Our church has a fantastic location at the heart of the village, with pedestrians and motorists afforded superb views from whichever direction they approach. 

This is even the case at night as we are lucky enough to have external flood-lighting, which mean the church can be a 'light in the darkness' for all who pass by.

But for Lent 2020, we are switching out the lights, as part of the Church's involvement in the #LiveLent campaign, a series of 40 daily reflections and challenges to help us care for God's creation, and as a symbolic step in our journey towards becoming an 'Eco Church'.

‘Could you switch away from harmful chemicals in your kitchen or bathroom?' 'how much water was used to make your favourite pair of jeans?' 'When was the last time you gazed at the night sky?' and 'What was the carbon footprint of the meal I just ate?' – these are just some of the questions and topics participants will explore, with a different challenge every day.

Our Rector, Mark Bailey, said: "turning the lights off for Lent is one way of helping people to think about our responsibility to care for God's Creation.

"We'll be as busy as usual, but with the night-time darkness helping people to be mindful of our responsibility to respond and preserve natural resources.

"When people see the church in darkness, perhaps they might pause to think about how they can make their own lives to be more sustainable, and to pray for the world's poorest communities where the climate crisis is already being felt most severely."

So this Lent, why not think about how you could live more sustainably and help to safeguard God's creation?

The lights will be switched off between Ash Wednesday (26 Feb) and Easter Sunday (12 April).

Find out more about the #LiveLent campaign at churchofengland.org/livelent