It takes 1.7 years for the earth to replace what we consume.
The 5th mark of mission calls us to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth. On July 29 we gather at St James to join with St John's Cathedral and cathedrals and churches around the country in the tolling of bells and a short service calling for us to take the steps required to walk more lightly on the earth. Please join us. All are welcome.
The multi-faceted mission of the Anglican Church can be summarised into 5 broad areas of work. These five areas are known as the Five Marks of Mission.
The Fifth Mark of our Mission is:
To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
This broad area of mission includes the need for the church to be actively involved in dealing with Climate Change. It is however also much more than this.
Safeguarding the integrity of the Creation requires us to walk lightly on the earth in more ways than simply reducing our carbon footprint. Our need to do this is highlighted by the marking of what is known as Overshoot Day.
Overshoot Day is the day when humanity's demands for ecological resources (fish, forests, fresh water etc), exceeds what the Earth can renew in a year.
It is driven by our attitudes and disconnect towards the Earth, our common home. We are collectively over consuming and overexploiting our resources.
Last October the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that we have just 12 years to avoid catastrophic climate. In May, another United Nations report suggested we are heading towards the extinction of one million species.
Climate change and biodiversity loss are the tragic warning signs of our broken relationship with God's Creation, of our loss of understanding our interrelationship with all living things.
And Australians are some of the biggest contributors. If everyone behaved like us, humanity would consume the equivalent of 5.2 earths a year.
As Christians, we want to mark this event, to raise it in the public consciousness and create a call for transformation. Ultimately, as both Pope Francis and Rowan Williams have said, we need an 'ecological conversion.'
Joining with other Australian churches to mark Earth Overshoot Day, the bells of St James will toll from 11.48am, for 12 minutes until midday, Monday 29 July. At Noon we will hold a short prayer service.
Other actions you might like to consider:
Pray - for people to see the ecological crises in our midst and for 'ecological conversion'.
Tell - others in the community why Overshoot Day is important.
Act - as Christians we need to examine and commit to how we Live the Change that we proclaim in the world.
Join us this year to mark Earth Overshoot Day (www.overshootday.org)