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A real challenge for us today is to learn to be satisfied with what God has provided. Paul referred to this near the end of his life when he said "I know what it is to have little and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret. I have learned to be content with whatever I have" (Philippians 4:11-12). Paul had finally internalized what Jesus was saying in the Sermon on the Mount: God will provide, and we can be content, knowing that it is enough.

But we have a hard time not being anxious about our finances or our lack of time. There just doesn't ever seem to be enough time or money for all that we want to do or have. One way we can live as though we trust in God the Sustainer to provide for our needs is to simplify our lives. This means something different for each of us but, in general, living more simply would include:

• Creating more space in our lives for Sabbath time - the time that we can rest in God and let the world go on around us. How is this possible when our lives are so full of work and school and meetings and lessons and practices? And when we are finally at home, there is work to do there, too. It never seems to end. How do we create space in the midst of all the clutter?

• Saying "no" to the materialism that drives our economy. Almost everywhere in our society we receive the message that what we are and what we have is not enough. There is a deliberate scarcity mentality that is fostered by our economic system. However, Jesus taught that we are to have an abundance mentality and that God will provide all that we need. How do we deal with this tug-of-war between Christ and culture?

• Making a move toward an outwardly simple, but inwardly rich lifestyle. What would that look like? How do we get past the money and time anxieties, simplify our lives and make time for personal inner growth?

Perhaps Lent is the perfect time to take on some practices of simplicity. Check out the offering below from Gulf Coast Creation Care to provide daily emails during Lent with suggestions for simplifying your life, or consider any of the other recommendations for a creation-centered Lent.

Lent invites us to slow down and to release things that are holding us back from a spiritual, conscious life. Gulf Coast Creation Care has partnered with Beth Dargis of My Simpler Life to offer her daily “Simplifying for Lent” challenges. You may download the entire 40 days worth of challenges for a small fee at her website, or sign up with GCCC to receive the challenges for free in a daily email during Lent.

Stations of the Cross in Nature for Children, from the creation care team at the Diocese of Louisiana

Find dozens of resources for Lent from our friends at Catholic Climate Covenant

"Lent 2026: Gratitude and Reciprocity" from United Thank Offering. UTO is basing their Lenten materials on themes from the book The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Creation justice resources for the Lenten season (coming soon) from Creation Justice Ministries

Creation care curriculum

• Love God, Love God's World - The Episcopal Church
• Climate Justice Curriculum for Youth and Young Adults - The Episcopal Church
• Ecological Grief and Creational Hope - Anglican Diocese of Toronto

On January 22, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Daphne sponsored a showing of the award-winning short documentary Sallie's Ashes, showcasing the environmental efforts of Sallie Smith, terminal cancer patient and former member of St. James Episcopal in Fairhope. Sallie worked for years to force removal of Alabama Power's toxic coal ash pond in north Mobile County from the banks of the Mobile River, where it is threatening the river, Mobile Bay and the entire Mobile Delta ecosystem with carcinogens, neurotoxins and other hazardous pollutants. Sallie passed away in October, 2023, but her story continues to inspire others to continue the effort to make Alabama Power accountable for the environmental threat they have created on the banks of the Mobile River.

The Creation Care Compline is creatively adapted from the service in the Book of Common Prayer by a different team of facilitators each month. Mindfulness of God's creation is woven throughout the peaceful service. Creation Care Compline is generally held the first Monday of each month and is a partnership between the Green Caucus and the Mission Program Office of The Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop’s Office. This month's Compline:

Monday, February 2

8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT

Join Episcopalians across the Church for an evening of prayer and meditation. Register here to receive a monthly reminder, or simply join each month's session using the button below.

Province IV and V Monthly Gathering

Monday, February 9 at 12:00 pm CT

Stations of the Cross and Creation:

A Lenten Tool for Reflection

You are invited to join us for some Lenten reflection and conversation around The Stations of the Cross and Creation with The Rev. Jerry Cappel and Amy Tidwell, creators of this version of the Stations of the Cross. In this hour, Jerry and Amy will lead us in some Lenten contemplation and conversation using the art and poetry of this collection.

