An Inspiring Caring for Creation Celebration Service
Last Saturday was an inspiring service of celebration at Southwell Minster, bringing together people from across the diocese to celebrate our shared commitment to Caring for Creation. The service recognised the hard work of churches as they work towards becoming A Rocha Eco Churches, as well as celebrating progress towards our target of establishing Net Zero Carbon Demonstrator Churches across the diocese.
Eco Church, run by A Rocha UK, encourages and supports churches to care for God’s creation across five areas of church life: worship and teaching, buildings and energy, land and nature, community and global engagement, and lifestyle. There are currently 145 registered Eco Churches across the diocese, including 58 Bronze, 34 Silver and one Gold church, demonstrating the growing commitment of our churches to caring for creation in practical and meaningful ways.
The congregation received a warm welcome and introduction from the Dean of Southwell, Revd Dr Stephen Evans, before hearing a series of Good News Eco Stories from across the diocese. The Fosse Group, St Cyprian’s Nottingham, and St Mary Magdalene, Sutton-in-Ashfield, each shared stories of how their churches are taking action for creation. The stories were led by Archdeacon Phil Williams.
The service continued with a Bible reading from Luke 6:43–end, followed by a talk from Canon Dr Ruth Valerio on ‘Hopes and Opportunities for the World’. Ruth encouraged those gathered to consider the opportunities we have to respond faithfully and hopefully to the challenges facing our world.
Prayers of intercession were led by Sally Dunleavy, Diocesan Net Zero Carbon Officer, giving the congregation an opportunity to bring before God the needs of our world and our commitment to caring for it.
As part of the service, everyone was invited to take a leaf and write a prayer for creation before hanging it on one of the prayer trees. These prayers will be taken to Diocesan Synod as visible and tangible signs of the prayers, hopes, griefs and longings of people across the diocese, as we seek God’s guidance and commit ourselves afresh to caring for his creation.
Before the service finished, packets of seeds were brought forward to be blessed by Dean Stephen. These were then handed out to everyone in attendance with the encouragement to plant them in their churchyards or gardens as a sign of our shared commitment to flourishing communities and creation care.
Sally Dunleavy, Diocesan Net Zero Carbon Officer, shared:
“The service was a joyful celebration of Christian volunteers caring for God’s creation with compassion, confidence and courage. I hope it inspires others to work to protect the places of worship our young disciples will inherit.”
For more information about the work we do with caring for creation, take a look at the information on our website.