Our response to God’s creation and to the environmental crises that we face, including human-induced climate change, begins with coming to God.
On this page
On this page you can find resources for regular prayer, for prayer and worship for particular occasions, as well as training opportunities and theological resources such as books, talks and articles. A Rocha, the organisation the runs eco-church, also provides some resources to help churches think about worship and teaching.
Prayers
A Rocha provides a list of prayers related to the climate emergency written by Rev'd John Swales.
Green Christian provide prayers for every day in different formats. You can subscribe to be sent information monthly or daily.
Liturgies
A green liturgy from St Mary's Twyford
You can find more ideas for liturgy at Greening the Lectionary and also on the Church of England's Time for Creation webpage (everything is on one page here so if the links at the top of the page don't work, just scroll down and you will find what you're looking for)
Preaching and Reflections
Preaching for God's World provide weekly reflections from activists, theologians and church leaders across the world church to support clergy, lay preachers and all Christians to explore the set lectionary readings for each week from the perspective of creation care and ecological justice and to grow in our care for God’s creation.
Hymns and songs
This website lists hymns and songs that relate to care for creation/conservation.
Training opportunities
Cloud and Fire - rediscovering ministry for an age of climate breakdown. Run by Green Christian, this 8-session course offers a safe space to confront questions such as: What does my vocation mean in the shadow of catastrophe? How do I preach honestly about the risks we face? What new pastoral responses do people need? Designed for clergy, lay ministers and spiritual directors, the course offers a contemplative journey in which to explore emerging dimensions of vocation and ministry in an age of existential risk, and discern responses in prayer, pastoral care, accompaniment and mission.
Deep Waters. People often have complex emotional responses to the climate crisis, including grief, anger, blame, and many others. This 8 session course, also run by Green Christian, aims to help people navigate these responses through a Christian lens of love, wisdom, and justice, and to lead people into a place of active hope.
Black Mountain College. Black Mountains College was founded as a response to the climate and ecological emergency. They run a range of courses including higher and further education courses, short courses, and workshops. The college believes education is central to understanding our current situation and preparing for a different kind of future. Those who work there want to help to create a future in which nature and human societies thrive.
Centre for Alternative Technology. This centre runs a range of practical courses. These include day-long courses and residential courses covering a range of sustainability issues, including: renewable energy, environmentally friendly building techniques, ecology, woodland management, organic gardening and more. Afew are free but most cost.
Carbon literacy courses. These courses are overseen by the Carbon Literacy Project. There are several specific courses designed to be run in the Church of England. The aim of the courses is to enable learners to become "carbon literate", defined as having “An awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.” The full course is three 2-hours sessions. There are also shorter courses and courses specifically to be used within individual churches. The courses run by the |Churhc of England are free for those working or worshipping within the Diocese.The Chelmsford Diocesan Environmental Officer, Rev. Sandra Eldridge, is a certified Carbon Literacy trainer. For details of next Diocesan course please contact Sandra on: seldridge@chelmsford.anglican.org.
Hope for the Future runs courses to help individuals and groups make a difference on climate change with their elected representative. Hope for the Future has been working to equip communities, groups and individuals across the country to communicate the urgency of climate change with their local politicians for the last eight years. Using their experience of engaging representatives on climate change, their training covers relationship-building including communicating with empathy, finding common ground, asking for effective action and conversational techniques.
Discussion and Bible Study
Saying Yes to Life was the Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2020 Lent Book written by Ruth Valerio. In the book, Ruth relates the days of creation (Genesis 1) to matters of environmental, ethical and social concern. Each chapter ends with discussion questions and a prayer to aid action and contemplation. This webpage gives more details about the book and resources to go with it. here.
Tenants of the King This four-part study series from Operation Noah is designed to help you and your church consider what the Bible has to say about the environment alongside offering ways to help you think about how we might respond to the climate crisis.
A Christian Look at the Environment This series of five bible studies has been written for the John Ray Initiative in 2023 by Revd. Rich Clarkson, and is based on a popular earlier series of bible studies written by Dena Burne in 2002 (the latter have now been withdrawn). It draws on both theological and scientific insight to help groups and churches think about what a Christian approach to environmental issues might look like.
Climate Justice and Racial Justice In 2023, a series of on-line meetings took place in the Diocese of Chelmsford exploring the link between climate justice and racial justice. This webpage contains recordings of the sessions, videos made by individuals in Kenya and the Amazon and associated material that could be used as starters for discussion.
