Creation Crisis Networks And Ecumenical Patriarchate

Last week we received a letter from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul thanking me for my new book Celtic Christianity and Climate Crisis: Twelve Keys for the Future of the Church (www.sacristypress)

Last week also I spoke by zoom  to the North Northumberland Spirituality Network about this book on the title ’ Celtic Christianity connects us to creation: how post-Covid faith communities can model this.’ There were motivated contributions from many who do worthwhile things.   

 Some areas of engagement include:

  Using the churchyard to conserve wild-life and do a nature trail, growing plants in it that attract bees and butterflies.  Link the nature trail to other Nature Trails.

2.      Invite church members with allotments and gardens to bring produce to share after church services.

3.      Develop a code of conduct made available to church members.  E.g. shopping habits LOAF (Buy Local, Organic, Animal-friendly, Fair-traded)

4.      Become an eco-congregation.

5.      Incorporate ‘Cherish creation as a sacrament and as stewards’ into our liturgical year and  Lent/Advent courses. September is observed as Creation Season by ever increasing church networks (Including the World Council of Churches?) .  New monastic networks have some beautiful Creation liturgies that could be incorporated as intercessions or into the Eucharistic Prayers (Iona, Northumbria Community and CAH Liturgies from Lindisfarne for example).

6.      Encourage individuals and the churchto measure their carbon print (e.g. go over to renewable energy for heating, reduce paper and use overhead projectors).

7.      Preaching and teaching on the theology of creation: C.f. Ecumenical Patriarch, Pope Francis’ Encyclical and Celtic spirituality.