The book gives an account of various movements in art and their relation to the visual and in churches and in liturgy, for example the Franciscan movement, different approaches to the crucifixion, and the restoration of creation. It recovers the links between the cross and creation, and relates the baptismal covenant to a commitment to care for creation.

In a feral twist on crime fiction, Cal, a mutt with a criminal past, must step back into the world of animal violence to avenge the death of his wife and protect his pups from the inherent darkness of nature. His journey leads him out of the woods and into the dump where he spent his youth, a dump run by Maurice and his ferocious gang of rats, weasels, stoats - murderers all. Cal has to face up to his past to save his children, and protect the woods from the violence on the borders. Meanwhile the woodland community is fraying at the seams as talk of infection and sickness is spreading like wildfire. Anyone could be rabid, and turn violent at a moment's notice. And the local trader, that should be bringing much needed supplies to the community has vanished. With a long winter ahead, and their protector, the great brown bear, asleep on the mountainside, can the town stop their own fears destroying them?

In our post-modern, technological and visual age, there seems to be a new fascination with symbols. And in such an age as this, it is not enough just to understand and use the written liturgy, whether old or new, like Common Worship. In worship and in our pastoral rites, the preoccupation with texts has to be balanced with the vital liturgical language of symbols. Never before has there been such scope for the use of symbols as can be found in the family of Common Worship services. Not simply visual aids, liturgical symbols are suggestive and evocative; they belong to a whole matrix of imagery in Scripture and in the prayer texts that accompany the ritual acts of worship. Each chapter of Symbols and Worship provides theological and historical background to the symbols discussed (water, oil, light and incense), as well as practical guidance on the place and use of these symbols in the whole range of Common Worship services.

A Time for Creation encourages us to praise God for his creation, take responsibility for our actions, repent of our misuse of natural resources and hear the voice of creation itself in our prayer. Drawing together texts from Common Worship with newly commissioned material, it offers liturgies for all times and occasions when there is a focus on creation - in daily prayer, services of the word, school assemblies, eucharistic celebrations and seasonal services to mark the agricultural year. It has been compiled by the Liturgical Commission of the Church of England and is designed to provide its parishes, schools and chaplaincies with a rich selection of resources for worship and prayer.