There are many initiatives taking place around the Anglican Communion that we can engage with this year in our response to God’s call and care for creation.
In 2018 the Anglican Alliance is focusing on climate justice as a key theme, as it has been raised as a priority by every region of the Anglican Communion in our previous consultations.
A part of this is our partnership with the Renew Our World campaign, which is a community of people with a vision for a restored world. In partnership with 24-7 Prayer, the Renew Our World campaign have produced a new guide to equip and inspire us as we pray about climate change.
We are inviting the Anglican Communion to join us in prayer for this key global issue.
You can download the Renew Our World prayer resource here
Andy Bowerman, Co-Executive Director of the Anglican Alliance, said, “Prayer is absolutely central to who we are Christians, it is at the heart of our partnership with God. We are calling on those around the Communion to arrange their days so that they include moments when together we call on ‘Our Father’ to move and change hearts, minds and actions.”
Prayer is the foundation of our vision and call for a restored world – one where God’s kingdom is seen on earth. As the prayer resource says, “We can all play a part in responding to the changing climate by putting our faith into action… prayer is one of the most important ways that we can take action. We’re commanded to “pray in the Spirit… with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18), and when we pray we’re speaking to a mighty and powerful God. This means that when we pray, we are part of God’s transforming work!…
“As we lift up prayers and requests about these issues, injustices and difficulties, we must also remember to give thanks and praise for the beauty of the world that we’re part of, and praise God for the created earth that we live on. Through our prayers and actions, we’ll show our governments that we care about a fair and sustainable world, for the love of God and our neighbours.”
There will also be ways that you can join us in taking action and calling on world leaders to act on climate change. Keep an eye on our website for updates, and sign up to our mailing list to hear more about how you can be involved.
Renew Our World 2017
In 2017, the Renew Our World campaign gathered thousands of signatures from around the world to present to world leaders at the United Nations climate change summit in November 2017 (COP23).
Over 40 influential Christian leaders from more than 10 countries signed the public letter, including five Anglican archbishops. They urged each nation’s leaders to keep the promises they made in the Paris Agreement, with a specific focus on clean energy, sustainable agriculture and zero emission plans.
You can see all the photos and videos from COP23 on the Renew Our World Facebook page.
There was also a worship event to launch the COP23 activities, particularly the prayer room, and to lift up COP23 negotiations in prayer.
A Picture of God’s Creation – News from the Diocese of Salisbury, UK
Anglican Primates have been asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to produce a picture of what God’s creation means to them, in order to creatively think together about what our good stewardship of the earth might look like.
The Archbishop of Canterbury suggested the project at the Primates’ meeting in Canterbury in 2017 when they discussed climate change and its effects on their Provinces. All agreed that, “Responding to climate change is an essential part of our responsibility to safeguard God’s creation”.
Primates are being asked to write about their local environments and illustrate with photographs, paintings or videos, to describe what care for God’s creation means in their province and what their message is about caring for our common home.
The pictures will be presented at an event at Lambeth Palace during this year’s Season of Creation, which runs from 1 September – 4 October 2018 and is an initiative of the Anglican Communion Environment Network. They will also be exhibited online as part of a programme leading up to the Lambeth Conference in 2020.
In addition, it is hoped the pictures and letters will also be featured at the launch of the Global Climate Action Summit which will be held in Grace Cathedral, San Francisco on 12 September 2018.
For more information on Anglican activities on the environment you can connect with the Anglican Communion Environment Network (ACEN):
ACEN website: http://acen.anglicancommunion.org/
ACEN Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAnglicans/
ACEN Twitter: www.twitter.com/GreenAnglicans
There are also inspiring examples of practical action and advocacy on climate justice from Green Anglicans, the Environmental Network of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
