Tlou Mpai

March 29 -Cycle or Walk to Church Sunday

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“whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which Jesus walked.”  ~  1 John 2 :6 The people of God are a walking people. At the beginning of time, we find the Lord God walking with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening. Abraham walked out of Ur. All of Creation kept the same life-giving pace. Today’s ecological crisis and every doctors room show the consequences for human well-being of living life at inhuman speed. Before the Jesus Movement became Christianity it was simply “The Way.” So today choose to walk or cycle to church as part of your spiritual journey instead of jumping on a bus or in the car. It is widely known that walking is the most natural and healthy of exercises. In many ways the perfect exercise. We virtually all learn to do it as little children. It is our first ticket to freedom, our initial experience of moving forward in life without obstacles or the help of another. Bottom of Form On a physical level, walking has enormous benefits. It strengthens the heart. It helps the lungs operate more efficiently. It strengthens the digestive system. Walking boosts the immune system and  reduces stress On a relationship level, you will pass people on the way that you greet, and you can witness to them that you are on the way  to church. On the level of nature , you will become aware of the movement of trees, the sound of birds, the buzz of insects. The journey is worship, not just the destination.

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EARTH HOUR – ONLINE

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EARTH HOUR ONLINE Light a candle for the Earth We would like to encourage you to celebrate Earth hour by saying this prayer https://www.greenanglicans.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/earth-hour-v2.pdf Share a picture of yourself and your candle on social media.   Plan an event with your youth Earth Hour is an annual environmental campaign that brings attention to the effects of climate change by asking people to switch off lights at homes and businesses for an hour at 8.30 pm (20:30), local time, usually on the last Saturday of March. We would love for the youth to get involved in this campaign because they are the future of this planet.  What better way to reach out to the youth than in the church. Plan an event within your designated churches on earth hour. Earth hour aims to create awareness of people taking On this day have a non-contact meet up session in the evening. What better way to meet up than to use technology from the comfort of your home. Gather your friends/youth group light a candle, switch off the lights and do a Zoom/Hangout meeting and use the Earth hour prayer from the website. Dedicate earth hour to praying for the earth and discussing a sustainable future and negative environmental degradation happening on the planet.  The discussion may include different topics such as: climate change, recycling, reduce and reuse. Create different themes to discuss, specifically for energy resources Use this prayer https://www.greenanglicans.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/earth-hour-v2.pdf   How to use Hangouts On your computer, go to hangouts.google.com or open Hangouts in Gmail. If you are using a cellphone or tablet download the Hangout App At the top, click New conversation Create. Enter and select a name or email address. Type your message/ make a video call/ voice call How to use Zoom: A free zoom account allows for calls that are 45 minutes long Go to https://zoom.us/ Sign up for a free account Once you are signed in select new meeting or join meeting Get chatting        

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March 27 – Romantic Candle-lit Dinner

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“Nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”  ~ Matthew 5:15   Whenever we have power cuts in the evening, we mostly opt to use candles. Candles have become an under used utility with technology taking over. Can you remember a time you didn’t have access to electricity? Have you ever thought of the significant amount of people and communities who still do not have access to electricity? We have become so dependent on electricity that we barely ever think of the people without it and the environmental impacts of electricity in our lives. Today take an opportunity to have a candle lit dinner to appreciate electricity. There are fun ways to go about it and it’s a great way to have a date or a get together with a loved one or friend. An additional benefit is that lighting candles instead of electric lights can help you drastically lower your electricity bill. How to set up a romantic candle lit dinner: Send your guest/guests an invitation for the dinner Keep the menu simple Prepare their favourite food, do not experiment with a new dish Set up the table with a beautiful tablecloth, candles and flowers Switch off the computer, TV and get rid of any other distractions Set the mood by playing soft music Switch off the lights Light the candles (preferably scented) Enjoy!!

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March 26 – Walk or Cycle to Work/Church

