Churches in Lancashire are being urged to step up with net-zero efforts, as the season of Creationtide approaches.

Creationtide is a period in the Church calendar of prayer and reflection for the environment, coinciding with the traditional harvest season.

The Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev Dr Joe Kennedy is encouraging congregations to take stock of their buildings and community work, and see if they can be doing any more to close in on net zero.

At the moment, there are 109 churches registered as eco-churches in Lancashire, with 25 of these having ‘silver' status and the rest 'bronze'.

Overall, the Diocese of Blackburn and its Cathedral have bronze status, with the Diocesan Offices on the edge of Blackburn and the Bishop’s House office in Salesbury ranked as silver.

Bishop Joe said: “As we praise God the Creator, we also remember God’s command for us to act as stewards of his creation.”

He also asked parishioners to support plans for a national ‘Festival of God the Creator,’ which he hopes will take place in 2026.

“This new festival will have deep roots in the Bible and in Christian tradition … and will point us surely and simply to God, the one who creates,” said the Bishop. “It will be a thoroughly Trinitarian festival – praising the Father who is the maker of all things, the Son through whom all things are made, and the Spirit, who is the giver of life.”