How your church can get involved with Climate Sunday

When disaster strikes, the church is often the first to arrive and the last to leave. From powerful prayers to practical help, it is relentless in serving the most vulnerable. As the climate crisis continues, disasters are becoming more frequent and extreme. As a church, we must act.

Tearfund is part of an exciting initiative by Churches Together, calling on churches across the UK to host their own climate-related service at a convenient date from the 6 September 2020 onwards.

‘The current [coronavirus] crisis has changed the way we see the world. It has reminded us of the fragility of life, exposed the gap between rich and poor, and revealed the damage we’ve done to the wider creation. But it has also helped us love our neighbours and brought communities together,’ says Tearfund’s Director of Global Advocacy, Ruth Valerio.

‘Climate Sunday is a great opportunity to respond to these societal shifts; to pause and reimagine what life could be like; to commit to living differently ourselves and to call on the UK government to rebuild our economy in a way that tackles the climate emergency and builds a better world for everyone.’

How to get involved
It’s so easy to join in. All you need to do is host a church service. What this looks like is up to you. Please email [email protected] with Climate Sunday in the subject line if you'd like to be sent the links to new resources as soon as they are ready to help you plan this. There will be model talks, worship songs, prayers and many more resources for you to draw from. You can even book a Tearfund speaker.

As well as spending time praying and learning about the climate crisis, it’s a great opportunity to make a commitment as a church to take long-term action on this issue. A core component of our discipleship as Christians is how our lifestyles can reflect Christ’s. This not only includes how we can make a response in our own lives, such as cutting down on our use of plastics, but holding larger corporations to account too.

Time is running out
We’re seeing the effects of the climate crisis around the world where we work. Prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall and deadly flooding. People are losing their loved ones, homes and businesses. It’s also putting millions at risk of hunger as crops fail and food prices surge.

The climate crisis is a disaster that the church cannot ignore. The church has an opportunity to be the prophetic voice that’s needed and bring salt and light to this issue. It must stand alongside our global brothers and sisters who are being pushed further into poverty because of this crisis.

We hope you will consider hosting a Climate Sunday service at your church. In the meantime, please do join us in prayer.

PLEASE PRAY

A prayer from Pope Francis
Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognise that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace.
Amen.