Church leaders have called upon Christians throughout England to use the period from 1 September until 4 October as an opportunity to put the environment at the heart of their worship.

The call was made by the four co-presidents of the ecumenical body Churches Together in England, Archbishop Rowan Williams, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Commissioner Elizabeth Matear, and Bishop Nathan Hovhanissian who met on Tuesday.

They affirmed their shared commitment to making the environment and collective responsibility for tackling climate change a fixed annual feature of the worship and shared witness of all the churches in England.

Commending the initiative, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams said: "Every Sunday in the creed, Christians confess their faith in God who created the world we inhabit.

"It's his gift. As stewards of that gift, each of us has a responsibility, both to God and to the generations to come, to ensure that this remains a sustainable world.

"Placing environmental concerns at the heart of our Christian worship for this fixed time each year, demonstrates our shared commitment to that end."

The 'Time For God's Creation' initiative, which would run annually, follows a resolution made at the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in 2007 that the period "be dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change".

The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cormac Murphy O'Connor, pointed to the example of St Francis, the patron saint of animals, birds and the environment.

"I have always been struck by the witness of St Francis for he helps us to see that the beauty and goodness of creation are a reflection of God's own Beauty and Goodness.

"'Time for God's Creation' is a sobering reminder of our obligation to respect and care for our world. Inspired by St Francis we pray and work together for the common good."

'Time for God's Creation' incorporates several existing dates related to creation themes in the different church calendars. In 1989 the Ecumenical Patriarch invited all Christians to observe 1 September as a day of thanksgiving for creation and an occasion for petitions for its preservation and healing. The period also incorporates Harvest festival, celebrated by Anglican and Protestant churches and concludes on 4 October with St Francis' day, when Roman Catholics reflect on Creation themes.

Moderator of the Free Churches of England and Wales, Commissioner Betty Matear, said: "We believe that God is our Creator and humanity, created in His image, has been given responsibility for the care and stewardship of the world's resources.

"We are accountable to those who will follow us, to leave behind a world that would please its Creator but our lifestyles also affect the lives of others - today.

"'Time for God's Creation' will be an opportunity for us all to look at our choices, to reflect on how our lives impact on others and to allow God to challenge us to becomes positively involved in caring for His world."

Primate of the Armenian Church of Great Britain and co-president for England's other Churches, Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian, added: "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it (Gen 1:28[a]).

"Our Creator has entrusted us with this planet as a gift: may we always treasure it, and ensure that we are its good stewards, so that we remain also worthy of it."