Norwich, UK
A special 10 day Lenten vigil for climate change kicks off in London on Ash Wednesday.
It has been organised by a coalition compromising Christian Aid, CAFOD, The Salvation Army, A Rocha UK, Christian Climate Action, Tearfund, Green Christian, Operation Noah and JPIT, a Baptist Union, Methodist Church and United Reformed church team working for peace and justice.
PICTURE: An ‘Eco Church’ service being held by St John’s Church at Rhosymedre in Wales. PICTURE: A Rocha UK
An opening service will be held at St John’s Church, Waterloo, at which Bishop Mike Royal, general secretary of Churches Together in England, and Ruth Valerio, global advocacy and influencing director at Tearfund, will make speeches.
Andy Atkins. PICTURE: Courtesy of A Rocha
Following the service, vigil participants will move to Westminster’s Parliament Square where prayers will be said constantly on a 24/7 basis for the following 10 days. The coalition members are calling for Christians throughout the UK to join the vigil in person or to pray at home for an hour or more.
Responses so far are said to have been very positive, with hundreds signing up to spend time at the London vigil, or to make time for prayers in church or at home.
“Prayer is powerful,” the organisers said in a joint statement. “It can bring transformation. Lent offers us a season both to lament the failure to address the climate change and the hope of change as we approach the resurrection transformation of Easter.’
Andy Atkins, chief executive of A Rocha UK, added the organisation was “pleased to join Christians from across traditions to bear witness to the injustice and cruelty of the climate and biodiversity crises and to pray for faster action”.
“We particularly pray for more politicians of all political parties to recognise that ecological breakdown is compounding injustices, and for them to grow in the moral leadership necessary for a more effective UK response – for people and nature.”
Participation in the vigil forms just part of an overall Christian Lenten response to climate concerns. Other efforts include a special course, titled ‘Calling a Wounded Earth Home’, which has been designed by Green Christian to encourage deep meditation and contemplation leading to meaningful actions.
Many churches and dioceses linked to A Rocha UK’s ‘Eco Church’ movement are also focusing on environmental concerns. Instead of giving something up for Lent, people are being encouraged to mediate, reflect and take action to make a difference.
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A Rocha UK has issued resource packs, entitled ‘Connect with our Creator and Gods Creation’ for churches to download, as well as an equally reflective one created by the Diocese of Salisbury offering suggestions how going green for Lent can be incorporated into Lenten activities and prayers.
Different activities are suggested for each week throughout Lent, enabling people to focus on a specific aspect of the environment: trees, animals, air, water, soil. Christians can study Bible texts such as Matthew 6:26 – “Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest or save food in barns but your heavenly Father feeds them” – while taking time to reflect, be quiet and listen to the birds singing or putting food out for the birds and watching to see what comes. Equally important is the need to take practical action as part of a Lenten prayer by going digital free for a while to save energy or going plastic-free.
Part of the churchyard at St John’s Church, Rhosymedre, near Wrexham has become a community garden tended by young people from the community. PICTURE: Courtesy of A Rocha
Prayer walks are recommended as a way of encountering nature, becoming more aware of the earth and its beauty as an act of worship and prayer. Hugging a tree and exploring its sheer size and strength, watching insects and how they interlink with all that lives and breathes allows participants to develop a better understanding of the importance of the environment.
A Rocha UK has issued such resources before and encountered a good response, according to Jo Herbert-James, head of policy, campaigns and communications.
“Over the years, different Lent resources have proved incredibly meaningful for both church groups and individuals to follow,” Herbert James said. “They have provided a guide and a discipline to reflect, take action and discuss issues to do with God’s creation and how Christians are to live within it.
“Lent, 40 days, is a manageable amount of time to try a new habit, to pray and seek God during a season when the wider church community is also taking action, and many churches have used Lent as a time to kick-start the ‘Eco Church’ scheme in their community. Individuals have taken up new habits, like switching their commute to a cycle, or giving up things like single-use plastic, which have then been incorporated into everyday life beyond Lent.”
