TeachingRE Issue 4.pdf - the Second Level Support Service

• working in the public and private sectors including industry and prisons challenging the causes of poverty andproviding relief from its impact• abolishing slavery from the time of Wilberforce through to Jubilee 2000• providing sustenance and shelter from soup kitchens to housing associationsToday this missionary role continues through national organisations and, most importantly, through the mission and ministry of local churcheswho seek to promote social inclusion and wellbeing in their local community.The main part of the Module consists of stories about local initiatives in different places.These are retold in the hope that they will inspirechurches to seek out the problems and opportunities in their own communities and develop their own partnerships and initiatives inresponse.The stories also illustrate the mission opportunities of working on environmental issues with local authorities and other statutory and faithgroups. In many instances the churches are able to share Christian values through their words and deeds and achieve recognition as a valuedand vital part of the community.As we write, increasing numbers of our church members and local communities are being laid off, with little hope of finding immediate work.Low morale, anxiety and depression are on the rise. Quite likely your church is already looking at ways of being an even brighter beacon ofhope and instigator of action within the community.As the number of unemployed rises in your neighbourhood, could your church operatea daily café? (with fairly trade tea and coffee, of course!) Perhaps you could run a swap shop – a brilliant way to practice the 3 R’s and greatfun also!Or could you link in with your local environment officer and run morning classes/lectures on a sustainable subject like vegetablegrowing / composting? (it is possible to have a square foot garden/vegetable plot if you only have a back yard or balcony!)Would the local council permit you and a group of interested folk to take over some waste ground, either to tidy and provide a local feature,or to turn it into a community garden? (see the “ecoexamples” on the Eco Congregation Ireland website). Thismight also be done in church grounds, as we have heard wasthe case in Carnalea.Maybe you could embark on a tree planting project in thelocal graveyard, as a Quaker eco congregation in Co. Corkhas started. Working with the earth is healing, and whenmoney and jobs are becoming increasingly scarce this mightalso be one way of connecting meaningfully with thecommunity.Three Rock Churches’ Environment Group (an ecumenicaloffshoot of Dundrum Methodist Eco Congregation in southDublin) – has worked on several issues with the localEnvironment Officer and at the moment is waiting for wordon what area of waste ground they might start clearing.One of the other small projects this group is involved in islobbying for feeder buses and more frequent public transportto reduce the number of cars on the road - perhaps yourarea requires a similar service?Global Neighbours (module 12): looks at our increasingly global society. A stone cast in a pond in one place can cause ripples in places farand wide. A hiccup in a commodity market can spell hunger for a farmer in a developing nation. An environmental accident in one nationcan quickly spread down wind and down stream to other nations.Neither economics nor environmental issues/incidents obey international, political or geographical boundaries.This linkage applies to ourlifestyles.The way that we choose to live can have an impact, for good or for ill, on people in developing nations and the environment acrossthe world, today and for future generations.This module is designed to help churches and individuals identify those areas where they canmake a positive impact on the well-being of the environment and the poorest people in developing nations. It features information aboutissues and campaigns together with ideas for action.The work of the development agencies like Christian Aid, Cafod, SCIAF,Trócaire andTearfund has its origins in offering Christian care to themost needy.The organisations undertake a wide variety of work including:• long-term development work, often in partnership with the world’s poorest communities e.g., Fair Trade initiatives• disaster/emergency relief in times of need• research and analysis of poverty issues• campaigning issues affecting the world’s poorest• educational work to raise awareness of poverty issues and how to bring about changeThrough their work several of the agencies have identified the environment as a key issue in development work and the alleviation ofpoverty. In terms of development work, environmental considerations are usually considered in project work because ultimately taking careof the environment benefits people too. For example, working to conserve forests and trees can reduce soil loss and help to maintainsustainable agriculture, so enabling people to provide sufficient food. In terms of disaster/emergency relief, Christian Aid have identified that9 of the last 11 so-called natural disasters that they have responded to were caused by climate change with a strong link to global warming.It suggests that many of the victims are literally paying the price of other people’s profligate lifestyle.Understanding these issues will hopefully encourage us to respond not just with donations for self help programmes in developing countries,or to the urgent disaster appeals, but also to query and modify our life style choices so that we may be agents of change and at the sametime reconnect with Biblical imperatives.Using the Christian Aid andTearfund Lenten material is a simple way to continue or even start this road to restoring the balance we believeour lifestyles have distorted. To quote Archbishop Desmond Tutu “Justice and ecology are linked indissolubly”.28 TEACHING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ISSUE FOUR SEPTEMBER 2009