One of the ways that we can see the work of God around us is noted and rooted in the belief that God created all that we see around us in the natural world. This in turn speaks to us of his beauty and his character. Join Sharon Roberts as she explores this and helps us understand what it means for us now.
Creation Care
Midday Creation Care Book Club Launched by Gather Collective
Eastbourne community church, the Gather Collective, are inviting people from other churches to participate in a midday fortnightly book club around the themes of creation care, climate change and food topics. The group will meet in person and via Zoom, with the face to face version coming from the Gather Community Garden Quiet Room and the Zoom call being broadcast from there at the same time.
It started on the 20th October from 12.30 -1.30 pm.
Initially it will start with a book called PlanetWise – dare to care for God’s world, written by Dave Bookless, who heads up A Rocha UK, and is also a vicar at a church in Southall, London. It is clear that the issues of climate change, living simply and sustainably, and with less waste, etc are important issues of our time. Especially for those of us who believe that this world belongs to God and He cares about how we treat it.
Here’s a quote from the back of the book: This is not another book on green issues to make you feel guilty. There is hope. God can take your small and insignificant efforts and multiply them in his great plan, Besides, honouring him, living simply can be an exciting adventure.
There are other recommendations from Ruth Valerio, Elaine Storkey and Nicky Gumbel.
If this is something that would interest you, you can order the book from the Christian resource centre or via an online retailer. We will begin by reading through the Introduction and Chapter 1 before we meet. There are questions after each chapter that can help us in expressing our thoughts on the day.
What about lunch if you attend in person?
It would be helpful to bring a packed lunch and a flask of something warm, so that we can eat and reflect together from the outset.
How long will it last?
There are 9 relatively short chapters, so it would take 5 weeks (doing 2 chapters per session), meaning that we would finish in mid-December, (meeting every other week).
It would be helpful if you could let them know if this is something you would be up for. You can register your interest here
Speaking Up For Global Health – Gather Collective to Participate in Local COP26 March & Rally
This November, the UK will host the UN climate summit COP26 in Glasgow. Governments of practically every country will come together to make plans for tackling the climate crisis. Decisions made will affect us all – especially those living in poverty who bear the brunt of the climate emergency. Through prayer and action, we can all play our part in making this a significant milestone as we tackle climate change together.
Whether or not you’re in Glasgow during COP26, there are plenty of ways you and your church can get involved. Go to this TearFund page, which will be updated regularly with new events and prayer resources to help you take action.
COP26 is a key focus of Tearfund’s Reboot campaign, aimed at seeing a breakthrough in the climate crisis.
Local churches will be taking part in the Eastbourne March and Rally alongside 28 other groups and organisations from across the political, religious and ideological spectrum.
Among those participating are Gather Collective, an Eastbourne community church. Their Gather Community Garden will be among the stall holders. Dave Roberts, part of our leadership team is urging people to participate and to use the TearFund resources including banners referencing ‘love your global neighbour’ and ‘act justly, love mercy, walk humbly’.
Look out for the bright yellow banners on the day
Creation Care is Mission
Gather Collective is committed to creation care as a core biblical practice. If you want to dig a little deeper yourself here is a conference we commend to you.
A one-day virtual conference to explore the theology and practice of caring for creation
For mission agencies and churches supporting missions
Morning speakers (10-12am)
Rev. Dr. Chris Wright, International Director, Langham Partnership International
Dr. Rosalee V Ewell, Director of Church Relations for the United Bible Societies
Seth Appiah-Kubi, Director, A Rocha Ghana
Sumayya Sajjad, Project Director for Tearfund, Pakistan
Afternoon (2-4pm): case studies, workshops & discussions on topics including
An in-depth look at eco-theology
Practical advice on greening your mission agency
Embedding creation care in policy and practice
Carbon footprints and what to do about them
Engaging with the next generation
Creation care IS mission!
The EcoChurch toolkit around the world
Supporting environmental missions – a UK church perspective
Important information:
This event costs £10 per person
gather@theallotment
As part of our commitment to creation care, hospitality and food justice we are partners in a community allotment project called gather@theallotment. After the lockdown a structured programme, including a Friday Growing Club and Meal and a Wednesday Men’s Garden Shed will emerge. But in the meantime we have up to 5 people per weekday working alongside Paul of Growing Futures, our partner in the project.
Soon we will have a new website at gathereastbourne.com focused on all aspects of the community allotment. in the meantime you can check out our regular updates in Instagram at @gatherattheallotment. E-mail [email protected] if you would like to chat to someone about what we are doing and possible participation.
Sharon Roberts is a key facilitator of the community allotment – she shares some of the vision below and how we might pray for this aspect of our work in the community.
Prayer for the Allotment
Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.
The following ‘Vision and Values’ are based around Genesis 1:26:
Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
And, also, Genesis 2:15:
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Vision and Values
These are founded in the Creation mandates noted above.
- A space to look after and care for part of God’s land: the vegetation, wildlife and the whole eco-system.
- To learn together how this ecosystem works, and also how we are to live with an interconnectedness to it and to one another.
- To share the abundance of food together, and with those in need.
- To develop a space to pray and exercise our creative gifts among nature.
- To form deep relationships with each other, and those who do not yet understand that there is a Creator who loves them and loves His world.
Our regular prayers for gather@theallotment will be formed around each of those values