We are committed to looking after the wonder and beauty of creation. We call this climate justice. As we learn more about the science and the reality of climate change, we realise that the battle to reduce the damaging impact of human activity on the planet is precisely the same battle as that to eliminate poverty, famine, drought and discrimination.
In June 2022, our church received a bronze award as an Eco Church, and we continue to work towards the silver award.
Our climate justice campaign is part of the co-ordinated activity across all the Methodist Churches in Ipswich and surrounding area. Our commitment follows the pattern which we led for the Ipswich Circuit:
- Learning about climate change so that our decisions and actions are based in knowledge and understanding;
- Speaking out, based on this learning, and using our power of advocacy with political and business leaders, making it clear that we expect them to take difficult decisions, and that when they do, they can be confident of our support;
- Acting positively for a more sustainable world, in which we take personal and collective responsibility for our future, even when that may be against our won short term interests;
- Inspiring hope – we hear too many stories of people becoming overwhelmed by the threats posed by climate change – climate fatigue which saps all energy and enthusiasm and is debilitating – hope and love lie centrally at the heart of God’s relationship with his people, and it is our calling to spread that hope and love for all of creation.
The more we learn about climate change, the more we find exciting solutions. The only major threat is that our commitment to justice is only half hearted.
We hosted an Open Day for the climate to coincide with the beginning of the COP26 United Nation’s Conference, including an inspiring presentation from Rev. James Bhagwan, a church leader in Fiji – representing the Pacific Islands, for whom Climate Change is a lived experience.
We are actively taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint. Climate justice is frequently at the heart of our worship, and has been the focus for several of our study groups. We have a permanent display of the materials prepared in the lead up to COP26 conference in Glasgow in November 2021.
To learn more about climate justice, search out some of the materials we have developed jointly with other Methodist Churches in the Ipswich area, by visiting our circuit climate action pages.