Creation Care Ministry
Here at St Nics we are passionate about caring for God's creation. You'll hear us talk about it on Sundays and in our small groups. We're adding to this page, so please come back soon!
For now, if you'd like to find out more and get involved, please do email Sara at luke.sara.jackson@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you.
One lesser-known part of our church is our churchyard. This is a beautiful green space close to the heart of Durham City. Our fantastic volunteer team have been working hard over the past few years to transform the space. You can find out more here.
We want to encourage care for creation not only here at St Nics but also in the wider North East. Below are details of an exciting project that we are running under the ECLAS (Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science) programme.
Enduring Call, Changing Climate
Honest Conversations about Climate Change
Project Overview
The Enduring Call, Changing Climate project is hoping to engage a broad range of Christians in the North East of England with issues around climate change. We want to make space for honest conversations about climate change in church settings.
This project has several phases:
First, we want to listen to the perspectives of Christians in the region- how do you feel about the issue? What do phrases like 'climate change', 'global warming', 'net zero', 'the energy transition', 'energy security' bring to mind when you hear them?
Then we want to share some of our thinking around the latest climate science, progress on the energy transition, the future we might be heading to, as well as some perspectives on the bible and the environment. We then want to hear what you think about what we have shared - what makes sense, what you find difficult.
Finally, we will be taking what you have said, to help make a set of resources that could be used by other church groups around the region and further afield. You will be invited to a celebration event where we trial some of these resources near the end of the project.
This will take place through workshops hosted in your community. We will come together around tables to share food, reflect about a series of questions and talk to each other about issues linked to climate change. There will be interactive sessions with a range of activities.
Offer to Churches
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On a midweek evening that we can arrange together, we will visit your church, provide food, and carry out a ~2 hour workshop session
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People who attend will get a small gift for the time they have spent with us and will be part of shaping resources that could have an impact further afield than your community
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There are over 100 churches in the North East of England who are registered at a range of levels with EcoChurch, a project from Arocha which works to equip churches in England and Wales to care for creation. As part of the EcoChurch process, churches are surveyed about creation care as part of worship and teaching.
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Taking part in this activity could help upskill members of your community around issues linked to climate change, and could be classed as hosting a guest speaker from an environmental organisation and other EcoChurch.
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We want to hear from your community!
Who's who?
The team behind this project are part of St Nics in Durham:
Prof Chris Stokes
Chris is a Professor in the Department of Geography at Durham University. His research focus is on Glaciers and how modern day ice masses respond to climate change. He has been a regular contributor to the UN COP climate summits, sharing up to date data with participants in climate negotiations
Dr Luke Jackson
Luke is an assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Durham University. Luke's work focusses on climate change impacts and sea level change.
Tom Bray
Tom is an engineer and environmentalist working with a range of organisations on reducing emissions in response to climate change, delivering projects to electrify organisations by installing solar panels and heat pumps, or transition to electric vehicles as well as communicating about the energy transition.
Rev Dr Will Foulger
Will is the Vicar at St Nics, he will bring insight into biblical theology around creation care.
Natalie Dalpra
Nat is a ministry experience volunteer at St Nics, a graduate in Geography from Durham University. She is passionate about care for creation and raising awareness around sustainability.
How to Contact Us
We want to hear from you! If you are interested in hosting a workshop in your church community, to sign up or hear more, please do be in touch with Tom via tom.enduring.call@gmail.com
Details on funding:
ECLAS and the Scientists in Congregations grant programme are funded by the John Templeton Foundation.