CRAIG BROWN

WORLD leaders will be sent a "wake-up call" to address environmental destruction and global poverty by Scotland's churches when they arrive for the G8 summit in July.

The Kirk's members agreed yesterday that on 7 July every church in the country will sound their bells in protest against the lack of co-ordinated strategy on climate change and debt relief.

The Rev Dr Robin Hill called on the General Assembly to make its objections known: "Wouldn't it be wonderful if congregations the length and breadth of the land were able to demonstrate ... our support of the need to find real solutions ... regarding energy and the various concerns surrounding poverty as well?"

The Rev David Bruce, director of the Church's Society, Religion and Technology project, explained the origins of the idea: "It was a suggestion that came to me from the director of the Friends of the Earth Scotland. We were asked could we make lots of noises at that point in time."

The Church and Nation Committee and the assembly gave their wholehearted support to the motion to ring the bells.