There was delight as the environmentalist, theologian and social activist, Dr Ruth Valerio, was installed as Canon Theologian at Rochester Cathedral on Sunday 23 February.
Friends, family and members of the wider diocesan community, joined her at a service of Choral Evensong, where she was officially welcomed into her honorary position.
Dr Ruth Valerio is Global Advocacy and Influencing Director at the Christian relief and development charity, Tearfund. She is also author of 'Saying Yes To Life' - the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent book for 2020.
Following the service, Dr Valerio then gave a fascinating talk about the many themes of her book, which has inspired the national church's Lent materials this year - #LiveLent - Care for God's Creation.
Standing under the awe inspirising Museum of the Moon, the talk was streamed live on the Diocese's Facebook page. Watch it again below:
Speaking about her appointment Dr Ruth Valerio said:
“It is an immense honour to be appointed Canon Theologian at Rochester Cathedral.
I am thrilled with this opportunity to be involved in the life of a church that has been a site of worship for so many hundreds of years.
We are facing an unprecedented climate emergency and we all have a calling to be part of the solution and to care for God’s earth, remembering we are not living for ourselves, but are part of a wider body of humanity and the natural world.
I look forward to helping to develop the Diocese’s work in this area.”
The Bishop said:
“Ruth’s appointment could not be more timely as we seek to do more as a community of faith at the cathedral, and across the parishes that make up the Diocese of Rochester, to lighten our impact on the environment.
“We greatly look forward to the inspiration, guidance and expertise her connection to the cathedral will bring to us, as we aim to take better care of God’s creation here in Kent and Medway and the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley.”
Find out more about how the environmental work taking place in the Diocese by visiting: www.rochester.anglican.org/diocese/environment/