Even Sparrows takes its name from the teachings of Jesus. The gospels of Mathew and Luke record how he explained to his followers that God even loves sparrows, little birds considered so insignificant that they were being sold in the local markets for a pittance. Yet Jesus noted that every sparrow is of worth to God and therefore we (who as people made in His image are worth much more to Him), should trust and believe in God’s love for us all.
The founder of Even Sparrows is Mark Winter, a keen birdwatcher who originally set up Birdwatch Northumbria as a local guided birdwatching service. Since 2004 he has been running weekend retreats in Northumberland, developing many of the ideas that form the basis for our new organisation. On each retreat Mark might be joined by various friends like Rev Adrian Hughes and Rev Dale Hanson who share a passion for watching birds.
Even Sparrows has 3 aims:
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To encourage people to appreciate birds and other wildlife as created and God-given.
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To help people enjoy watching birds
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To promote Christian understanding of our natural environment and our responsibility to care for it.
Our annual programme of events usually includes retreats based on in the beautiful and bird-rich island of Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island in recognition of its historic Celtic Christian heritage that has much to offer us even today. However, the message of Even Sparrows applies to any part of Britain or for that matter anywhere in the world.