Dear sisters and brothers,
I have arranged for Sarum College Bookshop to send each of you a free copy of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book for 2020 and the supporting materials that go with it for use by adults and young people. You should receive these early in the new year.
Ruth Valerio’s Saying Yes to Life that was published last week. Ruth is a familiar figure in our diocese having addressed various gatherings, most recently the Diocesan Synod last month. Formerly at A’Rocha, she is now the Global Advocacy and Influencing Director at Tearfund. She is an active environmentalist as well as being a theologian who enjoys living sustainably – practising what she preaches and inspiring others as she does so.
The ‘blurb’ on the book reads: ‘Saying Yes to Life lifts our focus from natural, everyday concerns to issues that are having an impact on millions of lives around the world. As people made in the image of God, we are entrusted to look after what he has created: to share in God’s joy and ingenuity in making a difference for good. Ruth Valerio imaginatively draws on the Days of Creation (Genesis 1) as she relates themes of light, water, land, the seasons, other creatures, humankind, Sabbath rest and resurrection hope to matters of environmental, ethical and social concern.
Foundational to Saying Yes to Life is what it means to be human and, in particular, to be a follower of Jesus. Voices from around the world are heard throughout, and each chapter ends with discussion questions and a prayer to aid action and contemplation.’
Climate change has been very much in our minds this year through the efforts of Greta Thunberg and groups such as Extinction Rebellion and through the reporting of events such as the current Australian bush fires. It will remain so in 2020 with the environment being a key issue on the agenda at Lambeth 2020 in July and with the UN Climate Change summit - COP26 - taking place in Glasgow in November. I want to encourage us as a diocese to use Ruth’s book as the basis for our Lent group discussions in 2020 as part of our common life.
In the meantime, I wish you every blessing for a joyous Christmas and peaceful New Year.
With my thanks for all your hard work at this time of year and for our partnership in the Gospel that God is with us.
The Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam
The Bishop of Salisbury
e-mail: bishop.salisbury@salisbury.anglican.org Web: www.salisbury.anglican.org
Tel: 01722 334031
South Canonry, 71 The Close, Salisbury SP1 2ER
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