It is not by accident that Easter occurs in spring time. The resurrected Christ brings new life to the Christian, and spring reveals new life in creation. The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is all about new life in the lives of individuals and their communities. It is also concerned about our planet because we depend on it for the life sources of water, food, etc.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic dominating our lives throughout 2020, climate change remains a pressing issue for PWRDF and its partners, for Anglicans in Canada, and for the world.
In 2020, PWRDF produced a number of resources focused on Climate Action. The resources showed how climate change intersects with our partners’ work, from health and women’s empowerment to food security, emergency relief and more. We want to continue to promote those resources in 2021, and build on them with the introduction of a three-year education focus called “Creation Care: Climate Action.”
We hope to bring the perspective of how climate change is affecting the developing world and how it is being addressed. We know that we have much to learn from our partners and hope our volunteers will be able to take that learning to their parishes, communities, and families.
On the PWRDF website, our Climate Action page includes resources and education opportunities.
There are many exciting ideas in the works:
- We will be creating videos and study guides that you can use to lead discussions in your communities or parishes.
- We will offer webinars that focus on Climate Action as it relates to PWRDF’s work, including Food Security, Health, Women’s Empowerment, Indigenous Peoples, Emergency Response, Refugees and Engaging Youth.
- We will continue to encourage the use of the resources that were prepared in 2020 including the seven Climate Action Leaflets. Use them as bulletin inserts if you are worshipping in-person; read them at in-person or online services; or include them in online bulletins or parish emails.
- We also encourage using the worship resource “A Covenant for Climate Justice.” A Service of the Word and a Eucharist service are available to use in whole or in part. There is even a sermon to deliver or download the video to share with your community.
- We will share ways to get involved with the For the Love of Creation Campaign, including participating in advocacy and hosting climate change conversations.
- Go the pwrdf.org for more information.
May we during this life-giving season of Easter, take advantage of these PWRDF creation care and climate action resources. And may we live up to our baptismal covenant to strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation, and respect, sustain and renew the life of the Earth (BAS, 159).
