Stories
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Stitching creation together: Bunting project celebrates the Season of Creation sustainably
Lower Hutt Anglicans marked this year’s Season of Creation with a sustainable twist – replacing balloons and single-use decorations with community-made bunting crafted from repurposed fabric. Parishioners of all ages decorated pieces with images of faith, nature, and care for creation. The finished bunting now hangs in the church, a colourful symbol of creativity, sustainability, and shared responsibility for our common home.
Napier Repair Café: working together to make a difference in the Hawkes Bay
At the Napier Repair Café, there’s a wonderful buzz as volunteers and visitors gather each month to bring broken items back to life – from bikes and jewellery to well-loved household treasures. For Maree Diamond, from the Catholic Parish of Napier’s Care of Creation group, being part of the team is a joyful way to care for creation and connect with her community. Now in its third year, the Café continues to grow as a place of sharing, learning, and restoration – a reminder that small acts of repair can make a big difference.
Practical and creative community action at St George's Epsom
From building rat traps to sharing home-grown vegetables, the St George’s Epsom community is finding creative ways to live out Eco Church values. This story highlights youth-led conservation and a new approach to food growing that supports both creation care and local food security.
Hope and lament at St Paul’s Symonds Street
Earlier this year, St Paul’s held a service of lament for creation – a moving experience of prayers, song, and symbolic action. Together, the congregation expressed sorrow for ecological loss, gratitude for what remains, and hope for renewal. Placing leaves at the foot of trees became an act of surrender and prayer, reminding us that God receives our grief and restores our hope. Communal lament, as St Paul’s demonstrated, is not just possible – it is essential. It forms us spiritually, sustains our action, and reminds us that caring for creation is part of loving what God loves.
Matariki celebration at The Tribe Church
Churches around Aotearoa have been celebrating Matariki in meaningful ways. In Masterton, The Tribe Church marked the season with a special evening of remembrance, stargazing, and connection — embracing the wonder of creation and God’s love under the night sky.
Kahikatea Kids - A new creation care programme for children
It was super exciting to pilot a brand-new day camp during the July school holidays in Ōtautahi Christchurch! Designed for children aged 8–12, this hands-on, nature-based programme invited our young explorers to connect deeply with God’s creation and discover what it means to care for it. With plenty of time for fun, friendship, and meaningful discovery, the programme offered a rich way for children to grow in faith and care for the environment.
He Māhuri Tōtara gathers in Whāingaroa Raglan
Fourteen young adults from across Aotearoa gathered in Whāingaroa for a He Māhuri Tōtara weekend of conservation, community and faith. From planting native trees and setting predator traps to sharing kai and exploring what it means to care for God's creation, the weekend was a chance to grow as leaders rooted in hope and restoration.
Young people taking action for our climate
Young people from churches in Christchurch and Auckland have come together through the Good News Project 2025 to restore local ecosystems and explore the links between faith, climate justice, and food insecurity as part of World Vision’s 40 Hour Challenge. Coordinated by A Rocha’s Eco Church team with support from conservation project partners, the project empowers youth to be good news for creation through hands-on conservation and gospel-inspired action.
Sustainability Champions workshop in Auckland
In May, Sustainability Champions from the Anglican Diocese of Auckland gathered at St Mary’s by the Sea to reflect on climate grief and Christian hope with Andrew Shamy, and explore practical church responses to the climate crisis. The day included the Climate Fresk workshop and Eco Church action planner, inspiring connection and action across communities.
From study to stewardship: St Andrew’s journey with the Rich Living - Water resource
At St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, a recent study group using Water from A Rocha’s Rich Living series became a springboard for deeper engagement with creation care. Organised by the Social & Ecumenical Action Committee, the group explored biblical reflections on water alongside local and global issues—from Hamilton’s water infrastructure to access challenges in Uganda. What began as weekly conversations around scripture and sustainability led to practical outcomes: supporting a bio-sand water filter for a Ugandan community, hosting a climate-friendly morning tea, and a growing commitment to become an Eco Church.
Discovering Wharemauku: A parish pilgrimage with their local stream
On 8 March 2025, members of the Kāpiti Anglican Parish set out on a unique local pilgrimage—tracing the Wharemauku Stream from its quiet headwaters to its mouth at the sea. Along the way, we paused to reflect, test water quality, and learn about the stream’s ecological and cultural significance. This journey deepened our sense of place and strengthened our connection with the whenua and wai that flow through our parish and community. Through learning about the history of the stream and its importance to the Puketapu hapū of Te Āti Awa, we also engaged with mātauranga Māori—acknowledging the depth of indigenous knowledge tied to this landscape.
Choosing to ride: A small shift with a big impact
In January, Pastor Paul Cossey from Motueka Baptist Church discovered WorkRide, a benefit programme designed to make e-bikes more affordable. WorkRide enables employers (including self-employed individuals) to cover the cost of a bike upfront, with employees repaying it through a salary sacrifice arrangement. The programme, which has IRD approval, removes many of the financial and administrative barriers that prevent workplaces from offering this benefit. Thanks to WorkRide, Paul was able to get an e-bike much sooner than expected, and with a significant saving on the overall cost. Now, Paul regularly turns up to visits and meetings on his bike, hi-vis and all!
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