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Why not do a Bible study – either with the people at home, or a zoom/hangout/Skype call with your cell group or a group of friends There are some wonderful Bible Studies availablehttps://atyourservice.arocha.org/en/planetwise-2008-resource-pack-bible-studies/ https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/bible%20study%20material%20on%20the%20environment%20including%20worship.pdf https://learn.tearfund.org/en/resources/publications/footsteps/footsteps_11-20/footsteps_20/bible_study/ https://learn.tearfund.org/en/resources/publications/footsteps/footsteps_81-90/footsteps_89/bible_study/

PALM SUNDAYMark 11:8 tell us that “Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.”Mark includes other greenery not just Palms Here is a mealie stalk wreathLet us use greenery without breaking branches, to make “Palm Wreaths”. We can also get the children to draw and colour in “palm branches” and put them on our gates as a sign of witness#palmwreaths       

PALMS ON OUR DOORS This year many of us cannot take part in Palm Sunday Processions. Let us take Palm Sunday to the streets by putting a Palm Wreath on our door/gate. This can be made of palms or other branches or the children can draw and colour in palms to hang on the doors Then they will be seen as people go past to buy their groceries Share a picture with us!!   This idea seems to come originally from the Orthodox Church. We love it!  

On 28th March 2020 Malawi Creation Care Network, Chidwi Youth Initiative and Church Youth at Dowa Boma organised a sensitization campaign in Dowa District. The sensitization was in the following areas; 1. The thin plastics ban and how the ban can be implemented in this community. 2. Why should community members take part in planting more trees in their area? 3. COVID-19 A total of 1000 trees were planted within Churches in a one-church-one woodlot/orchard campaign. The activity involved Government officers from the District Commissioners Office and District Health Office namely; 1. District Forestry Officer.2. District Environmental Officers.3. Nursing Officers. We limited the number of participants to 50 as per the President’s order to limit huge gatherings to prevent the spread of Corona Virus. #RenewOurWorld #MCCN #Small things that matter.

25 clergy of the Diocese of the Free State, were presented a session led by the Green Anglicans Coordinators of the Diocese, Rev Tlagu Molokoane and Rev Tshego Msibi on the Movement. The opportunity was to create awareness of the movement with importance of taking care of the environment. Through the session the clergy shared amongst themselves the reality of the state of the environmental conditions in their own community. The two coordinators helped to bring awareness of the role that clergy can play within their church and communities to take a stand to be play their part in ensuring a more clean and healthy environment. The clergy agreed to work alongside the two coordinators to roll out the movement without their parishes thought identifying teams that the coordinators can work with, and to identify projects that could play a positive influence in making our communities cleaner and environmentally friendly.

This year Earth Hour was celebrated with a difference. Due to #lockdown because of the corona virus, across South African and Mozambique people either joined as individuals or on zoom calls and said the Earth Vigil prayers. There was a strong sense of being part of one planet , and our future depends on each other EARTH HOUR VIGIL   Prepare one central candle and small candles enough for each person   Power down All the lights in the building are turned off.   Reading Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” (the central candle is lit) and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness God called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.   Greeting One Light is all around us. We often do not even realize it until it is gone and we are in darkness. Tonight we will celebrate amidst darkness, guided by gentle light that does not lead to the global warming of the planet. Light that will encourage us to reflect on who God calls us to be in this world. Let us take some time to pass the light to each other. You may greet each other with a comment such as “for inspiration,” “for courage,” or “for openness.”   At this point, the leader passes light from the first candle to members of the congregation, who in turn pass light to their neighbours.   Music: (suggest Taize – within our darkest night you kindle a fire that never dies away) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8BmvxqJH0g   Prayers Litany from Melanesia https://www.greenanglicans.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/prayer.pdf   A time of silence   Prayer for our Earth All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one. O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light. We thank you for being with us each day. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace. (Pope Francis, Laudato Si) One God of the powerless, we choose to be without power. All May this choice permeate our lives. One God of gentleness, we choose to walk gently on this earth. All May this choice permeate our lives. One God of all creation, we choose to be in solidarity with all creatures on our planet. All May this choice permeate our lives. One May this simple gesture of turning out our lights be a moment of inspiration for ourselves, for our community, and for our world. May we leave this place empowered to live into this hour. May we continue to live simply and walk gently on this earth. And now let us go and live the message we dare to proclaim. All Amen.   The lights are turned on Final song – Shine Jesus Shine Adapted from Earth Hour Liturgy from Diocese of Niagara