The Anglican Diocese of George , passes a motion under rural ministry to encourage good stewardship in the diocese.
Motion on Creation and the Environment
Principle/ Background:
WHEREAS our Planet Earth has in recent decades suffered the environmental impact of:
Over-consumption, increasing population growth, deforestation, over-fishing, exploitation of non-renewable resources, insurmountable waste dumps, and pollution;
AND WHEREAS we believe that this has been the underlying cause of: environmental disasters, acid rain, ozone depletion, climate change, and the extinction of species;
AND WHEREAS one of the five marks of mission of the Anglican Communion is: “To strive to safeguard the integrity of Creation and sustain and renew life of the Earth”; and the ACSA Environment Network, SAFCEI (The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute} and other organisations are promoting the application of this through the eco-congregation movement.
AND WHEREAS the Encyclical “Laudato si” (“Praise be to you”) of Pope Francis has been met with universal acclaim, and echoes the prophetic sentiments of the “Green Movement”, and the call for us to be good stewards of God’s Creation;
And Whereas
Our Diocese should accept responsibility to safeguard the environment in a practical and meaningful way,
Whereas
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa has implemented the notion of Environment as one of its five marks of mission by declaring the following:
“To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and to sustain and renew life on the earth”
And Whereas
Every Anglican in our Diocese should become involved and should strive to achieve the above assertion.
And Whereas
Our Diocese should accept responsibility to safeguard the environment in a practical and meaningful way
Resolution: NOW LET THEREFORE THIS SYNOD RESOLVE THAT:
- The Diocese of George, through its structures, be encouraged to:
- Listen to ‘the cry of the Earth’ and identify, proclaim and implement measures to protect the Environment and reduce our own ‘carbon footprint’.
- Engage with different communities to listen to, discuss with and challenge them regarding their use and abuse of the Earth’s resources, to foster responsible ‘Earth-keeping’ for future generations, appropriate to their circumstances.
- All Parishes be encouraged to:
- “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” – both as a parish and as individuals – through the use of paper, glass and plastic recycling bins in Parishes.
- Go a step further, to:
(a) Find ways to save water and electricity.
(b) Develop and use their grounds of the church to the benefit of the community (e.g. food gardens).
(c) Use their Church plant space to the benefit of the community.
- Study environmental issues, and share ways to be “Good Stewards of God’s Creation” – through articles in “Quill & Quiver” and by other means.
- Celebrate A Season of Creation and/or special Environment days.
- The Bishop be respectfully requested to:
- Facilitate the formation of a Diocesan Environmental Task Team to address the relevant issues and appoint Environmental coordinator in the diocese, whose task would be to amongst other things, create awareness, educate and facilitate issues around environment in the diocese. Furthermore facilitate advocacy and lobby support of other partners in realising 5th marks of mission of the Anglican Communion.
- Mandate the Liturgy Team to source and facilitate special liturgies to celebrate Creation and the Environment.
- Mandate the Environmental Desk and Spiritual Formation to source study material and to train our Clergy in Environmental Theology.
-DIOCESE OF GEORGE