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“Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth.” ~ Genesis 13:17 Plan a day once a week when you cycle or walk to work or church. Cycling and waking has become an underappreciated form of transport in the recent years and this is mainly because most people prefer to commute with motor vehicles.  There are several reasons to switch to cycling or walking. The most notable benefits is the reduced strain on the planet and environment.  Motor vehicles cause so much congestion not to mention the global pollution they are cause. Walking or cycling to work or church is a great way to reduce carbon emissions and your carbon footprint. Problems with motor vehicles Air pollution Increase global warming due to the carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases emitted Car production requires a lot of energy and leaves a giant footprint Fuel production requires extraction if fossil fuels which damages ecosystems. It also consumes a lot of energy and oil spills which negatively affect the environment High demand to build new roads which therefore decrease the green land we need. So why embrace cycling and walking? Cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Reduces air pollutants (walking and biking emit no greenhouse gases). Reduces noise pollution and congestion. Reduces the need for new parking lots and roadways. Saves valuable green space from development. Reduces your ecological footprint. Save money on transportation costs. You will spend less money on fuel and or public transport costs Improved health. Walking or cycling is an easy way to get exercise and it will reduce your chances of developing chronic illness such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, etc. Be part of the sustainability movement by choosing to walk or cycle to work instead of commuting with a car or public transport More links https://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/benefits-of-biking-walking/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide/buying-guides/car/environmental-impact/

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March 25 – Fast from Elecctronics

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“Be still and know that I am God.” ~ Psalm 46:10   In todays age and time we have become so dependent on electronics that it almost seems impossible to live with these electronics (for example computers, TVs and cellphones). Electronics were made to improve our quality of life and make things easier but it Is no secret that people have gained a great unhealthy attachment to them and to others an addiction to their electronics. This attachment is growing daily among our peers. It is becoming evident that excessive use off electronics is not good for us physically, mentally and emotionally. People no longer interact with each other even though they are sitting next to each other. How many times have you been to a “get together” yet everyone was on their phone and not talking to each other? How many times have you felt lonely or “FOMO” because of social media? There is a clear need to put a restriction to electronic use. Benefits of fasting from electronics: Reduce stress – both your brain and body need to recover from daily activities. Electronics us on a 24/7 mode, which is not healthy for us More free time – people spend so much time glued to their devices or computer, and loose so much time which they could have spent on something more productive. Time lost is never regained. Improved mental health – social media allows for feelings such as loneliness, depression, envy, jealously and dissatisfaction to grow. Taking a break from seeing what others are doing or have, and focusing on being grateful for what you have, is important. Be present and in the moment – embrace the precious moments with loved ones and friends by being present instead of being on your device when you are with them. Better sleep – Television, computer screens and cell phones give off a light wavelength called blue light, which is similar to the bright midday sun. Exposure to this kind of light in the evening can trick your body into thinking that it’s still the middle of the day, making it hard to get to sleep. Fasting from electronics will therefore improve your sleep pattern. More links https://paleoleap.com/media-fast/ https://www.adventisthealth.org/blog/2019/march/the-benefits-of-unplugging-from-electronics/

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March 24 – Buy Energy-Saving Lightbulbs

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“The girls who were wise answered, ‘There’s not enough oil for all of us!’” ~ Matthew 25:9   Everyone or rather all buildings are dependent on light bulbs, individually light bulbs are not major energy consumers in building but when considered collectively, they use a significant amount of energy. Lightbulb manufacturing has been undergoing an energy-saving revolution in the recent years. There are 3 types of lightbulbs, namely; Incandescent light bulbs; Compact florescent lights (CFLs) and Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). LEDs are the most advanced lightning technology on the market.  LEDs are the most energy efficient lightbulbs available on the market and they also have a considerably longer lifespan. Advantages of using energy saver bulbs(LED): Energy efficient- LED lights are up to 80% more efficient than traditional lighting such as fluorescent and incandescent lights. 95% of the energy in LEDs is converted into light and only 5% is wasted as heat. This is compared to fluorescent lights which convert 95% of energy to heat and only 5% into light! LED lights use much less power than traditional lighting; a typical 84 watt fluorescent can be replaced by a 36 watt LED to give the same level of light. Less energy use reduces the demand from power plants and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. No toxic elements- LED lights contain no toxic elements. Compact Fluorescent lights contain noxious chemicals such as mercury. These elements contaminate the environment when disposed of in landfill waste.  LED bulbs helps to protect the environment from further toxic waste. Less lights needed- LEDs have a better quality of light distribution and focus light in one direction as opposed to other types of lighting which waste energy by emitting light in all directions, often illuminating areas where light isn’t required. Less LED lights are needed to achieve the same level of brightness given off by fluorescents and incandescent lights. Fewer lights will reduce energy consumption and will therefore be a benefit to the environment. Life span- LED Lights last up to six times longer than other types of lights, reducing the requirement for frequent replacements and therefore decreasing the resources needed to manufacture lightbulbs. A longer life span will result in lower carbon emissions. More links https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/energy-efficient-lighting/ https://www.savingenergy.org.za/asl/consumers/light-bulbs/ https://www.sepco-solarlighting.com/blog/bid/145611/the-advantages-of-led-lights-for-the-environment

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