August 2016

PRESCHOOLERS GOING WILD FOR CREATION IN SWAZILAND The Diocese of Swaziland partnered with the Swaziland Environmental Authority and Green Anglicans to run a workshop for Pre-school teachers using the manual : Ryan the Rhino- Caring for Creation. The teachers were excited and have implemented lots of the ideas from the manual as well as new ones. Here is some news from Paradise Pre-school: Teacher Bongiwe Dlamini shares “With the help of the book and what was trained in the workshop and our innovations we had taught different environmental topics to our pupils. We had come up with waste management practices where we encourage waste point source separation and re-use of the waste generated. We have made sound letters using card boxes, skipping ropes using plastic, phones from yogurt containers, flowers from sweet papers, Ndebele necklace from toilet rolls, flower pots from yogurt containers. We have involved the pupils in most of the art work, collection of plastics and sweet papers from home and within school. We promote energy conservation, water harvesting and planting of flowers. We have just started and we are going to introduce even more other environmental topics and practical work. Music and plays has been also used to train our people. The book we use is based on the Bibles so we also use verses to teach our pupils which is good for their spirituality.” Ryan the Rhino Manual can be found on this link: https://www.greenanglicans.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/CARING-FOR-CREATION-RYAN-THE-RHINO.pdf  

The 2016 group of confirmation candidates, including both adults and youth this year, are preparing for Confirmation on 26th August. Each confirmand received a chive plant to nurture for the duration of their preparation, after which they will plant it in their gardens or keep it in a sunny spot on a windowsill. Chives are classed as companion plants. When they are planted alongside other plants or vegetables, they help with the growth of the other plants, as well as helping to keep bugs at bay – a perfect symbol of companionship during the few weeks of being nurtured through confirmation preparation. -Barbara Oosthuizen

We are excited to share with you the latest Season of Creation Materials Season of Creation Four: Season of Creation Four

Green Christmas in July – St Philip the Deacon District 6 A truly special and memorable luncheon was held at St Philip the Deacon, D6 on Saturday 30th July attended by over 50 parishioners and members of (OWL) One Web of Life and SAFCEI. It was a coming together of a few heartfelt goals for all partners.  For OWL, it was an ideal opportunity to raise consciousness about the plight of factory farmed animals and to encourage this congregation to join Green Mondays and become more plant based in both their church catering and in their homes. The Parish Council used the occasion as a much needed fund raiser but in turn pledged that at least 50% of the dishes served at parish events in future will be plant based and that effort will be made to ensure that the remainder of the food is sourced from higher welfare farms.  It also promised to promote Green Monday/Green Eating at least once a month via announcements in church and reminders in the pew leaflet. Those who attended could not get over how delicious the 3 course meal catered by the Baxter Theatre – lentil soup, samosas, vegetable biriyani and vegan chocolate cake was. It is a small but significant step towards bringing the suffering of the animals we consume into the consciousness of Christians.   Beulah Thumbadoo

We are excited to share with you our latest news from across the Province   read more at Winter newsletter 2016