The Stations of the Cross and Creation features the original artwork of Amy Tidwell, paired with the scripture texts of each station of the cross and selected poems of poet and author Wendell Berry. This combination of art, poetry, and prose gives special place to expressing how all creation is caught up in the betrayal and violence so evident in the suffering journey of Jesus in Holy Week. The artwork shuttles our focus between the human drama and that of the broader creation. The poetry brings poignant focus to the injustice and foolishness bound up in these moments.

Come and prepare for your own Lenten journeys at this month’s gathering.

Free monthly gatherings on Zoom featuring mentors and leaders on Creation Care and the intersections of evangelism, discipleship, and justice. 2nd Thursday of each month, beginning in February 2026, 6:30-8 pm CT.

God Draws Near: the Mission of God and the Belovedness of All Creatures

What story does the Bible tell? Come join an online discussion on God Draws Near: Rethinking the Biblical Theology of Mission (Baker, 2025), a new book by Center board member Collin Cornell.

Most Christians treat the Bible as one big story of God's work to save and heal. Collin argues instead for a different view: that God intends not just to fix brokenness but to cherish and delight in creatures – to enjoy communion with humans and nonhumans alike. The webinar, therefore, explores the mission of God and the belovedness of all creatures.

Dr. Collin Cornell earned a PhD in Old Testament from Emory University, taught for three years as a visiting professor of biblical studies in the School of Theology at Sewanee, and now serves on the faculty of Fuller Seminary as assistant professor of Bible and mission.

The event is free but registration is required.

Sometimes it is difficult to know where to turn for accurate, timely information about critical issues affecting our planet and all that God has created, so in 2026 we plan to highlight organizations that are doing good work in areas that concern the viability of the planet. This month we invite you to check out and follow the Episcopal Public Policy Network.

The Episcopal Public Policy Network is a grassroots network of Episcopalians across the country dedicated to carrying out the Baptismal Covenant call to “strive for justice and peace” through the active ministry of public policy advocacy. Facilitated by the Office of Government Relations, this network helps influence the development of legislation and policy of the U.S. federal government on critical issues.

Sign up for email updates and action alerts and register to join them for their weekly policy network calls, too, on Thursdays, 1-1:30 p.m. EDT. The Office of Government Relations holds a weekly conversation about the policies and legislation for which it is advocating and how Episcopal Church policies intersect with those issues.

Nurture and Sustain:

Action-Based Climate Resilience

Created by a team at Episcopal Relief & Development, "Nurture and Sustain" is a complete toolkit on the subject of Climate Resilience, with printable and sharable resources, including goal setting and leadership development, worship and formation, and myriad suggestions for taking action. You can preview and download the toolkit here. If you would like to learn more, please check out this video of Episcopal Relief and Development's Chad Brinkman explaining the program at our last Province IV/V monthly meeting. Please check it out, along with the entire body of Faith Formation resources.

An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice is now available for parishes in Provinces 4 and 5 through this tool kit, which was developed with funding support from the Episcopal Church's Network for Creation Care and Environmental Racism. The Path combines leadership training for a core team of Companions with congregational development for parishes or Episcopal communities looking to deepen their engagement with Creation Justice. Whether your community is "all in" for creation or just getting started, the Path offers an opportunity to develop a comprehensive plan for beginning or deepening your green ministry. There will be training opportunities for those interested in becoming a Companion (a coach who works with parishes) throughout the year and the program launches a new cohort of parishes each fall. Learn more at the Episcopal Path website.

What We Are Writing & Reading

Read the reflection "God in the Mountain, God as the Mountain," by St. Christopher's, Pensacola parishioner Frank Gilliam, published in the church's monthly newsletter The Lantern.

A recent article from Civil Eats featured the challenges for the oyster industry in Apalachicola - "A Florida Oyster Fishery and Its Community Fight for Their Future: The controversial reopening of Apalachicola Bay will test whether its once-sustainable local food system is still possible."