Young Angolan Anglicans caring for our planet

January 18, 2018

[ACNS January 17, 2018] More than 100 young people from the diocese of Angola have met to discuss ways of connecting spirituality with practical life issues such as marriage, entrepreneurship and the environment. The discussions took place at the third national conference for young Anglicans at Cuanza Norte from Wednesday (10 January) to Sunday (14 January). Angola is greatly impacted by climate change and deforestation, as well as very high levels of littering, and sessions on the environment were taken up “with great enthusiasm”.

The diocese of Angola is part of the Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa. The province’s environmental coordinator, the Revd Rachel Mash, led the environment sessions, on the theme of caring for creation.

The young people devised action plans which included tree planting, river clean-ups, and clean-up days in public spaces such as hospitals. The young people committed themselves to celebrate the Day of Water on 22 March and the Season of Creation in September, including international Coastal Clean-up day on 15 September. They demonstrated their commitment by waking up early to do a clean-up of the centre.

The youngsters adopted a motto: Juventude Anglicana, fortalecidos pela graça, renovando a vida da terra – Anglican Youth – strengthened by grace, renewing the life of the earth.

An environmental youth coordinator was chosen for the different districts who will work with the diocesan coordinator for the Green-ing my habitat initiative, Eduardo Tomas. Green-ing my habitat – O verde no meu habitat – arose from the historic first joint meeting of the Portuguese-speaking dioceses of Africa in November 2016. The young coordinators are part of the Lusophone Network of Green Anglicans.

 

View the full article on the Anglican Communion News Service website:

“Green-ing my habitat” – young Angolan Anglicans commit to renewing the Earth