News

THE LEAVES OF THE TREES ARE FOR HEALING The Communion Forest was launched at the Lambeth ConferenceBishop Marajh of the Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman decided to plant a tree in loving memory of his late father, Daniel Marajh, and his late mother, Caroline Marajh, at St Francis Parish, Kimberley.This was a powerful moment of launching the Communion Forest in the Diocese Rev 22:2 #communionforest #lambethconference#

Care for Creation Youth Training On Saturday 20 August 2022 the Anglican Diocese of Free State hosted its Care for Creation Youth Manual training day at Holy Cross church in Phahameng Bloemfontein. Even though it was a cold day  a  good number of both old and young people from the Greater Bloemfontein Anglican Youth Ministries structures, Church council members, local Clergy , Diocesan Education officer  and Diocesan Mosamaria Ministry staff were  in attendance. We were  was also blessed with a delegation from the Anglican Diocese of Lesotho and  the Diocese of Kimberly & Kuruman. During our time together we took time to apply the  five(5) T’s( Tune-in, Touch, Talk, Think and Take-action) methodology used when conducting sessions from the  Care for Creation manual. A Biblical reflection on  Genesis 3 8-20 helped us to  look at what has been broken. This  led to a community mapping exercise looking at the environmental challenges in our communities.  Lastly we planned an awareness campaign  which will run in each Parish during Season of Creation. The team from Eco-Culture Lesotho led a session on the impacts of climate chance and a call for action from all. One of the attendees Ms Nomazizi said she was pleased with the training and that she’s been to many workshops before but it was her first time coming across the problem tree methodology which is very helpful tool to use. Rather than just looking at the problem, you identify the roots (causes) of it as well.  The day was closed with a vote of thanks from the Diocesan Green Anglicans Coordinator Mr Molisapoli who will be doing follow ups on the implementation of the action plans. By : Bino Makhalanyane Photo credit : Boitumelo Manale & Matshego Seroto

The College of the Transfiguration responds to the Lambeth Call! On Friday, 12th August 2022, the students decided to celebrate “Creation,” being aware of the recent deliberations in Lambeth on the environment and being informed about the five Marks of Mission the Anglican Communion is committed to. The service was held outside in front of the Bishop Desmond Tutu Room, in the Freedom Square at College of Transfiguration. The Presider was the Rector, Revd. Percy Chinganga with Sifiso Buthelezi and Tshepo Moreothata as officiants. It was a chilled weather with students and lecturers in Cassocks and Cloaks. A beautiful Creation liturgy was used .By Xolile Biyela, Seminarian #lambethconference #lambethcall

FIFTH MARK OF MISSION AT LAMBETH CONFERENCE “IT’S TIME TO TAKE OFF THE GLOVES” “It’s time to take off the gloves!” said Archbishop Julio of Panama, chair of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network as he opened the Lambeth seminar on living the fifth mark of Mission Rev Dr Rachel Mash interviewed youth activist Mandisa Gumada who told of the recent devastating floods in South Africa, where over 500 people lost their lives. Six months worth of rain fell in two days – as the oceans warm, increasing evaporation we are seeing more and more floods and drought in other parts of the country. Participants were then invited to join a table with Bishops who are already living the fifth mark of mission in their own Dioceses. Five Primates and nine bishops took part in sharing about their ministries and over 135 bishops took part in the discussions. Presiding Bishop Carlos Matsinhe shared about the church response to devastating floods and increasing cyclones in Mozambique Archbishop  Samy Fawzy shared about the interfaith response of the church in Alexandria, and preparations for COP27 Archbishop Brent Alawas from the Philippines shared of the devastations of cyclones and the response of the church Archbishop Nick Drayson, shared about the work of the church in advocacy, protecting the forests in the Chaco area of Northern Argentina Archbishop Nyaboho from Burundi shared about the incredible tree planting efforts in his province Bishop Marc Andrus of California shared how they are weaving care for creation and tree planting into their liturgies Bishop Marinez of the Amazon shared of their work in protecting the forests and working with indigenous peoples Bishop Wanyoike of Thika in Kenya shared about the tree planting efforts of the Green Anglicans movement of Kenya and the use of the low energy jika stove Bishop Kitohi Pikaahu of Aotearoa, NZ chair of the Indigenous network shared about the importance of learning from indigenous spirituality Bishop Olivia Graham of Reading in the UK shared about the church’s plan to go net zero by 2030 Bishop Cathleen Bascom of Kansas in the USA shared about their programme to protect and grow prairie grasses. With roots as tall as a human being, they can protect from floods and are a wonderful carbon capturer Bishop Graham Usher shared about the tree growing in his Diocese of Norwich, they give confirmation candidates a hazel nut in honour of Julian of Norwich Bishop John Thompson of Selby, UK shared about the efforts of the Diocese of York to reach carbon neutral Bishop Francisco Duque –  shared about the Interfaith Rain Forest Initiative protecting the forests of Colombia Canon Ruth Valerio of Tearfund  shared from her Lenten book  “Saying Yes to Life” and personal lifestyle changes Canon Rachel Mash shared about gender and climate change How inspiring it was to see all the remarkable ways in which bishops are already responding to the mission call to care for creation.  But we must do more, it is vital that it becomes a priority for all Dioceses and is firmly placed on the year plans! Photos: Elizabeth Perry and Sheila Moore Andrus

Lambeth Environment Day “The leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations” Rev 22:2 The bishops and spouses travelled to Lambeth Palace in London for a day which combined experiencing the beauty of God’s creation with discussing the challenges of climate change On arrival at the beautiful Lambeth gardens they were met with wonderful music from choirs, band and a harp player. They moved through the garden with a series of prayer stations. Over lunch they discussed the environmental challenges being faced, and wrote their commitments and prayers onto leaves, which were then placed on leaves around the garden The Bishops were challenged by three speakers – Archbishop Julio, Bishop Marinez (Amazon) and Liz Wathuti – a powerful young climate activist from Kenya. Her talk can be found here: To launch the Anglican Communion Forest, a beautiful prayer liturgy was held with Archbishop Julio (Panama), Archbishop Thabo(ACSA), Rev Jacynthia Murray (Aotearoa), Bishop Marinez (Amazon) and Mandisa Gumada (ACSA) led us in singing ‘Thuma Mina” – Send me Jesus The team who had worked on the project – Bishop Nick Drayson (N Argentina), Bishop Francisco Duque (colombia),, Bishop Marc Andrus (California), Bishop Graham Usher (UK) Canon Rachel Mash (ACSA) and Elizabeth Perry (UK) joined Archbishop Julio in blessing the symbolic first tree of the Communion Forest Bishops are encouraged to include tree growing in their liturgies of confirmation, baptism, marriage and other events – as well as embarking on reforestation and forest protection projects in partnership with others. More information can be found at https://www.communionforest.org/ Even in the beauty of the gardens we felt the impact of climate change in the burnt grass, the participants were overheating in the sun – many tried to shelter under the trees – which reminded us that we all want to stand in the shade- not everyone wants to plant the trees! May the leaves of the trees be for the healing of the nations! Photo credit – lambeth Conference

We have a shared moral responsibility to ensure that this amazing planet – our common home – remains safe and habitable for present and future generations. And I have come here today because I believe that the world urgently needs your united voice and powerful leadership to help make that happen. Right now, a historic drought, worsened by climate change, is bringing immense suffering to millions of my fellow Kenyans and to other communities living in neighbouring countries across the Horn of Africa. Earlier this year, I travelled to Wajir County in the north eastern part of my country, and there witnessed a shocking example of the impacts of the interconnected climate, nature and food crises. I drove for hours down dusty roads lined with the shrivelled carcasses of decimated local wildlife populations. I held livestock dying of thirst in my arms. I listened to the stories of hungry and desperate people who are losing all hope for their future. Climate-driven disasters are of course not only happening in Kenya. Over the last few years, deadly heat-waves and wildfires have swept through Algeria. Devastating floods have taken many lives in Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa. And we know there is more to come. I choose to share real human stories from people who are rarely given a voice in decision-making spaces – and have chosen to do so again here today – not to shock or blame anyone, but rather in the hope, and with a prayer, that we might truly allow ourselves to feel the immense suffering that our way of doing things is causing. Because I believe that an open heart is where the seed of true action lies within each of us. The global community has been coming together to negotiate outcomes at environmental and climate conferences for many more decades than I have been alive. And yet we still find ourselves at the precipice of an interconnected and worsening climate, nature and pollution crisis. Why are we not doing what we know we must? In my view, what is holding us back from dealing with the interconnected climate, nature and pollution crises is not a lack of scientific knowledge or technology – these are human problems, and the solutions to them lie in the human head, heart and mind. I believe in our human capacity to care deeply and act collectively. I believe in our ability to do what is right if we let ourselves feel it in our hearts. And I believe we can absolutely find our way out of the planetary crisis we face – but to do so we will need to change our way of thinking and start telling new stories about what is important and what is possible. And this is where I think the faith community has a vital role to play. Right now, the life-sustaining and sacred relationship between nature and humanity is not being recognised, valued or protected. We are perpetuating an ecocidal economic system that is destroying nature faster than it can regenerate. We are not being good planetary stewards. But it doesn’t have to be this way. A future with a stable climate, clean air, clean water, and food security for all is possible. And international cooperation and solidarity is how we will achieve it. What is needed now is courageous and urgent action from each and every one of us to change course while we still can, born of compassion and respect for ourselves and all life on Earth. The global community will be convening in Egypt in November for the COP27 climate conference and again in Montreal in December for the COP15 biodiversity conference. My urgent appeal to all of you ahead of these critical moments is: “Please do more to help”. Help by using your power, resources and influence to call on world leaders, the business community and citizens everywhere to take the climate and nature crises seriously and act with urgency — to follow through on promises made. This is not just a moment for compassion, but also for action and reform. We must break our deadly reliance on fossil fuels and invest massively in a clean energy future and energy access for all. We must transform our global food system and protect and restore Earth’s ecosystems. Countries must raise their ambition to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and assist others to meet this challenge by mobilising finance and resources — including a dedicated finance facility to help poor countries cope with climate related loss and damage. What we will gain by solving the food, nature and climate crises together will be improved human health, security and wellbeing everywhere. This is the only pathway to a healthy and dignified life that allows people to provide for themselves and their families. It is my sincere hope that we can walk together towards the kind of future I think we all want. Liz Wathuti Lambeth Conference 3rd Aug 2022 Image _ The Lambeth Conference