I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer. Amen.
– The Book of Common Prayer
The Anglican Communion Environmental Network (ACEN) through its chair, the Rt Revd Ellinah Wamukoya, Bishop of Swaziland, is inviting everyone to consider making a carbon fast for this Lent.
We are of the earth, we are dust, if the earth birthed us so let us look after her, and reduce our carbon foot print to ensure continued life.
During this Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday, those making a carbon fast can begin by taking their first steps to consciously reduce their personal carbon dioxide output, their personal contribution to global warming. To assist you in doing so, ACEN has developed a Lenten Calendar. Each day of Lent, the calendar suggests something about which to think and to physically do as an individual dedicated to making their personal carbon footprint smaller. The suggestions are simple and this Lenten exercise could be the start of taking permanent steps year round to reduce one’s carbon footprint. Suggestions such as; take a day and unplug all your appliances and device chargers, cycle to work or use public transit and take reusable shopping bags on the next trip to the grocery store.
Additionally, the ACEN, in association with Trinity Episcopal Church, Wall Street, has developed a booklet with Lenten meditations for the four Sundays during Lent and Palm Sunday. The meditations speak about the global water crisis. Each meditation was written by a member of ACEN. Each member who wrote is from a different geographical area of the Anglican Communion. The Revd Jeff Golliher, the Anglican Communion’s environmental representative at the United Nations, is the editor of the guide. The writers of the meditations are: Dr. Andrew Leake, Anglican Diocese of Northern Argentina; Rachel Mash, Anglican Church of Southern Africa; the Rt Revd Dr. Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Waikato, New Zealand; Michael Schut, The Episcopal Church in the United States; Dr. Mathew Koshy Punnackadu, Church of Southern India. The Rt Revd Ellinah Wamukoya, bishop of Swaziland and convener of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network wrote the meditation for Palm Sunday. The meditations are available for download as a pdf in English, Français, Español and Português. They are also available as an app for smartphones and tablets via iTunes and Google Play. After downloading the Issuu app to your phone or tablet, search for Water of Life Lenten Study Guide from within the app.