Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa
NECCSA Update: September 2005
A monthly newsletter on Church and Environment in South Africa
1.NECCSA Constitutional changes
We have received relatively little response to this item in the previous NECCSA Update. The message remains: Please use the network to distribute information on Christianity and earthkeeping, please volunteer to act as a regional correspondent and please contribute financially to the network as far as you can (see banking details below).
At its meeting on 23 August 2005 the NECCSA Governing Board accepted a number of changes to the NECCSA constitution:
· The changes reflect an emphasis on NECCSA as an information and communication network for local Christian congregations, communities, groups and organisations as well as interested individuals to engage with one another on environmental concerns. The main activities of the network will include the distribution of a monthly NECCSA Update, the maintenance of the NECCSA website and the production and distribution of an occasional printed NECCSA newsletter. It should be noted that NECCSA is a highly decentralised network which does not seek to become a strong organisation with its own programmes. It is indeed a network between existing organisations (and their programmes) and individuals (and their ministries).
· In the past membership of NECCSA was dependent on the payment of nominal membership fees and remained valid for a period of 2 years. Membership fees have now been scrapped and membership is regarded as a life-long commitment. Members are requested to contribute financially to the operational costs of the network (currently around R1500 per annum) as far as they can. Please do!
· A system of volunteer “regional correspondents” has been introduced. As an information and communication network, NECCSA will rely on such regional correspondents to gather and distribute the information – almost like a monthly newspaper. The responsibilities of such regional correspondents will include the following:
o To promote the vision and aims of NECCSA in the relevant region;
o To invite Christian communities, families and individuals to become members of NECCSA;
o To help gather information which may be included in NECCSA’s monthly Updates, the website and newsletters (e.g. stories on Christian earthkeeping, news about environmental issues, details on meetings and conferences, publications and other Christian resources on earthkeeping);
o To assist in the development and maintenance of a database of the email addresses of persons who may wish to receive communication from NECCSA.
o To serve on the NECCSA Governing Board for a term of two years (with biannual meetings).
· The responsibility for the monthly NECCSA Update will now be delegated to a number of rotating editors.
2. Environmental issues
Here is a selection of some environmental issues that may require your attention. References are provided for those who wish to follow up any of these matters:
a) N2 Toll Road
There is a new bid to construct a toll road along the Wild Coast. This will be done on the basis of a new Environmental Impact Assessment and drawing on information from Interested and Affected Parties (IAP). For more information, contact Geoff Davies at geoffd@intermail.co.za
b) GMO’s
Monsanto has filed an application to patent the pig! By patenting a combination of commonly used breeding techniques (not GM), they now claim ownership over all pigs that have a particular fast-growth trait. This case shows how far the concept of patents on life as allowed by the WTO’s TRIPS agreement can be pushed. See http://www.greenpeace.org/no-pig-patent.
c) Global warming
In an article entitled “Warming hits ‘tipping point’”, published in The Guardian, 11 August 2005, science correspondent Ian Sample writes that scientists are warning that a vast expanse of western Siberia is undergoing an unprecedented thaw that could dramatically increase the rate of global warming. The frozen layers of peat in this area, the size of France and Germany combined, contains billions of tonnes of greenhouse gas and, for the first time since the ice age, it is melting. It is a scenario climate scientists have feared since first identifying delicate thresholds where a slight rise in the Earth’s temperature can cause a dramatic change in the environment that itself triggers a far greater increase in global temperatures.”
3. Earthkeeping stories
a) Annemie Bosch reflects on her growing insight that earthkeeping forms part of Christian witness. She writes about her and David Bosch’s ministry in Madwaleni in the former Transkei, the events around SACLA in 1979 and subsequent developments: // Annemie Bosch vertel hoe sy langsamerhand gegroei het in die insig dat omgewingsorg deel vorm van Christene se getuienis. Sy skryf van haar en David Bosch se bediening in Madwaleni in die destydse Transkei, van die gebeure rondom SACLA in 1979 en ontwikkelinge sedertdien:
Ek kan onthou hoe vreemd dit vir my so laat as 1979 tydens SACLA I was, toe 'n groep studente gevra het hoekom 'earthkeeping' nie 'n item op die agenda was nie. Ons was ten spyte van, en mét, ons piëtistiese sendingagtergrond só besig om vir reg en geregtigheid en teen die Apartheid-bestel te werk en te veg, dat ons nooit eens gedínk het dat die bewaring en versorging van die aarde ook deel van ons Christelike opdrag was nie. Dit was buitendien 'n geweldige sprong vir die piëtiste van daardie tyd (en die oorwegende meerderheid van die Christene wat aan SACLA 1 deelgeneem het, het in hierdie kategorie geval) om vir 'n regverdige politieke stelsel te werk en om nie uitsluitlik 'siele na Jesus toe te lei' nie. Meestal is geredeneer, ja, daar moet geregtigheid wees, maar 'n mens kan dit alleenlik doen deur die enkeling na die Here te lei, dan sal alles "vanself" regkom. Dieselfde, meen ek, het gegeld rondom ons verantwoordelikheid teenoor die wêreld waarop ons leef.
