Chester Prayers

Starting outside of the Town Hall, they unroll their banner, announce their intention and then take a moment to pray.

Each week a different person has introduced it, and each week the prayers take a slightly different form, reflecting the different traditions of those involved, and the different climate disasters that are happening at that time.

So begins a time of public prayers for climate justice in Chester city centre.

Trevor, one of our committee members, had this to say:

'In Glasgow in November, this country will host the United Nations conference on climate change. That conference marks a key moment in the history of humanity and of all living creatures. The pledges that are made, the actions that will be taken by governments and by all of us after this November, will have a profound effect on all of us, on our children and our grandchildren and all generations beyond.

Those of us who support Christian Aid and churches together in Chester have pledged to meet every week here in the middle of the city to pray for those who will be involved in that Conference, and all who will have to take action as a result of it – and that includes us.

But we are praying too for climate justice, for we know full well that those who are suffering the most from climate change are those who have done the least to cause it, those whose carbon footprint is hardly visible.

That is why we stand here today. That is why we pray.'