Caring for the environment is at the heart of the Church of England’s Lent Campaign for this year, which launched yesterday.
The #LiveLent campaign explores the urgent need for humans to value and protect the abundance God has created, and offers 40 short reflections and suggested actions to help us live in greater harmony with God, neighbour and nature.
It has been inspired and informed by the Archbishop of Canterbury's 2020 Lent Book, Saying Yes to Life by Dr Ruth Valerio, who serves as eco-missioner in Stretham in Southwark Diocese.
The book draws on the Days of Creation in Genesis 1 to lift our focus from everyday concerns to issues that are affecting millions of lives around the world.
Diocesan Environment Officer Jemima Parker attended the launch, and said: “I would highly recommend the Archbishop’s Lent book. 
“Every Christian needs to know why and how they can respond to the climate emergency and nature crisis.
“Saying Yes to Life highlights how scripture is full of God’s loving relationship with his creation.
“We have ignored this for too long to our, and the rest of nature’s, detriment.”
Jemima was joined in representing the diocese at the launch by Anita Shaw, Area Environment Champion for Leeds.
At the launch Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby outlined what an important time it was for all Christians to wake up to the climate emergency, and how the publication of Saying Yes to Life was timely ahead of the General Synod motion to commit the C of E to net zero carbon emissions by 2045, and the Lambeth 2020 conference, which will focus on our common home.
He stressed how the church across the world were feeling the impacts of the 1 degree of global warming, while a panel that included Dr Valerio and Professor Richard Miller, member of the UK Committee on Climate Change, discussed how the church could make a difference in their local communities and what actions individuals could make.
Those attending were encouraged to make their own pledges to reduce their environmental impact at home or at work, hanging them on two olive trees in the hall.
Following the launch there was a Eucharist led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, where Dr Valerio preached.
The service was interrupted by a fire alarm, causing the whole congregation to evacuate to the Lambeth courtyard where, rather appropriately, the service concluded as an open air communion for the whole of creation.
Saying Yes to Life is being used in our diocese, and all our Bishops are encouraging churches to engage with it during Lent.
If you would like a copy, please click here, while a review of the book can be found here.