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  Congratulations to the late Bishop Ellinah Wamukoya and Rev Dr Rachel Mash for being recipients of the 2021 Lambeth Awards for outstanding service. The late Bishop Ellinah Wamukoya – The Langton Award for Community Service. For outstanding leadership in the area of sustainable development and Creation Care in the Diocese of Swaziland (Eswatini). Canon Rachel Mash – The Cross of St Augustine for Services to the Anglican Communion. For raising awareness of and the urgent need to implement the Fifth Mark of Mission in the Anglican Communion. The full citation follows: The late Bishop Ellinah Wamukoya – The Langton Award for Community Service For outstanding leadership in the area of sustainable development and Creation Care in the Diocese of Swaziland (Eswatini). The late Bishop Ellinah Wamukoya was the first woman to be Bishop in Africa. As such she served her Diocese, the Province and the Anglican Communion in an outstanding manner. She integrated the care of creation into her theology, her teaching and her praxis, prioritising the environment at all levels. In the Diocese of Swaziland (Eswatini), she was one of the first bishops to introduce the Season of Creation on a yearly basis. She instituted many successful environmental projects, the wattle tree project, seed distribution, the rocket stove initiative and the pig farming project. These have demonstrated sustainable development in a way which is healing the land. The Department of Environment has recognised the Diocese two years in a row for an Eco-award, and she was invited to preach at National World Environment day events. On a Provincial level, she was the liaison bishop for the environment and oversaw the Greening of the Canons, divestment from fossil fuels, a commitment to banning of Styrofoam at church events and other environmental resolutions. On a communion level, as chairperson of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network she spoke at Anglican Consultative Council in Lusaka on the Eucharist and the Environment. She spoke at forums in Washington DC and was a facilitator for Trinity Church, Wall Street on sustainability for churches in Africa. Bishop Ellinah was an active member of the Anglican Bishops in Dialogue consultations. These bishops, in the spirit of the Indaba process of Lambeth 2008, courageously took the risk to meet and listen to those with whom they have had profound disagreements. They met for over 10 years and grew in trust, mutual respect and understanding of their diverse contexts and common mission. In this, as in all she undertook, Bishop Ellinah made an outstanding contribution. Canon Rachel Mash – the Cross of St Augustine for Services to the Anglican Communion For raising awareness of and the urgent need to implement the Fifth Mark of Mission in the Anglican Communion. Working with the steering committee of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network, Dr Mash was instrumental in organising the first eco-bishops’ conference at Volmoed. From this came the Good Friday statement ‘The world is our host,’ which had a huge impact on the Anglican Communion. A further eco-bishops of Africa conference led to ‘An Urgent Cry for Ecological Justice; Reclaiming the Gospel Imperative for All Creation’ and a call for climate change to be high on the agenda for Lambeth Conference. The Anglican Communion Environmental Network (ACEN) subsequently released a statement on Environmental Racism signed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, nine other archbishops and over 60 Bishops. Starting in the Anglican Church of South Africa (ACSA), she promoted the Season of Creation into a living liturgical season, resourcing it with excellent liturgical materials. On a Communion level she brought a resolution to the 2009 Anglican Consultative Council in New Zealand to celebrate a liturgical ‘Season of Creation’ as an integral part of the church’s yearly pattern of worship and teaching. The Season of Creation has spread to a growing number of provinces. She is part of the steering committee for the Season of Creation ecumenical network with the Global Catholic Climate Movement, the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation and others. The Green Anglicans Youth movement was started in ACSA and has since spread to Central Africa, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Portugal. Perceiving that the environmental movement must be led by young people, she has consistently trained, empowered and believed in young people so that they are at the forefront of the movement. https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/archbishop-canterbury-announces-2021-lambeth-awards?fbclid=IwAR2jml_n8GWBOpSGH2pJOOmBTylZft1sjwqUO-ItrT__1oczieL4QaL9SKo

220 cashew trees were planted in Chambone Mission  in Maxixe as part of the Greening of Maxixe Urban Area project. The tree planting took place in  collaboration with the Maxixe City Council and OJM-Mozambican Youth Organization (Maxixe), The trees were planted  in the residential and coastal area of the Chambone Mission …. The activity is aimed at mitigating the effects of erosion that worryingly rages this Zone. 36 Young people took part in the activity, of which 2 Councilmen and 6 OJM members. The 28 are part of Anglican Youth, members of Green Anglicans – Inhambane Cashew trees are indigenous. They help to reduce deforestation as people do not cut them down for firewood since they give cashews for food and for income to sell Rev Aurelio Uqueio, Environmental Coordinator, Diocese of Lebombos, Mozambique

