New Church Festival
In July 2026 the General Synod of the Church of England took the unprecedented step of adding a new festival to the church calendar. This is the festival of “Creation in Christ” to be observed on the first Sunday in September each year. This reflects a growing Ecumenical consensus that we all need to be praying more for the care creation, as problems like climate change and biodiversity loss become ever more obvious. The proposed festival was presented to the General Synod as, an opportunity to come before God to give thanks for the divine act of creation, to behold all things as made through Christ the Word, and to treat the world as gift, covenant, and responsibility. We will be observing the new festival at Baddesley Clinton, Lapworth and Packwood on 6th September this year.
General Synod was also presented with a new theological teaching document from the House of Bishops called “Hope for all creation”. This significant document examines the environmental crisis, noting the interconnectedness of all of God’s creation. It reflects on God’s ultimate plan to restore the integrity of all creation and it examines what our human response might be locally, nationally and internationally.
I have been alarmed by the drought and the searing heat of summer 2026. I have been especially concerned about the wildfires, which present immediate dangers, and have destroyed many homes. The fires also turn lots of wood back into carbon dioxide, thereby contributing to future climate change. But for myself, I am very grateful to God because, by what feels like a miracle, I now have air conditioning in four key rooms in my house. This was installed as an air-to-air heating system, designed to top up my heating on the coldest days of winter. I hardly used it in winter, but this summer I have used it a lot, running it backwards as air-conditioning. And my solar panels generate the electricity it uses.
With my prayers for all the people of Baddesley Clinton, Lapworth and Packwood, and with my best wishes,
Canon Patrick
| COLLECT PRAYER FOR CREATION IN CHRIST
Holy and eternal God, you are the Maker of heaven and earth, you are the Word through whom all things were made, and you are the Spirit, the giver of life: draw us into the mystery of your love, that with all creation we may proclaim your praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |