Living Lent in a "Climate" of Change -17 February – 3 April 2021

Press release

Climate Justice for All

Youth Methodist for COP26

 

We are approaching Lent (17 February 2021 - 3 April 2021) which is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter, and a time of self-examination and reflection, in which we are more aware of who we are and our responsibilities as Christians.

In a few months COP 26 will take place (Milan - 28-30 September 2021 - "Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition" event; Milan - 30 September-2 October 2021 - Preparatory Conference, PreCop26; Glasgow - 1/12 November 2021 - COP26), so looking forward to this event we would like to dedicate the weeks of Lent to a critical attention to our "disposable" way of life and the constant need to hectically purchase consumer goods. The consumer society of which we are part is based on the purchase of unnecessary goods which, very often, satisfy needs driven by the pressure of advertising and/or social imitation among large segments of the population, leading to social and economic imbalances, as well as the suffering, we ourselves produce and inflict on Creation, of which climate change is one of the results.

The British Methodist Church in collaboration with JPIT (Joint Public Issues Team) and All We Can (Methodist Relief and development organisation) and, on the Italian side, with OPCEMI has launched an international campaign with and for young Methodists around the world who are called to meet and raise awareness in churches and the society in the run up to COP 26 as part of the Methodist churches' commitment to climate justice.

In this framework, it has been realised a 5-step dossier, where the urgencies of climate change were associated with the goals of the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development with reference to some of the critical issues of how human beings are inhabiting the earth, although with differentiated responsibilities: food, waste, mobility, digitalization and energy, water.

The content was prepared by Irene Abra, youth coordinator for the project in Italy, and Antonella Visintin, Glam commission coordinator, for the thematic sheets and practical actions, while the liturgical sections were prepared by Rev. Mirella Manocchio, president of OPCEMI, the one on 21st February (food and climate change), by Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches of the Fiji Islands, the one on 28th February (waste), by Rev. Jorge Gerhard vice-president of the Methodist Church of Uruguay, the one on 7th March (mobility), by Dr Rachel Lampard Team Leader of the Joint Public Issues Team of Great Britain, the one 14th March (digitalisation and energy), the one on 21st March (water) is taken from the resources of the Ecumenical Water Network.

In the five weeks leading up to Palm Sunday and Easter, the thematic sheet will be posted on OPCEMI's website and FB page with the related liturgical resources, discussion topics and practical actions.

With these proposals our aim is to promote individual and collective thought and action for a conversion to climate justice.