WATER DISCIPLES A new programme was launched on World Water Day in Cape Town, called “Water Disciples”. Twenty five young people from six different denominations are going to journey together for a year, exploring issues of water , faith and action in Cape Town. This is part of the #together4creation movement of young people of different churches committed to caring for Creation Cape Town suffered a very severe drought for three years and almost reached ‘day zero’ when all the taps would have been turned off. The citizens learned to treasure and save and protect their water and managed to push back Day Zero until the rains came. However many people put in bore holes, which means that there is now a long term danger that the aquifers and groundwater may drop its level. Once people have installed a bore hole they often feel that they can use as much as they want. On this programme, the young people will explore the water systems of Cape Town, from the mountain springs to the aquifers, the rivers, the wetlands  and the ocean. They will then feed back into their communities by organising clean ups, planting trees and organising educational events for the youth and Sunday School in their own churches, teaching others about the importance of caring for groundwater. The launch event took place at Edith Stevens nature reserve, where Stacey Hendricks taught them about the importance of wetlands, and Rev Shaun Cozett commissioned and prayed for them as they start the programme. The programme is run in partnership with WWF

#fast4earth Follow young climate activists But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Jeremiah 1:7 Young climate activists are acting and speaking out. One of the ways we can support is to follow, share and amplify their voices on social media. Some of them are the prophets of our time. Unlike priests or governors, a prophet is not appointed by their superiors, and might not be part of a hierarchy. They can be young like Jeremiah, not recognised by the institutional church.  Prophetic voices were sheep herders like Amos, small business people like Hosea, dreamers like Isaiah and Ezekiel, women leaders like Deborah or Miriam By the gift of the Spirit, we can all act and think prophetically, we can pay attention to what isn’t right in the world and speak out of faith and love to change it. Here are some young activists and prophets that you can follow Charles Bakolo, Malawi @bakolocharles Vanessa Nakate, Uganda @vanessa_vash Leah Namugerwa, Uganda @namugerwaleah Read more about Charles here : https://renewourworld.net/2020/04/how-malawi-is-building-a-movement/ Find out more about Vanessa here: https://www.vogue.com/article/vanessa-nakate-climate-change-activist-how-to-take-action And find out about Leah Namugerwa here : https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/20/climate/climate-strikes-protests.html   Prophetic voices adapted from Richard Rohr’s daily blog

fast4earth Go plant-based! God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. Gen 1 ;29 During Lent we have considered our life-style and commitment to the Earth. One of the most important actions you can take to protect the earth is to move towards  a more plant based diet. Here are some of the reasons why Cutting Your Carbon Footprint There’s no debating animal agriculture’s devastating contribution to global warming. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that livestock production is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Add in transportation and the fuel used to grow feed for livestock, and we’re talking a very large carbon footprint.   Conserving Water It requires about 100 times more water to produce a kilo  of animal protein than a kilo  of grain protein, you can see how reducing the animal products you eat will reduce the enormous amount of valuable water we waste.   Saving Animal and Plant Habitats Worldwide, almost a third of arable land is used for animal agriculture — much of it to just to feed the pigs, cattle and chicken we’re so fond of consuming? That’s why animal agriculture is such a major contributor to deforestation and desertification (which happens when livestock grazing destroys native vegetation and speeds up soil erosion). Water pollution Animal agriculture is the leading cause of water pollution and ocean dead zones. Waste from factory farms can seep into our streams and rivers. Avoid cruelty to animals Many of the animals that end up on your plate are raised in very cruel conditions, without being able to go outside or experience the joy of their natural lives.   By choosing to eat more plant-based foods you can drastically cut your carbon footprint, save precious water supplies and help ensure that vital crop resources are fed to people, rather than livestock. With the wealth of available plant-based options available, it has never been easier to eat with the planet in mind. 5 Ways Eating More Plant-Based Foods Benefits the Environment

#fast4earth Invest in Solar God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night. Genesis 1:16 There are lots of solar products available. You might consider a solar light, useful if you have loadshedding, or you can donate one to someone who doesn’t have access to electricity A solar cell phone charger is also quite handy! Solar lights for your garden are a lovely gift to give someone and make your garden look very festive! Or you can buy a solar operated motion sensor solar light , no wiring needed! When your water heater needs replaced , either at home or perhaps on the church’s rectory , a solar water heater is a very efficient way to heat water and can pay itself off in a very  few years’ time. Solar panels are available from very small or to cover your whole roof With solar equipment it is really worth doing some thorough research into what are the best products, look at reviews and ask around. There is some rubbish on the market as well as some superb products and it may be worth spending a bit more to get a quality product