JourneyOnline
In response to Rev Heather den Houting’s recent Journey article on climate change and the Asia Pacific, UnitingWorld’s Australian Partnership Coordinator Mardi Lumsden writes about the impact Heather’s article has had on her work and what readers can do to work towards climate justice.
It was wonderful to read Rev Heather den Houting’s reflections on her time in Bali with UnitingWorld’s South Asia partners in the Summer edition of Journey.
As an Australian Partnerships Coordinator, I get to travel around Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT sharing the stories of UnitingWorld and our remarkable overseas church partners.
As a result of Heather’s trip and her excitement over sharing the experience, I have been asked to speak at a number of churches about the work UnitingWorld does related to climate.
Here are a few key ways you can help UnitingWorld and our partners work towards climate justice.
Of course, Advent means it is Everything in Common time! Everything in Common is UnitingWorld’s ethical gifts catalogue. Each gift represents a life-changing project that is helping people across the Pacific, Asia and Africa break the cycle of poverty and step towards a life of dignity. This is the Uniting Church engaged in the global church in a really exciting way.
This year there is a new card called New Growth, which goes to carbon offsetting tree planting projects. When in Bali, Heather planted a tree at one of these projects on behalf of the Queensland Synod. The printed card comes with a plantable paper leaf that grows into daisies.
In Vanuatu last August, UnitingWorld partners launched a framework and Bible study on the Theology of Disaster Resilience in a Changing Climate. Written by four wonderful Pacific theologians, the study is available on our website for anyone who is interested.
More information on the Disaster Readiness and Climate Change project is here. Through this, we are supporting our partners to prepare vulnerable communities and reduce the impacts of natural disasters across the Pacific.
We also just released Bible studies we worked on with our partners in Gender Equality Theology and Child Protection and Care. Please download and use these resources.
Heading into cyclone season, please keep our Pacific partners in your prayers as they prepare for potential evacuation and implementation of disaster plans. You could even host a fundraiser in the New Year for the Disaster Readiness and Climate Change project. Every $1 spent in preparedness saves $15 in response later.
If your congregation or group want to know more about UnitingWorld’s work, feel free to ask Jenny Guyatt or me to visit and share the stories of change and hope. We also have a number of ambassadors in Queensland who can do the same.
Email mardil@unitingworld.org.au or jennyg@unitingworld.org.au for more information or visit unitingworld.org.au
