Make way for a green day

Every church can turn green – with a national celebration for the first anniversary of Eco Church. It’s captured the imagination of well-known places of worship.

Churches are encouraged to use a green cloth and green liturgy for communion services on 5th February 2017. St Paul’s Cathedral (pictured), Canterbury Cathedral, Goldhill Baptist Church, York Minster, Romsey Abbey and Portsmouth Cathedral have said they’ll take part. Others are expected to follow.

NATIONWIDE COMMUNITY

A ‘Green Communion’ resource has been specially written by Precentor of Canterbury Cathedral Rev Matthew Rushton. Churches who don’t normally use liturgy can adapt the prayers and use them however they want.

Worshippers will be able not only to download prayers but also to upload pictures of their services to the Eco Church website. This will create a mosaic of a nationwide community caring for God’s earth across England and Wales.

‘Having turned St Paul’s Cathedral green at the launch, we want churches to turn their own churches green,’ said A Rocha UK Churches And Theology Director Dr Ruth Valerio.

‘We want the focus to be on using a green cloth for communion. This is a shared, deeply meaningful and symbolic act shared across denominations. By simply using this colour, each church can affirm its own commitment to care for creation.’

Describing Matthew’s Rushton’s liturgy as ‘theologically rich,’ Dr Valerio added, ‘I’m thrilled we have something like this written for us! We want to get churches up and down the country joining with us on 5th February.

ONLINE RESOURCES

‘More information is available here. Mark 5th February in your church calendar and plan to get involved.’

Launched at the start of 2016 in St Paul’s Cathedral, Eco Church has attracted nearly 400 churches. A section on eco-liturgies is offered as part of a suite of online resources. (Photo: Clive Price)