Doen jou deel vir die aarde - Omgee
Liewe broers en susters in Christus,
Dit is al ver in Maart en ek het nog nie eers met julle gesels nie. Om vir die aarde te sorg kan soms baie van jou tyd in beslag neem! Ek hoop dit is ook julle ervaring. SAFCEI, by wie ons as Eko-Gemeente geregistreer is, het selfs in hulle Maart nuusbrief oor ons gemeente geskryf en ‘n foto bygesit. Gaan kyk gerus by http://www.safcei.org/ of vra Juanita by coordinator@safcei.org.za . Ons, hier by Die Strand NG Kerk, hou steeds vol met ons aardesorgbediening en het byvoorbeeld einde Februarie 2014 reeds 6300 kg herwinbare materiaal bymekaar gemaak en aan Wasteplan gegee. Ons het R1890 uit die herwinbare materiaal gemaak en kon ons sendeling in Limpopo se inkomste met R1890 aanvul. Ons nader nou ons kerkraad om oor te gaan na ‘n volgende stap om Aardesorg prakties in die gemeenskap uit te lewe. Meer hieroor ‘n volgende keer.
Graag meld ek hier ook van die vierjarige bestaan van die Ekologie Taakspan, verteenwoordigend van die Wes-Kaapse NG Sinode en die VGK se Kaapse Sinode. In die kort tyd wat die taakspan aan die werk is, het ons geesdriftige lede ‘n duidelike Doelwitstaat met vier Strategiese Doelwitte saamgestel om ons op koers te hou. Ons was ook deel van die organisering van die Maart 2013 Aardesorg Konferensie in Bellville en Pinelands en het ‘n Brondokument met relevante inligting vir al ons gemeentes saamgestel en daar vrygestel.
Ons werk saam met SAFCEI en die Groen Anglikane. Ons beveel aan dat alle kerklike vergadering groen groen moet gaan in hul handelinge, en het selfs op die mees onlangse vergadering “reedheid teenoor huisdiere” op die agenda gehad. Ons moedig gemeentes aan om op St.Francisdag hierdie onderwerp aan te spreek.
Soos ‘n mens so deur die Bybel blaai, kan ons met verwondering onthou: (Gen.1:31a) “God het alles wat Hy gemaak het, goed bekyk en Hy was baie tevrede daarmee”.
Sal ons ooit God se liefde kan begryp wanneer ons herinner word dat die woord wêreld in Joh 3:16 uit die grieks kosmos kom, wat alle lewe en lewende wesens beteken. “God het bewys hoe lief Hy die werêld het. Hy het sy Seun gegee…”
En as ons selfgesentreerd dink dis net ons, as mense, wat swaar kry, dan herinner Paulus ons in Rom.8: 21a: “Die hele skepping weet dat God dit ook eendag sal bevry van hierdie verskriklike lyding”.
Ons kan gerus ‘n hand bysit om vir die aarde te sorg totdat die tyd kom waar die Een wat op die troon sit sal sê “Kyk mooi, ek maak alles nuut!” (Openb.21:5a)
Geniet die werk wat vir jou uitgesit is in God se wingerd!
Do your bit to be an Earth Keeper
O, my, it is March already and I have not even talked to all of you yet. To be an Earth Keeper can keep you pretty occupied. I hope you enjoy the same experience! You know, SAFCEI, where you can register as an eco-congregation, heard about us and compiled a feature plus photos in their March Newsletter. Go to the following link http://www.safcei.org/ or ask Juanita at coordinator@safcei.org.za for more information .Here at the DR church Die Strand we continue our Earth keeping. For example, by end February 2014 we had delivered 6300 kg of recyclable material to Wasteplan. This provided us with R1890 salary excess to our missionary in Limpopo. We are in the process of approaching our Church Board to approve a next level of Earth Keeping by churches in the community. Watch this space in next episodes!
Today I want to tell you about the initial Four Years of Existence of the ECOLOGY Task Team, representative of the Western Cape Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Cape Synod of the Unifying Reformed Church. In this short time the enthusiastic members developed a Mission Statement plus four specific Strategic Goals to keep us on track. We were also part of the organising committee of the very successful Earth Keepers Conference in Bellville and Pinelands in March 2013. We released there a comprehensive Source Document for congregations to make use of. Find it and do use it!
The Ecology Task Team cooperates with SAFCEI and the Western Cape Green Anglicans. It recommends church meetings to go green, and at our recent meeting we even discussed “Cruelty to domestic animals”. We encourage congregations to address this topic on St. Francis Day.
When we page through the Bible, we can start by remembering with awe: (Gen.1:31a):
“God looked over everything he had made; it was so good. So very good!”
And can we ever calculate the extent of God’s love when we remember that the word “world” means “cosmos”: all physical and living creatures, in John 3:16a:
This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son…”
When we, in our self-centredness think we are the only ones suffering on earth, Paul in Romans 8:21a reminds us:
“Everything in creation is more or less held back…”
This reminder enables us to do our bit to be an Earth Keeper where you are, until the time comes when (Rev. 21:5a):
“The Enthroned continued, “Look! I’m making everything new”.
Do enjoy your set-out tasks in the Lord’s vineyard.