A great display of ecumenism and church unity more than likely went unnoticed by both the church and the mainstream media.

At the start of this month a joint message for the protection of creation was released. Significantly, it was co-authored by Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew 1 of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury of the Church of England. They write because our common home is under threat.

“Caring for God’s creation is a spiritual commission requiring a response of commitment. This is a critical moment. Our children’s future and the future of our common home depend on it.”

Sadly, the church is known more for its division than its unity. Except perhaps in times of crisis. A number of our cooperating ventures arose out of crisis and a belief that they were stronger working together. Some arose from the hoped-for Church Union movement. Are we as churches able to work together and express unity not just when things threaten us but also when we are experiencing the better times? We need to remember that it is Christ’s call that we are to bring God’s kingdom to earth through our unity.

The call to unity, but specifically to caring for creation, our shared home is not new. In the 1970s, the World Council of Churches began to recognise the connections between justice, peace, and ecological sustainability. At the Vancouver Assembly in 1983, the WCC encouraged member churches to publicly commit to addressing environmental concerns as part of a common effort to promote Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation. The Methodist Church’s mission statement includes “to care for creation”. The Presbyterian Church has as one of its five faces of mission as “making Jesus Christ known through caring for God’s creation”. Therefore, we as God’s church should be doing more collectively in ensuring the integrity of creation.

We all should be committed to praying for the United Nations Climate Change Conference being held in Glasgow from 1-12 November. Representatives of our world’s nations are to commit to targets for 2030, track progress on humanity’s attempt to achieve a less than 1.5 degree temperature rise on earth, and to lay foundations of a sustainable financial system. To solve the world’s climate crisis will take commitment and unity of the entire world. No mean task but one that we as the church can and should be able to model.