MORE than 150 people from parishes across four dioceses — Guildford, Portsmouth, Chichester, and Winchester — gathered at St John’s, Stoke, in Guildford, over the weekend to discuss caring for God’s creation.
The Bishop of Dorking, the Rt Revd Paul Davies, led an opening panel discussion with the Bishop of Portsmouth, Dr Jonathan Frost, the Bishop of Lewes, the Rt Revd Will Hazelwood, and the Archdeacon of Winchester, the Ven. Richard Brand. They outlined the climate vision of their respective dioceses for the next decade, each emphasising that care for creation is “deeply woven” into all Five Marks of Mission.
Archdeacon Brand said: “Creation care should not be seen as burdensome; there is joy in safeguarding the beauty of what God has created.”
He continued: “At a time many Western governments are retreating from the climate debate, the Church has an opportunity to step in and be a prophetic voice on the damage that is being done and what we can do to make a difference for good. Working together with young people in our church schools, too, we really can be a louder voice that people listen to.”
Participants also heard from the director of the Church of England’s Net Zero Programme, Julian Atkins, who provided an update on the Church’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon by 2030. Breakout sessions in the afternoon explored how churches could communicate effectively about climate change, advocate for creation, alongside organisations such as A Rocha and Christian Aid, and strengthen environmental partnerships with church schools.
Among the outcomes was a collective recognition that reducing carbon footprints and improving environmental practice required significant resourcing. The Bishops agreed to make a joint case to the Church Commissioners to ask for increased funding for net-zero work ahead of the next Triennium.
Bishop Davies said: “My prayer is that of Pope Francis: that there might be a worldwide ecological conversation as more and more people wake up to the urgency of creation care and climate action.”