Living Lent A Church of England Lent course run in 2019, which can be visited at any time, with resources and ideas for practical action.
Plenty! Part of Green Christian’s "Joy in Enough" project, this small group discussion resource provides resources for people to decide what they can do, at a personal, community, national and global level, to challenge effectively our current way of living, which have led to climate change and biodiversity loss. They offer excellent training for those wishing to facilitate this course.
Outdoor worship
Guidance from the Church of England (this is guidance produced during the COVID-19 pandemic but still has some useful pointers)
Norwich Diocese Resources on Wild Church
Worship resources for particular Sundays and periods in the year
A Rocha, the organisation that runs eco-church, has some resources for particular Sundays on its webpage on worship and teaching.
Choose Life! This amazing resource from the Diocese of York contains suggestions for prayer and worship, combined with ideas for practical action for creation, during every season of the church year. It was compiled by Diane Craven and the Diocesan Green Ambassador, the Revd Johannes Nobel. Johannes Nobel writes: “I became aware that, although most churches are keen to celebrate creation, not all of them are confident in doing so, whether in worship or action. This resource is a gift to our churches, but it contains a challenge too. Now there is no excuse not to celebrate and to take action for creation!”
There are plenty of other resources below.
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Environment Sunday 8th June 2025
Environment Sunday is always the Sunday nearest World Environment Day on June 5th.
The Republic of Korea is to host World Environment Day 2025 with the theme of beating plastic pollution.
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Season of Creation September 2025
Creationtide (or the Season of Creation) is the period in the annual church calendar, from 1st September to 4th October, dedicated to God as Creator and Sustainer of all life.
Churches often use this time to celebrate Harvest Festival, to thank God for our food, but also to recognise the wonder and fragility of creation.
Find out more about the Season of Creation
The theme for 2025 is "Peace with Creation"
Resources from the Season of Creation website
Eco Congregation Scotland also have some wonderful resources, including video sermons and short (2 min) videos that could be used in church services or other settings
Green Anglicans is a network active mostly in African countries, started in South Africa. They have produced a companion resource for the Season of Creation materials, with Bible Study materials and suggestions for Sunday School, Bible Class or youth groups.
Catholic (Dominican) resources including liturgies and reflections
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Harvest 5th October 2025
Green Christian provides a range of resources and very helpful links to resources from quie a few other organisations here.
For over three decades, Ripple Effect (previously "Send a cow") has worked alongside farmers in rural Africa, inspiring and equip them to transform their lives and protect the planet. They have some Harvest resources here that are geared to encouraging your church to get more involved in their organisation.
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COP30 November 10-21 2025
The 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly referred to as COP30, will be the 30th United Nations Climate Change conference, held from November 10th to November 21st, 2025, in Belem, Brazil. Find out more about the conference here.
More resources will be added as they become available.
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Plough Sunday 2026 (date TBC)
Plough Sunday is a traditional English celebration of the beginning of the agricultural year.
Back in medieval times, the communal village plough was often stored in the parish church over winter. Early in January, the farmers would gather in church to bring the plough out of hibernation. The farming year would begin with a special blessing of the plough and the ploughmen in church. The plough would be pulled through the village until they reached the local inn. With God’s blessing, the support of the village and with good food and drink inside them, the ploughmen were ready to start the new agricultural year.
Farming practises have changed. Often ploughing takes place in the autumn. Many farmers are shifting from ploughing to minimum tillage cultivation for environmental reasons. But the need to affirm farmers and those who work with the land, is as important now as it was in the past.
You can find out more about Plough Sunday and other agricultural festivals here.
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Earth Hour 28th March 2026
Since 2007, Earth Hour has been known for the “lights off” moment, with individuals from around the globe switching off their lights to show symbolic support for the planet and to raise awareness of the environmental issues affecting it. Find out more here
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Easter 5th April 2026
Resources will be added.
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Earth Day 22nd April 2026
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.
The 2026 theme is yet to be announced.
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Rogation Sunday 10th May 2026
Content coming soon.
Videos
What do We Want to Sustain? Thinking about Faith and The Climate. Dr Carmody Grey: Hook Lecture 2021
Saying Yes to Life - Ruth Valerio in St Paul's Cathedral (2020)
Books and Articles about theology
In due course, we'll be listing books and articles here with short reviews. If you would like to recommend a book or article, please let Rev'd Sandra Eldridge know.
