A little bit late for the season – but green Easter is coming up!
Our friend Angelious Michael from the Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church in India sent us in this story on fighting against climate change:
The Youth Desk of the Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church called on JELC’s congregation to celebrate Green Christmas in order to express its solidarity with the dying eco system. A big Climate Justice Peace Rally was organized on 29th December 2009 in Koraput, Orissa which drew the attention of many in Koraput town as this was the first of its kind in Koraput town. Youth from different parts of JELC participated in the Rally. It got a good media coverage as well. The Rally was basically organized to bring about greater awareness among youth and common people. More than 500 youth participated in the rally.
Several eco-messages were spread out on placards which the youth held during the rally as strong climate convictions. The Youth of the Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church committed themselves to continue to respond to climate call and stay as active friends of the Earth. The Youth Desk of JELC urged the congregations not to cut Christmas tree, not to make Christmas celebration a noisy one, use vehicle as less as possible and avoid using plastics completely. It also expressed deep concern on the increasing deforestation in
Koraput district and thus appealed the civilians to plant as many as trees possible to bring back the greenery of Koraput. The deteriorating water situation in Koraput was also raised as a serious concern caused due to less rain fall.
Later in the evening Christmas Carol took place where in nearly 300 youth representing different congregations of JELC participated. The theme for the Christmas Carol was “Peace to Earth”. The Bishop of JELC Rt.Rev.Subas Chandra Gouda delivered the Carol sermon while Mr.Amar Thomas, Treasurer of JELC spelled out JELC’s eco-mission agenda and its future course of plan. Rev.Asish Kumar Pal, Synod Chairman and Mr.Biraj Benya, Treasurer of JELC were also present on the occasion. The honorable Member of Legislative Assembly of Koraput Mr.Raghuram Padal shared his greetings on the occasion as well.
Earlier in the evening, the Bishop of JELC Rt.Rev.Subas Chandra Gaudo laid the foundation stone for JELC’s Audio Recording Studio at Koraput which is an initiative of the Green Gospel Music-G2M of the Youth Desk of JELC.
Environmental concern is one of the 7 Mission Point Programme of JELC. The Youth Desk of JELC has charted out series of workshops to address the issue of Climate Change and Water in this year and the years to come.
You can read more on the blog of the JELC Youth.
