Weekly Update – 26th July
The Church of England recently published a new book “Hope for all creation”, which reminds us of Christ being at the centre of creation. In publishing this new book the Church of England draws our attention to the principle that “our response to climate and environmental crises must be drawn from the faith, life and worship of the Church”.
A new “Festival of Creation in Christ” has been assigned to the first Sunday in September. It provides for a specific celebration of creation and the role of humanity in protecting the environment that sustains us and every part of creation on Earth. This new Festival falls at the start of the Season of Creationtide which runs from 1st September to 4th October (St Francis’ Day). The festival will be an opportunity for worship and prayer to be focused on creation, alongside other activities and resources that are used to give thanks for creation and renew our commitment to protecting the environment.
Being an Eco Church is one way that we can make a practical contribution to sustaining the environment. There are regular updates on our activities as an Eco- church. Lynn Bourne is our Eco-church Co-ordinator. If you want to know more about our activities as an Eco-church please contact Lynn.
I recently visited a garden which included a “Creation Walk”. It was a series of 30 stations which represented a journey in time through creation. Each station on the “Creation Walk” provided an opportunity, through reflection and prayer, to engage with the vastness and glory of God’s creation. Each station represented a key point in creation with a short explanation alongside a verse of Scripture that roots us in our relationship with God and the created order. The photograph at the top of this newsletter is one of the stations – this one about the galaxies. Hopefully, you can read the explanation. At the bottom is a verse from Psalm 19.1:
‘The heavens are telling the glory of God; they show forth the work of God’s hands’
I have been told that other “Creation Walks” exist. So if you get a chance to see one it is well worth spending some time there.
Nigel
