| COMMISSION OBJECTIVES
The Commission aims to promote Christian obligation
to nurture and care for the environment at three levels:
• within the church as a community of faith
• within the church as an institution
• within the wider community, as an influential party in the development
of community and government attitudes and policies.
So a large part of the Commission's role is:
• to support Christian people in the Diocese in their contemplation
of environmental issues and what should be done about them - as individuals,
as a church and as a nation
• to provide information to individuals, parishes and others in
the church to enable Christian people to make informed decisions.
• to act as an advocate for creation on moral and spiritual dimensions
of environmental issues.
We recognise that environmental issues are often complex
and that, in some cases, there are no clear right and wrong approaches.
Others in the diocese will often have more expertise than the Commission
and this expertise should be used wherever possible. The ultimate goal,
however, is the establishment of a sustainable community.
Work Agenda and Actions for the Faith Community in 2006/7
The Commission's work program has been divided into several sub-programs:
within the church as a community of faith
• Liturgy,
• Regional Meetings
within the church as an institution
• Energy,
• Education,
• Environmental Audit
• Water, and within the wider community
• Public Advocacy
Liturgy
The aims of this program are:
• to prepare orders of service which recognise that all of creation
is made by and belongs to God, and that we have an obligation to be wise
stewards of creation.
• to encourage all parishes in the diocese to use the service on
a 'Creation Sunday' each year.
• to work towards the establishment of a liturgical ‘Season
of the Creator’ celebrated annually by all churches, Australia-wide.
Regional Meetings
Facilitate meetings with groups across the diocese, specifically with
rural deaneries, and with groups of lay-people from all the parishes in
a region. The purpose is to introduce the spiritual and theological issues
deriving from a sound understanding of the relationship between Creator
and creation. As well, discussions aimed at identifying and pursuing practical
issues of importance to local communities are initiated.
Energy
Following the successful initiation of a program of energy retro-fitting
of key diocesan buildings, a major undertaking will be the identification
of other ways to improve energy management within the church. This year
the aim is to develop a sustainable car policy for the diocese. A further
option to be explored is the use of the English church’s new ‘Shrinking
the footprint’ program.
Education
The Education Program will develop and undertake information and educational
activities that promote and facilitate the aims of the Commission. It
will focus on four main areas of activity:
• Ongoing maintenance and development of the Commission's website
as a resource
• Regular contributions to Anglican News
• Development of study and information materials for use by parishes
throughout the Diocese
• Develop and distribute an Environmental Handbook for use by parishes
Environmental Audit
Material to be used by parishes has been developed and used. The questionnaire
should be used by parishes to regularly review their environmental behaviour.
Water
To develop a strategic plan for use by the Diocese in the considering
the moral issues related to the just use of water in the region and the
transformation of this into actions. We are also exploring the possibility
of retrofitting older parish buildings e.g. rectories, for better water
management.
Public Advocacy
Identify issues of a regional, national and global nature relating to
care for and sustainability of the environment and respond by:
• Facilitating community and political discussion of these issues,
including acting as an advocate where appropriate in political and governmental
forums;
• Supporting the Diocesan leadership in its contribution to broader
debate within and between churches, on environmental issues;
• Responding to environmental policy and practical issues that arise
from community and government sources for example the Commision is taking
an active interest in the proposal to nominate the ACT as a UNESCO Biodiversity
Reserve.
Membership
The Commission membership is currently drawn from diverse backgrounds
including:
• lay people
• clergy
• landowners
• policy makers
• multi-disciplinary technical experts
• others with a keen interest in environmental issues.
All members share the view that Christians have a responsibility
to care for all of God's creation.
What can YOU do?
Please consider helping the work of the Commission by:
• Become an ‘eco-parish’
• Providing feedback to the commission - your initial contact point
is:
| Barry
Richardson
3 Bedourie St
Dunlop ACT 2617
(02) 62581195
Email: salticid@bigpond.net.au |
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