The Director of Communications for A Rocha International, Jo Swinney, will be speaking at a Lent event with an environmental focus at St Lawrence Church, Barnwood on 13 February.
As Lent approaches, Christians around the world turn their focus to the journey of Christ towards the cross and the hope of resurrection. Jo will discuss the impact of Easter on both faith and the environment with her new book, ‘The Whole Easter Story – Why the Cross is Good News for all Creation.‘
Jo will be speaking at St Lawrence on Thursday 13 February, from 7.30pm to 9pm, and will be joined by her colleague Jo Herbert James from A Rocha UK, the organisation that brought us Eco Church. The event will explore the connection between the Easter story and God’s relationship with creation, drawing on Bible passages, personal reflections, and the global conservation efforts of A Rocha.
A Rocha, a Christian organisation dedicated to caring for the natural world, has long supported the integration of faith and environmental stewardship. Jo shares her insight into how the Easter story speaks not only to personal salvation but also to the restoration of all creation.
This event marks the launch of ‘The Whole Easter Story – Why the Cross is Good News for all Creation’ as the Bible Reading Fellowship’s Lent Book for 2025, and St Lawrence’s chosen Lent book for this year. The book offers 40 daily reflections guiding readers through Lent with Scripture, meditations, and real-world examples of faith in action. Copies will be available for purchase at the event, with proceeds supporting A Rocha’s conservation initiatives worldwide.
The discussion also aligns closely with St Lawrence’s ongoing commitment to Eco Church, a movement encouraging churches to embrace sustainability and creation care as a vital part of Christian living.
The Revd Rob Crofton, Vicar at St Lawrence, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jo Swinney and Jo Herbert James to share their wisdom on practical care for God’s creation as an essential part of Christian discipleship. We hope this event and their book will inspire our own church and others to take next steps as an EcoChurch, using A Rocha’s new EcoChurch questionnaire that has recently been launched.”
All are welcome to attend this event, whether you are passionate about environmental issues or simply seeking a deeper understanding of the Easter message. People don’t need to book in but can just turn up, and refreshments will be served in advance from 7pm.
There is also a six-week virtual book club based on the book, hosted by Jo Swinney and Jo Herbert-James on Wednesdays from 5 March to 9 April from 8pm to 9pm GMT. Find out more and book your place here.
The Lent resources for 2025 are now live on our website, including the Living Hope resources from the Church of England, and Experience Easter from Jumping Fish. Visit our Lent page here.