By james art All bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all…
AS an avid bird watcher and wildlife photographer in his spare time, Rick Simpson always takes his binoculars and camera with him, no matter where he is in the world.
“I just love anything to do with nature,” he smiles. “I take as much pleasure in seeing a sparrow hopping about as I do in seeing a rare species.”
It is therefore no coincidence that the Reverend Rick Simpson – to give his full title as Archdeacon of Auckland – should focus specifically on how the Church of England is responding to the climate crisis in his adopted North East.
As Environment Officer for the Diocese of Durham, he has a large network of church buildings, from the Tyne to the Tees, in his sights – helping them to play their part in creating a greener and more sustainable future.
“If we as Christians believe that God is the creator, then we have a clear responsibility to protect what he has created and to take care of the planet,” he reasoned.
Rick’s passion for nature really took off when he moved to Newcastle in his twenties and discovered the rugged beauty of the Northumberland coast.
While walking in Druridge Bay, he saw and heard his first curlews and oysters and was hooked.
“That was it – I’d caught the bug and I’ve loved this part of the world ever since,” he says.
Rick grew up in the Surrey village of Ashted, where he discovered Christianity by attending Bible classes when he was at primary school.
“About 100 children gathered there. I found many friends, including God,” he explains.
He went on to study at Keble College, Oxford, and moved to the North East in 1993 when his wife Rachel Lunny – now a GP – got her first medical role as a senior house officer at Newcastle Hospitals.
Rick’s first job in the Church was as priest at St Gabriel’s in Heaton, before becoming priest-in-charge at Holy Trinity, in Jesmond, then St Brandon’s in Bransepeth, in Durham.
He was installed as Archdeacon of Auckland at Durham Cathedral in February 2018 and his love for the North East continues to grow.
The Diocese of Durham agreed on four priorities: church growth; work with children and youth; engagement with poverty in communities; and “Care for God’s Creation.”
It is the latter that focuses attention on sustainability, tying in with the Church of England’s national call to be net zero by 2030.
Durham’s strategy includes the key appointment of Bethan Steele as the first diocesan environmental officer.
Raised in Darlington, with a love of the outdoors, Bethan took on the role after working as a public rights of way officer for Darlington Borough Council.
The data is the basis used to develop action plans for the buildings, with churches in the top 20 percent of emissions being prioritized.
The diocesan office, Cuthbert House, on the outskirts of Durham City, has led the way by already becoming a net-zero building, with solar panels, air source heat pumps and electric car charging points.
A tool used to get churches thinking about environmental responsibility is the Eco Church Awards scheme, a framework provided by the specialist charity,
All churches in the diocese are actively encouraged to enroll in the program.
So far, 95 churches in the diocese have joined the Eco Church initiative, with 40 receiving a bronze distinction and seven silver. Hart Church, near Hartlepool, has the distinction of becoming the first recipient of a gold award, and St Stephen’s, in Willington, is bidding for gold.
Durham is a bronze diocese but has a clear determination to aim for silver and then gold.
“The Church of England struggles to engage with young people, but many young people are rightly very concerned about the environment,” Rick points out. “If the Church does not share these concerns, then it becomes irrelevant.”
And as someone still in her 20s, Bethan was pleasantly surprised by the level of commitment from churches in the diocese.
“I think it encourages people when they see a young person involved in these things, and I haven’t had half as much opposition as I expected. People want to contribute,” she says.
Another key appointment is the Revd Clare Gibbs becoming Creation Care Officer, combining her role as Priest-in-Charge of the parishes of Escombe, Atherley, Witton le Wear and Hamsterley.
She dedicates two days of her week to the environmental aspects of her role and a major focus of her efforts is working with schools.
Meanwhile, the rules were also ‘relaxed’ around the blighted churchyards, planting wildflowers and grasses to create habitats for birds and insects, along with hedgehog houses, bat boxes and bird boxes.
“Churchyards are often the only green space for communities and many of them are ecological gems, so we need to develop them,” Rick explains.
“But in a way that balances the need for re-landscaping without making people see the churchyard as ‘messy’,” Bethan steps in.
A project to install 32 rapid nesting boxes in the bell tower of All Saints Church, Hurworth-on-Tees, along with audio equipment to simulate the mating call of the declining species, is cited as an example of a more open approach.
Holy Trinity Church in Darlington should follow suit with similar swift action.
The church is also keen to show leadership in wider community projects and Rick was recently honored to be invited by Durham Wildlife Trust to officially open and bless Bishop’s Fen, a new nature reserve comprising 23 hectares of improved wetland habitat south of Bishop Middleham .
“It’s such a wonderful project because it’s about creating a space for individuals and families, so I was thrilled to be asked,” he says.
Recommended reading:
Get more from The Northern Echo with a Premium Plus digital subscription from just £1.50 per week
“I’ve been so impressed with the community engagement and the energy that’s been generated – it’s just great.”
“For many people, nature already plays a huge role in their faith. The church must nurture this, recognize the urgency of the environmental crisis and be seen to be playing its part.”
…Every little flower that opens,
Every bird that sings.
He made their shining colors,
He made their little wings