Care for Creation - new growth in Ireland


It is been quite a year for Care for Creation in Irish Churches, perhaps it could even be called a season of new growth. And it all came about because of two teenage girls speaking passionately.

Tori and Isobella from Mullingar Parish in county Meath spoke for a few minutes at the Irish Churches Creation Care conference and captured the hearts of the audience and explained what creation care is all about.  You can see the moment below,

Their project Lighten Our Darkness by Numbers is a youth-led response to climate change. They are educating church goers, engaging communities, building bridges to businesses, and enhancing biodiversity in church graveyards.  

This short talk from the girls had a deep impact on the Archbishop of Armagh, and he spoke about it at his presidential address in General Synod.  Archbishop John McDowell said,

We need to do what that group of young people from Westmeath are doing. That is, to work on ways of inspiring and equipping parishes to do everything possible to contribute to net zero targets, and to get creation care into our church culture

The archbishop went on to launch the Flourish Project in Armagh diocese, which aims to encourage and equip congregations to tackle climate justice on the ground.

The girls’ talk also inspired me to have a Nature Day in our parish’s old graveyard, which dates back to medieval times. We had 30 children and their families spend two enjoyable hours exploring the plants, birds and insects. 

This was in collaboration with the biodiversity officers in our local council and the British Trust for Ornithology outreach officer. It shows how churches, environmental charities and councils can work in partnership for nature.

Then our church turned some wasteland into a beautiful biodiversity garden with the help of funding from Live Here Love Here. This has engaged members of the church and now is a beautiful spot for people to sit and reflect about creation, loved ones who have passed away, and new life and the new creation that Christ can bring.


 

I hope that as we move into spring 2023 we’ll see these early Care for Creation projects as the start of new growth. The growth of a new branch of mission for the church. One that unites parishes with communities, young and old to tackle climate breakdown and the loss of nature. 


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