On Thursday, June 18, 2026, the Communion Forest hosted another Connect, Share & Pray session, bringing together participants from across the Anglican Communion to explore the theme of marine ecosystems. As with previous sessions, two gatherings were held at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM GMT to enable participation from different time zones. The Connect, Share & Pray series is designed to bridge spiritual reflection, practical action and advocacy by creating a space for shared learning, inspiring dioceses and provinces to deepen their commitment to caring for creation while uniting the Communion in a common rhythm of prayer. 

This month’s gathering focused on the vital role of oceans, coastlines, mangroves and other marine ecosystems, highlighting faith-led initiatives that are restoring coastal habitats, strengthening communities, and advocating for the protection of the planet’s blue spaces. 

Why Marine Ecosystems Matter

Marine ecosystems are fundamental to life on Earth. 

• Phytoplankton and seaweeds generate around 50% of the Earth’s oxygen, making healthy oceans essential for all life.  

• Mangroves, seagrasses and salt marshes are among the world’s most efficient carbon sinks. Mangroves alone can store two to four times more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests.  

• Mangroves, coral reefs and salt marshes reduce wave energy and storm surges, helping protect an estimated 2.4 billion people living in coastal regions.  

• Coral reefs support more than 25% of all marine species, while seagrass meadows provide nursery habitats for many commercial fisheries. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide depend on coral reefs for food, income and livelihoods. 

Threats Facing Marine Ecosystems 

Despite their immense value, marine ecosystems continue to face unprecedented pressures. 

• Salt marshes, mangroves and kelp forests continue to decline due to coastal development, pollution, and changing ocean conditions.  

• Rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification threaten coral reefs worldwide, with a global temperature increase of 1.5°C placing up to 90% of coral reefs at risk.  

• Between 12 and 15 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year, harming marine wildlife and degrading coastal habitats.  

• Overfishing, abandoned fishing gear, and destructive fishing practices continue to threaten marine biodiversity and food security.  

Through prayer, practical restoration, environmental advocacy, and collaboration across the Anglican Communion, faith communities continue to demonstrate that caring for God’s creation extends from forests to oceans. By restoring mangroves, strengthening Pacific communities, promoting citizen science, and inspiring faithful stewardship, they offer hopeful examples of how collective action can help safeguard the planet’s blue spaces for generations to come.

Read more about the importance of marine ecosystems here.

Biblical Reflection

The session opened with a devotion by Rev. Christine Benoit, from the Diocese of Seychelles in the Anglican Church of the Indian Ocean, who reflected on humanity’s calling to be faithful stewards of God’s creation. Drawing attention to the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems, she highlighted the growing threats posed by climate change, overfishing and plastic pollution. She encouraged participants to respond through practical action, including reducing carbon emissions, cleaning shorelines and advocating for healthier oceans as an expression of Christian discipleship. Watch Rev. Christine Benoit’s reflections, devotion and opening prayer here.  

The webinar featured inspiring examples of environmental restoration and advocacy from across the Anglican Communion. 

1. Sri Lanka – Community-Led Mangrove Restoration. Anusan Sivarasa presented the Diocese of Colombo’s community-based mangrove restoration and conservation programme in Sri Lanka. His presentation demonstrated how restoring mangrove ecosystems not only protects biodiversity but also strengthens climate resilience, safeguards coastal communities from storms and erosion and provides critical habitats for marine life. Drawing on restoration projects in Karanagar and Negambu, Anusan highlighted the importance of careful ecological assessment and strong community ownership. Through local participation, youth engagement, field research and seed collection training, these projects have achieved an impressive 50% mangrove survival rate, far exceeding the typical 5–10% survival rate often seen in restoration efforts.Watch Anusan Sivarasa’s presentation here. 
2. Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia – Ocean Guardianship Across the Pacific. Feiloakitau Kaho Tevi, Climate Change Commissioner for the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, shared his province’s “Soko Ni Nui Nui” campaign, a regional initiative focused on building climate resilience and strengthening ocean guardianship across Pacific Island communities. The campaign combines Indigenous knowledge, Christian faith and environmental advocacy through three interconnected phases. One of its highlights was a 24-day traditional sailing voyage through Fiji, which visited eight communities and twelve parishes, engaging over 1,500 participants in conversations about ocean stewardship and climate resilience. Fe’i also highlighted important advocacy efforts to decarbonise the maritime sector, noting that while global shipping accounts for approximately 2–3% of global carbon dioxide emissions, maritime transport represents a much larger proportion of emissions across many Pacific Island nations, making sustainable shipping an important climate priority for the region. Watch Fe’i Tevi’s presentation here. And Elizabeth Perry’s presentation of the Climate Commission work here
3. Citizen Science for Coastal Monitoring . In Nova Scotia, Canada, church members are involved in monitoring coastal ecosystems and gathering environmental data. The work is led by Dr Camilo Botero, who showcased this citizen science initiative in his video presentation. By involving volunteers in observing and recording changes to vulnerable coastlines, the initiative demonstrates how community participation can strengthen conservation efforts and provide valuable evidence for environmental advocacy. Watch Camilo Botero’s presentation here. 

Access the full webinar recordings here. 

Closing Prayer video of Archbishop Emeritus Winston Halapua