ‘status’ that comes with jobs and money. They will also find encouragement to pray to God about financial worries, with Psalms 42 and 130 offered as words of prayer.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope” (Psalm 130)