Ja, ons het, sommer net deur ons voorbeeld, die skepping gerespekteer en versorg, baie bome geplant, grondverspoeling teëgewerk en sulke klein goedjies gedoen. Toe ons op Madwaleni aangekom het, het ons kraalmis by die plaaslike mense gekoop en in ons groentetuin ingewerk en die ou manne van die stam het, pyp in die mond, met hul voorarms die omheining platgedruk terwyl hulle met verwondering gekyk het hoe die jong koolkoppe so groot word dat 'n mens skaars jou arms daaromheen kon slaan en hoe die jong beet wat ons uithaal so groot is soos 'n kind se kop. (Later, toe die hospitale gebou is het ons ook die groot groente-tuine vir hospitaalgebruik aangelê, met kontoerwalle teen die helling en watervore vir natlei). David het vir hulle gesê dis die mis wat hy by húlle gekoop het, wat die verskil maak. Ons was 9 jaar daar en toe ons 12 jaar ná ons daar weg is, weer gaan kuier, het elke umzi 'n geil groentetuin gehad..... maar 'earth-keeping' ???
Ons was bekommerd omdat die stukke natuurlike inheemse bos/woud wat destyds nog aan die suidekant van elke koppie te vinde was, stelselmatig uitgekap word vir vuurmaakhout - maar kon nie 'n alternatief aanbied nie, en die mense het beslis hout nodig gehad om vuur te maak en om hul hutte te bou. Die plaaslike mense het hul fonteine goed beskerm omdat dit die enigste water tot hul beskikking was.... maar die riviere het almal bilharzia 'oorgedra' omdat daar nie so iets soos toilette was nie.
Van stelselmatige en bewuste bewaring van ons kosbare aarde, was daar bitter min indien enige spoor. Ons het geredeneer dat ons primêre taak, die mense is - hulle moes die evangelie hoor en 'gered' word. Dat hul óók gehelp moes word om bo hul armoede uit te styg, het wel aan ons geknaag, maar dit was so 'n 'agterna-gedagtetjie'. Die versorging van hul liggame (hospitale en mediese werk) en van hul verstand (skole) is beskou as 'hulpmiddels' om hulle 'siele' te bereik. Daar het enkele stemme, ook ons eie, uit ons midde opgeklink - mense wat die 'ketterse' siening gehad het dat al daardie dinge integraal deel van ons sendingopdrag was... Dat die versorging van die aarde op 'n groot en fyn beplande wyse óók deel van die geheel was, het ons egter nog nie begryp nie.... dat die mens en élke deel van die skepping onlosmaaklik aan mekaar verbonde is, en déél van ons sendingopdrag, het nog nie 'n plek gevind in ons denkpatrone nie.
En nou dat gelowiges wél besef dat dit deel van ons opdrag en verantwoordelikheid vorm, nou voel ons dikwels, net soos ons oor Apartheid gevoel het – en vandag nog oor armoede en HIV VIGS en wêreldwye korrupsie en geweld voel – so klein en magteloos teenoor hierdie oorweldigend enorme taak, dat ons tóg maar net op die oppervlak rondkrabbel en nie werklik weet hóe om te werk te gaan om getrou te wees aan hierdie roeping nie. Daarom is ek dankbaar dat daar mense is wat meer kennis op hierdie gebied het, en stragegië kan gebruik om 'n ware verskil te kan maak – mense by wie ons kan leer hoe om tree vir tree die onmeetlike aan te pak - wetende dat 'n reis van 'n duisend myl met een tree begin.
b) Louis Lemmer from the Dutch Reformed Church Magalieskruin-Pretoria writes about earthkeeping initiatives in their congregation:
We have started an environmental group at our church called Magalieskruin Natuurgroep. The aim of the group is to motivate our congregation, community and denomination to become environmentally aware, responsible and involved.
The group achieves this through articles in our congregation’s monthly newsletter, monthly meetings and activities involving people in nature-related projects. The subject of Christian environmental responsibility is also addressed through sermons.
We are currently busy transforming our church property into an indigenous garden. We have identified and named 23 species of indigenous trees on our property.
We are also launching a recycling project. We aim to recycle paper, plastic and glass.
We aim to reach our denomination, by spreading the idea of start environmental groups in congregations and through church media.
NECCSA’s website address is www.neccsa.org.za where membership details can also be found. You are invited to accept ownership of this website in order to use it to share information on Christianity and earthkeeping practices. Please send any information to the email address below. NECCSA’s banking details are: First National Bank, Musgrave Rd Branch, Branch code: 221126, Cheque account number: 62035719064.
You are welcome to distribute this NECCSA Update electronically to any other interested person. You are also welcome to send news to be included in the next NECCSA update to emcemp@iafrica.com by 15 October 2005. You may send such contributions in the language of your choice.
If you prefer not to receive the NECCSA Update in future, please send a message in this regard to the email address mentioned above.
Distributed by EM Conradie 25/09/2005