Creation Care Conference held in Newry
200 Church leaders, clergy, educators, community activists and local congregation representatives from across Ireland gathered in Newry for the “Let Justice Flow Like Rivers” Creation Care Conference, an ecumenical event combining prayer, reflection and a strong call to action in response to the climate and ecological crisis.
Maureen Rowan, CSR Southern Executive
Held at the Canal Court Hotel, the conference was prompted particularly by concern over the pollution of Lough Neagh, while also addressing wider threats to rivers, lakes, bogs and ecosystems across the island. Participants from different faith traditions and civic backgrounds came together in a spirit of shared responsibility and hope.
The conference featured keynote contributions from Minister Andrew Muir MLA, Northern Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, who outlined the scale of environmental challenges and the need for coordinated, science-informed governance; Hilary Marlow from Cambridge, who offered a rich biblical reflection on water, justice and creation; Jim McAdam, who spoke powerfully about lived experience deriving from an understanding of the science and the need for sustained community action; and Gail Heffner from USA’s Plaster Creek Stewards, who highlighted the vital role faith communities can play when prayer is united with practical commitment.
Reflecting on the day, Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh, emphasised the moral and spiritual urgency of care for creation, reminding participants that environmental degradation is inseparable from injustice towards the poor, future generations and vulnerable communities. Archbishop John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, underlined the importance of listening, to science, to local communities and to one another and stressed the need for cooperation across church, civic, educational, business and political leadership.
A defining strength of the conference was the contribution of local groups from across Ireland, who shared experiences rooted in their own places. Parishes, schools, eco-congregations, residents’ associations and community initiatives illustrated how creation care is already taking shape on the ground, while also identifying the challenges that remain.
Participants were reminded that faith calls people to be “doers, not merely hearers.” This was expressed through a wide range of personal and parish pledges, including planting native trees, creating wildflower gardens, saving water, reducing consumption, protecting rivers, working with farmers as stewards of the land, strengthening environmental education, and building upstream–downstream and cross-community partnerships.
Alongside local action, the conference highlighted the need for systemic change, including effective environmental regulation, a just transition, and careful attention to scientific evidence and lived experience.
Looking ahead, participants were encouraged to support the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty as a framework for a fair and managed transition away from fossil fuels. Churches and communities were also invited to engage actively with the Season of Creation 2026, which will focus on the theme “Living Water,”echoing the conference’s central concern for rivers and waterways as sacred, shared and threatened sources of life.
Photographs courtesy of the Church of Ireland Press Office.