Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (CRES) OPEN DAYThis Open Day took place on Saturday 12th March 2011 at Ripon College Cuddesdon nr. Oxford, and over 20 people attended This included students, staff, former students and people interested in finding out about the course. The day was intended to be an introduction to CRES. The programme was as follows:
10.00-10.30 Arrive and Coffee.
10.30-10.45 Welcome and Introduction to CRES (Dr. Martin Hodson)
10.45-11.45 Talk: Revd. Margot Hodson will give a talk on “Mission in a Rural Context.” This was a really good introduction to the topic, and there was a lot of discussion following it.
11.45-12.30 Groups
(1) Students meet with Martin Hodson (mostly discussing projects that they are undertaking)
(2) Everyone else- Discussion with Margot Hodson led by John Neal
12.30-1.00 Past and Present Students spoke! Thanks to Martin Dominic, Simon Brown and Joy Gadsby.
1.00-2.00 Lunch (excellent)
2.00-3.00 Talk: Lizzie Rushton spoke on ‘Climate Reconstruction using Missionary Sources’. Ever wondered how you might work out the past climate in regions where there are no temperature or rainfall records? Well one way is to look at the written records of people who lived there at the time. Christian missionaries kept very detailed records. Lizzie will talk about her own work in Belize and also consider British Missionary accounts from Mexico and Africa, and New Zealand. The missionaries underlying theology may have impacted upon their beliefs, and also what they wrote about the weather and the environment. It was a fascinating talk!
3.00-3.30 CRES news. Martin Hodson described the course and what is happening in the near future.
3.30-3.45 Short service (John Neal)
3.45 Tea and Depart