St John’s Methodist Church, Settle, raises £300 to protect the rainforest
“This diagram above shows how relatively few wild animals there are left on our “spaceship” – planet earth – You can see how wildlife has been forced to the edge. Source: http://xkcd.com/1338/
We have lost over half our wild back-boned animals in the last 40 years –
So says the Living Planet Index report.
Populations have decreased:
…. from Elephants in Africa and India
…. to Hedgehogs and Songbirds in the UK.
Within the next four years a further decrease is forecast –
…. so that by 2020 we will have lost 2/3
Do you sometimes feel despondent?
It is better to do something than nothing –
Think of the widow’s mite in Jesus’ parable.
And from the Old Testament:
Think of the desperate widow who came to Elisha. (2 Kings 4)
He said “(Calm down) and Look and see what you have got in your house.“
Look and see what you have in your home or your church that could help.
Here is an account of a church that raised £300 last week for the “Rainforest Fund“.
St John’s Methodist Church Settle held its monthly charity coffee morning on 1st November 2016 – to protect endangered habitats.
£155 was raised from donations at the coffee morning, £80 from sale of cards on the day and £65 from sale of cards on occasions nearby. This brings the total to £300
The money has been sent:-
to buy/protect an acre of tropical forest in Papua New Guinea (Cool Earth £100)
https://www.coolearth.org/projects/orangerie-bay/
to buy/protect an acre of of endangered habitat in Ecuador (World Land Trust – £100)
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/projects/ecuador
to support A Rocha Ghana, a Christian charity in Ghana (£100)
working in Forest and Wildlife Conservation, working with villagers near Atewa Forest and Mole
National Park in projects such as bee keeping and wildlife education http://ghana.arocha.org/
Judith Allinson says:
A big “Thank you” to all who helped or brought cakes including Cynthia, Eileen, Anne, Pauline, Sarah, Christine and Lesley, and to others who helped in different ways.
The number of wild backboned animals in the world has decreased by over half in the last 40 years – says the Living Planet Report 2016 (produced last week by the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London) (so the above picture is becoming out of date as we watch).
Due to our
- increasing consumer lifestyle and
- increasing population
the space for wild animals is continuing to decrease.
- Poaching,
- Pollution,
- Deforestation,
- Export of Wood Pellets to Drax,
- Land used for Soya (to export and feed our cattle) and
- Oil Palm (for our biscuits, soap and fuel) and
- Grazing all play their part.
The world is over 50% poorer in wildlife now (in many ways) than it was when we Oldies were 40 years younger. We live in a pivotal time. If we want to leave a better world (or at least a less bad world) for when our grandchildren grow up, we all need to help protect wildlife … NOW.
There are lots of ways to help – whether by
- campaigning,
- donating money,
- choosing to buy/eat products that do not destroy habitats,
- ensuring our money is not invested in projects that are harming the environment
- encouraging others to learn about, experience and love wildlife
- praying
Our £300 is small, but it will contribute. Let’s all do what we can”
What can you do?
Judith Allinson November 2016
http//greenchristian.org.uk/100churches
P.S. This post was written in the same week as Win Walters, a member of the church won first prize in the Hymn Writing Competition on the Theme “God the Creator” with her hymn: O Lord, we know that you made everything
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