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St Agnes Lesotho – Cleanliness is next to Godliness      The St Agnes guild in the Diocese of Lesotho had their retreat on the 25th to the 27th January 2019. It was themed “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” Titus 2:11-15   It is in this service that spiritual purity was hard hammered on; from Rev. Fr. Stephen Manyabeane’s sermon through to the Green Anglicans’ coordinators who were present. Young girls were taught and encouraged to maintain purity and cleanliness.   Our Green Movement environmentalists took it further by stating how incomplete it is to keep a pure body when on the other hand the bigger body, planet earth, which God has put us as stewards of is being ripped off its resources.   The Provincial Green Anglicans Youth Coordinator, Bino Makhalanyane, indicated with several references from the bible that the stewardship of taking care and of protecting our environment including resources is not manmade but it is a command from above. Following the Gospel, following in the footsteps of Jesus, living a faith based life, honoring the word of God and living a clean life are all interrelated with the care we give to our surroundings. It is incomplete to carry out one task living out the other. All these aspects must be done and all touched. Furthermore, it was greenlighted that as human beings we’re bound to fall into the trap of sinning, hence God always offers second chances. Multiple second chances. If we repent from our sins and focus on the future we’re given such a chance. That is the similarity in the environmental lifestyle, the damaged we’ve caused so far can be forgiven if we take a pledge to protect, guard, be responsible stewards, effective disciples of mother earth and to act now. Action to PROTECT, action to EDUCATE, action to RAISE AWARENESS and SENSETISE those who are in the dark. It is the ultimate responsibility of the young people in the church because in the next ten years agricultural production will have dropped by up to 70% as stats state now.   With a very vibrant session, the girls and other present members through the simplest yet effective ways on how to reduce the use of plastic and other products that put the earth in danger. E.g. going to a fast food shop with a personal reusable lunchbox, ask the waiter to prepare the order in that so as to reduce plastic. Say no to straws. Say no to plastic bags. Carry your own reusable groceries bag. Most importantly make these criteria trend all over social media platform carrying common hashtags #SayNoToSingleUsePlastic In wrapping; the Diocesan Coordinator Mr. Thupane portrayed that the baton was put in the girls and congregants’ hands to assume responsibility of such. With the already present structures within the church, the task now was put to them to show a buzz of environmentalism within the church and communities they reside in. Guild members, leaderships and all concerned parties have to liaise with one another to make a concrete and sound devotion to the Green Movement in the Church in order to yield more positive outcome.   Green Anglicans Coordinator  Diocese of Lesotho Thupane A. T. Taaso

  THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF WASHINGTON EMBRACES SEASON OF CREATION   At their Diocesan Synod, the following resolution was passed   On Creation Care Adopted January 26, 2019 * * * * Submitted by: The Rev. Betsy Hague, the Southern Africa Partnership Committee, the EDOW Environmental Network, and parishioners committed to creation care at St. Stephen and the Incarnation, St. Columba’s, St. John’s, Lafayette Square, and Ascension, Sligo Parish. Resolved, that the people of the Diocese of Washington, being disciples of Jesus Christ and persons of faith and conscience, taking seriously the biblical mandate to care for God’s creation, encourage individuals, parishes, schools, and other church-related organizations: To remember the care of God’s creation throughout the year in worship liturgies and in prayer;   To consider adopting the Season of Creation in their worship calendar each year from 1 September (the Global Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation) to 4 October (St Francis of Assisi Day) to pray for and celebrate creation, to focus on the story of the Earth, and to commit to a ministry of healing the Earth; and   To serve as a moral example in loving God’s creation and responding to the call to protect, conserve, and preserve this fragile earth, our island home.   * * * * Explanation: This resolution is intended to encourage individuals, parishes, schools, and other church-related organizations within the Diocese of Washington to recognize in their worship and prayer and by example, the biblical mandate to care for God’s creation.   In 2018 the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church recognized the care of God’s creation as a priority. The 79th General Convention affirmed that “as individuals and communities of faith, The Episcopal Church” needs to be “an example by making intentional decisions about living lightly and gently on God’s good earth;” and in an earlier June 1, 2017, statement, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry called on the Episcopal Church to take bold action to address the climate crisis, reminding us that we are all trustees and stewards of God’s good creation.   In recognition of the Biblical mandate to be stewards of God’s good creation, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the Anglican Communion Environmental Network encourage participation by all within the Worldwide Anglican Communion in the Season of Creation, the period each year from 1 September (the Global Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation) to 4 October (St Francis of Assisi Day) to pray and celebrate with creation, focus on the story of the Earth, and commit to a ministry of healing the Earth. The Season of Creation was first adopted in 1989 by the Greek Orthodox Church and the concept has now spread to other denominations. Among other resources for celebrating the Season of Creation are worship liturgies and Sunday school lesson plans prepared by the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and the Anglican Communion Environmental Network. See https://www.greenanglicans.org/resources; and https://acen.anglicancommunion.org/resources/season-of-creation.aspx. During a recent visit to Washington, the Rt. Rev. Ellinah Wamukoya, the Bishop of Swaziland and Chair of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network, and the Rev. Dr. Rachel Mash, the Provincial Canon for the Environment for the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, recounted the many environmental hardships Southern Africa has been suffering. They described how these hardships have led to the formation of an ecumenical and interfaith movement in Southern Africa to foster a clean environment. The youth in Southern Africa have been particularly active in responding to the need for a healthy Earth. In view of our environmentally interdependent world, Bishop Ellinah and Canon Mash encouraged the Diocese of Washington to recognize creation care as a priority and, as Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has said, “to love the Earth as much as God does.”   There is recognition throughout the Diocese of Washington that God has commanded us to care for this fragile earth, our island home, ensuring cleaner air, cleaner water, and healthier soil for all people throughout the world. Many parishes, schools, and others within the Diocese of Washington are already following spirit-filled practices to care for God’s creation. Accordingly, it is appropriate for the Diocese of Washington to celebrate in our worship and prayer and by example, the care of God’s creation by adopting the foregoing Resolution for Creation Care. By so loving God’s creation, we believe that our individual and group activities and choices will increase the preservation and renewal of this fragile earth, our island home. This resolution will not impose any costs on the Diocesan budget.

