Rev Canon Sonia Gyles provided us with this report:
The Grouped Parishes of Sandford and St Philip’s Milltown, Dublin, hosted the Climate Justice Candle from Thursday 9 May until Sunday 26 May 2024 duing which time it was the focus of a number of serivces and events.
The candle was incorporated into the Alexandra College End of Year service on 9 May (Ascension Thursday) when Canon Gyles spoke to the students and staff about Eco-Congregation Ireland and the Shine a Light on Climate Justice campaign. It continued to shine that morning during the celebration of the Feast of the Ascension, which
included prayers for the environment.
The candle came into focus again at a special service led by the Confirmation Candidates on 12 May. During their preparation for Confirmation, the candidates had spent a class considering climate change.
On Wednesday 15 May we hosted a Christian Aid Coffee Morning and Bake Sale, bringing climate change and those who suffer most as a result of climate change into focus. We were joined by Dee Huddleston from Christian Aid.
The candle was a focus at our Family Services on Sunday 19 May (Pentecost) during which Canon Gyles spoke about those who suffer most as a result of climate change, how the charity Christian Aid is working to help those who suffer, and how we, on the birthday of the
church, ought to reflect on our calling to be church i.e. to love our neighbour, and to put that love into action by caring for creation and working towards climate justice.
On Friday 24 May the children from Sandford Parish National School visited Sandford Church for their school assembly, during which Canon Gyles spoke about Eco-Congregation Ireland and the ways in which our parishes are taking action to help the environment, after which we heard from the Green Schools Committee about the ‘green’ work the children are doing in the school. We then sang ‘All Things Weird and Wonderful!’
Our final service during which the candle shone was our End of Choir Year Service on 26 May. We hope that during these few weeks the candle will have served its purpose in shining some light on climate justice as we, individually and as a parish community, continue to work towards climate justice, safeguarding the rights of the most vulnerable and sharing the burdens and benefits of climate change and its impacts.