The Lay Community
of Saint Benedict
Caring for Creation
Teach us to respect and love our beautiful world, and all whose lives we touch … Give us courage to pray each day, and work for your kingdom of justice and peace.
All life on earth is connected and inter-dependent. What we do, or don’t do, to live sustainably, has an impact across the world that is becoming ever more apparent, and will have an even greater impact on the lives of generations yet unborn. We touch the lives of people everywhere, and are called to show respect and love in the choices we make.
The caring for creation group has been formed to encourage and support Community members in taking prayerful action, personally and in collaboration with others, in response to the Climate and Ecological Emergency.
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For more information about the Caring for Creation group and its activities, please contact Peter and Catherine Stott, peterstottweston@gmail.com.
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Advent 2022
Advent is a time of preparation, a time of expectation, a time of waiting. And yet, with regard to the climate crisis, we can wait no more. If we expect at the very least to stop our destruction of the earth, never mind to reverse the damage we have caused, we need to be prepared drastically to alter the way we live.
Advent is also a time of discomfort. Emmanuel, God with us, is the shock of God’s presence in this world, calling us to wake up, to focus on what is important, to do justice and to love kindness
(Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York)
Nicholas Holtam, the author, was Bishop of Salisbury from 2011 to 2021 and the Church of England’s lead bishop for the environment from 2014 to 2021. This book of daily reflections for Advent explores how our Christian faith resources us to get serious about the care of God’s creation. We invite you to join this journey of exploration and reflection during the Advent season.
Caring for Creation - Lent 2022
Acting in Solidarity this Advent:
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Some community members have decided, during Advent and perhaps beyond, to wear woolly hats and blankets more often, turn their heating down a bit, and aim to save some carbon emissions and £1 a day to give to charities working with people even colder than us, who might be in ruined cities in Ukraine, in the refugee camps of the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon, or living on a street near you.
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Please join us if you feel called to do so, but please NOT if you need to keep warm for health reasons, or if, as so many are this winter, you are already living with discomfort (or worse) simply in order to keep your head above water.
Here are some suggestions for charities you might want to give to:
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Embrace the Middle East: working with refugees in Lebanon: https://embraceme.org/
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Red Cross Ukraine Crisis appeal: Here is a link: Red Cross
A charity working with homeless people near you (if you don't know one, try Google).