FROM DUMPING SITE TO PEACE GARDEN Many of our churches are clean inside, but the street outside becomes a dumping ground. And when we do get the municipality to take away the rubbish, within a few days it is dirty again. Why not turn that dumping site into a garden, so that people wont dump again. The Church of the Resurrecfion in Bonteheuwel, with the Bonteheuwel Walking ladies group, the IWPG Peace Committee, Communitree and CTEET got together to transform the street outside the church. The garden will be known as the David Profit Street Fynbos Peace Garden. In the word of Soraya Salie founder member Day one: 30th January, to be recorded as a positive move towards Transformation….. Cleanliness before Godliness #PeaceMyBonteheuwel #BeTheChangeYouWant2See We hereby seek any form of assistance from our Honourable Community Members to remove the rubble for us please. You are most welcome to visit David Profit Street Fynbos Peace Garden. Planning to have benches in surrounding Fynbos Garden for people to relax, but more so, to learn about the thousands of species of Fynbos which only grows in The Western Cape. This will be the first Fynbos Garden in Bonteheuwel and we will surely expand the project. We need to take pride in the spaces we live in. The environment also have rights, so let us respect it. Yours in Peace and Harmony. IWPG Peace Ambassador Founder Member Bonteheuwel Walking Ladies Est 2007 #each1Reach1 #each1Teach1 #each1Peace1 Which of the Favours of our CREATOR can we ever deny?

HOLIDAY CLUB FUN AT ST MARY MAGDALENE GUGULETHU The Church of St Mary Magdalene Gugulethu opened its doors for a holiday club to keep the kids safe during the holidays while having fun. The holiday club was supported by Fikelela. Green Anglicans was invited to do an environmental session and a lot of fun was had by all! First of all we reflected on John 3:16 That God sent his son because he loved the world so much – and in a few days it will be Jesus birthday when we remember God’s son coming to earth. The children played a running “pictionary” team game where they drew different items that are found in the oceans. Then they played a “guess the animal” game when a sticker was put on their back with the name of an animal and they had to guess what it was. They then learned how those items in the river like chip packets, take away containers and sweet papers, break down into smaller pieces of plastic. These get eaten by sea creatures, birds and fish and they can die of hunger with their stomachs full of plastic. The children then divided into teams as they showed creativity on paper making posters and explaining with posters they way we as human can contribute to save the earth and the creatures in water and on land by stopping  littering and cutting out the use of single use plastics. Kagisho Petlho Story and pictures Thankyou very much St Mary Magdalene, Fikelela and CTEET for the support for this fun but life changing club!

We are delighted to share with you the latest Green Anglicans Newsletter  Green Anglicans Dec 2018