The Parish of St John the Evangelist, Athlone hosted its 2026 Confirmation Group Camp from 18–20 September at Glencairn Youth Centre in Cape Town, bringing young people together for a weekend of faith formation, fellowship and learning. This year’s camp focused on creation and creation stewardship, with the Green Anglicans team invited to facilitate sessions on caring for God’s creation.
The day began with fun ice-breakers led by Bino Makhalanyane, followed by a “Know Your Bible” session facilitated by Revd Canon Shaun Cozett. Working in groups, the young people explored biblical passages on creation and were introduced to the 2026 Season of Creation theme, “Living Waters.”
Revd Canon Shaun also introduced the Anglican Five Marks of Mission, highlighting that caring for creation is not separate from Christian faith but forms an important part of the Anglican Church’s mission. As confirmation preparation includes learning from the Anglican Prayer Book Catechism, John-Paul Roberts connected it to creation care, helping young people reflect on how their faith calls them to live responsibly within God’s creation.
The connection between creation care and human wellbeing was further explored by Dr Samantha Cozett, who spoke about the relationship between a healthy environment and healthy communities. She reminded the young people that protecting the environment can help reduce risks to human health and contribute to the well-being of friends, families and neighbours.
Putting their learning into practice, the participants worked in groups to design posters that explore how people are harming the environment in the City of Cape Town, what the Bible teaches about creation, and what practical actions can be taken. The young people then committed themselves to three actions before the end of the year: a beach clean-up, an eco-restoration activity and a river clean-up in their community.
Green Anglicans extend its sincere appreciation to the Parish of St John the Evangelist for the invitation to facilitate during the weekend. We also thank Revd Canon Shaun Cozett, Diocesan Canon Mission for the Diocese of Cape Town, and Dr Samantha Cozett for sharing their wisdom and helping to make the camp a meaningful experience for the young people.
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