Hucknall church invites community to walk labyrinth and think about climate change

A Hucknall church are opening their doors over the next two days to provide a space for people to think and pray about climate change.

Hucknall Central Methodist Church, on Baker Street, has hired a giant labyrinth from Southwell Minster. It has been laid out in the chapel providing people the opportunity to walk it whilst considering the current environmental state of the planet.

It has been deliberately hired this week to coincide with COP26, which began in Glasgow yesterday and sees a number of world leaders and delegates as well as high profile climate change activists meeting to discuss what action can be taken to limit global warming.

Speaking exclusively to Hucknall Nub News about the thought process behind hiring the labyrinth, Reverend John Wiseman, the Minister at Hucknall Central said: "I wanted to get something that linked in with what's happening in Glasgow and the COP26 summit and the awareness that everybody should have about the climate crisis.

"Walking around the labyrinth gives people an opportunity to think about issues that affect us as a church but also affect people as individuals, and hopefully gives people a chance just to pray, and as they leave here, hopefully, they go and act and do something.

"Also as people are leaving we're giving them a little self-made bookmark that's got a link to the eco church website and we've got a display up with lots of different ways that people can think about their own lifestyle and how they can play their part in trying to reduce their carbon footprint."

As well as the labyrinth, there are also places to sit and contemplate the climate crisis or a paper copy of the labyrinth to follow for those who are unable to physically walk it or would prefer not to.

Of the importance of the church making a stand and having a voice when it comes to climate change, Rev Wiseman said: "I think if you believe in a God that is a creator God then we have a responsibility. The early chapters of Genesis suggest that God gives mankind a role, a job to do, stewards to look after and I don't think we've done a desperately good job.

"And sometimes we can preach about this issue but yet when we look at what we actually do as a church as a whole, or as individuals who come to the church, then maybe we don't practice what we preach, or we don't practice what hear somebody else preach; so I think it's an important voice that the church can have at this particular time."

Rev Wiseman was keen to point out that the building is open to everyone whether or not they regularly attend church.

Asked what he would say to people who might be contemplating attending, he said: "I would just say come along, we've got little guides that people can use that may facilitate their way around the labyrinth. If people feel inclined to pray, they can, if that's not people's persuasion then they can simply come and walk and think about the different aspects.

"In the labyrinth there are five different points at which you can stop and pause and we're inviting people simply to place a symbolic glass bead into a little container and just to stop and think about different aspects. Maybe thinking just about the beauty of creation, the wonder of creation, how we just take things for granted."

The church has been open for three two hour sessions today, between 10am and 12pm, 2pm and 4pm, and 6pm and 8pm.

It will open at the same times tomorrow before the labyrinth is used by two other local churches. On Wednesday it will be at Sherwood Methodist Church and on Friday and Saturday it will be at Nuthall Methodist Church.

Rev Wiseman added: "There are chances for people in different locations if they can't make it today or tomorrow, they can maybe go to another place, exactly the same setup, and experience it there."