New Wymondham Abbey curate Revd Sam Ruddock never expected to become a priest or an eco chaplain but says: “The environment is at the heart of my faith: in the quiet liturgy of the woods, the whisper of the wind through stone chapels, in the Godly love of animals, and the indwelling presence of God in every person.”
For 20 years he was a bookseller, festival programmer and event producer. After being called to faith, then ministry, he said: “I believe that the good news of Jesus is good news for all of the earth’s creatures and ecosystems, including humans.
“Eco chaplaincy is a response to the groaning of creation; a call to shepherd nature and people toward God’s healing and goodness.”
As Wymondham Abbey works towards becoming a gold award eco-church Sam hopes to ensure environmental concern is integral to every area of his ministry. “The challenge is far from hopeless. We live in a time where we have to hold many truths at once: the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss are real and growing, the progress we have already taken is real and growing, and we need to push even harder in the future.”
Find out more about Eco Chaplaincy here: Eco Chaplaincy training – is God calling you?