The Wave

The day began for me at 10.00 with a photo-call for bishops and church leaders followed by an ecumenical service in a packed Westminster Central Hall.

In a stirring address the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of good news for the whole creation and of how we need to live in a way that will mean stepping back from some of the things we think we need in order to allow others to have the things they really need. The Archbishop of Westminster spoke of living simply so that others could simply live.

After the service we poured out onto the march and were part of a great crowd that wound its way through central London and eventually encircled the Houses of Parliament. It was a clear and joyful message to the governments of the world that these Copenhagen talks have got to succeed. We need agreement on cutting carbon emissions and we need climate justice for the whole of the earth.

On the march I bumped into lots of people from the Oxford diocese – parties from Ascot, Burghfield, Caversham, East Reading, Pangbourne, Thatcham and Woodley. I saw some girls who I confirmed last week. Maranda St John Nicholls was hard at work organising church leaders at the service. Martin Conway, along with thousands of others, was in the crowd. It was day to feel good about humanity and to rekindle hope for the world.

Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Reading