On Sunday 2nd October at 3.30pm, Winchester Cathedral will be holding a special event, ‘Cry for Creation: Rally for the Earth’, as part of its Harvest celebrations, which will be the culmination of Winchester Green Week, the city’s annual festival to celebrate and promote sustainable living.
The event will feature guest speaker Professor Robert Beckford, scholar-activist and Director of the Institute of Climate and Social Justice at Winchester University. Participants in the rally will be invited to gather around a dramatic ‘Burning Bush’ art installation where the exhibit will be set alight, and those present will make pledges and prayers to protect God’s creation.
The interactive installation will be in place in the Cathedral throughout Winchester Green Week from Monday 26th September, and all are warmly invited to engage with the art through prayer and reflection.
The ‘Burning Bush’ theme is taken from the bible story in Exodus when Moses encounters God revealed through a burning bush and is given a special task to perform by God. This image has become a poignant symbol during the church season of CreationTide (1st September – 4th October), when Christians have been praying and taking action for climate change, especially mindful of the increasing number of wildfires around the world.
In addition to the rally, the Cathedral is delighted to host its traditional and bountiful Harvest Festival Eucharist Service at 11am, to which people are invited to bring food donations to be shared with the Winchester Basics Bank.
The Very Revd Catherine Ogle, the Dean of Winchester. said:
“Our Harvest plans this year include an even greater emphasis on the need for urgent action to tackle climate change. We are delighted to be marking the end of Winchester Green Week with these special events and services, at which we will be making pledges to live more sustainably within God’s holy creation. We hope many people will come along to encounter the installation and be challenged and inspired.”
Both the rally and the service will be live-streamed, allowing guests to join from anywhere in the world.
Winchester Cathedral is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, and on Sundays from 12.30pm to 3.00pm. The last entry is 30 mins before closure. For more information about the events programme at Winchester Cathedral, visit www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk
