CAPTION: People who come to the Hazlenut Community garden help grow vegetables and share produce locally
Exeter partners with Hazelnut Community to pioneer new eco congregations
The Diocese of Exeter has announced a new partnership with the Hazelnut Community, an organisation that supports churches to create eco communities on their land in order to deepen worship, welcome their community and combat climate breakdown.
The collaboration is part of the diocese’s commitment to creation care and pioneer ministry, as part of a mixed ecology model of church. Mixed ecology is one of the Bishop of Exeter’s five key priorities for the diocese.
Rev’d John White, who founded the Hazelnut Community and led a workshop on it at the recent Mission Shed in Exeter, said: “It’s about reaching out and bridging from the church to the community, creating beautiful spaces for plants and animals and humans.
Making connections is an important part of the Hazelnut ethos
“Growing vegetables, eating together, it’s just a great place to have ministry, especially in a time of ecological breakdown and climate emergency.
“It’s a beautiful way to encounter our Creator God.
The Hazelnut Community Bristol was the first Hazelnut Community. It is a church plant based around a community garden in a churchyard. It offers gardening courses and regular community sessions, often based around seasonal events.
The aim is to build friendships, enable people to learn about gardening together, create a peaceful space for prayer and mindfulness and take action on the climate emergency.
Sarah Charker with Hazelnut Community leader, Rev’d John White
There are now several Hazelnut communities in Bristol, as well as Leicester, Sheffield and even the Democratic Republic of Congo.
John White said the spaces connect with people who would not normally come into a church.
“Some people see churches as tricky spaces, but they come into a community or church garden and they find peace and rest and they make connections,” he commented.
“A large number of people connect with God outside or through gardening and getting their hands in the soil. This is a way to draw them and say ‘this peace and life you are connecting with, there’s a place where this exists within the Christian faith and tradition.”
The Diocese of Exeter’s Creation Care Engagement Officer, Sarah Charker, said “It is so inspiring to be collaborating with John and the Hazelnut Community, it is such an exciting opportunity for Church communities to pioneer a different way of worshiping together to connect communities with creation and Creator.
“I am looking forward to seeing new eco congregations emerging and sensitively reconnecting with our incredible sacred spaces”
If you would like to find out more about developing Hazlenut Communities in Devon, please email Sarah Charker.
Watch the video below to see Sarah’s interview with John.
