To Tend, To Transform, To Treasure: Sustainability and the Communion Forest

At Brisbane Synod 2024 The Rev’d Melissa Conway moved motions on the Anglican Communion Forest and Angligreen Sustainability Roadmap with these words.

Anglican Communion Forest

This motion celebrates the (Anglican) Communion Forest, launched at the last Lambeth Conference, in 2022. We are thankful for this initiative and the work already undertaken.

We are particularly thankful for the active and dedicated support of Archbishop Jeremy Greaves, in distributing trees for the forest, and to other bishops, clergy and lay people who have found innovative ways to make the forest literally come alive.

I have received and planted two trees: one has been planted in the garden at St Anne’s, Highfields, and one in the clergy house garden at Highfields. My plan is to treat them like Pokémon and “collect them all!”

However, that’s not really the intent. To use a local example, Highfields is an area of high growth, and that means trees coming down for development at rate that seems unsustainable and damaging to our local wildlife, particularly koalas and native birds.

So, this motion calls us to be givers as well as receivers. In supporting this motion, we hope that all parishes, schools and agencies will find ways that we can use our collective strength to make a real difference towards conservation, re-foresting and re-wilding.

That this Synod:

1. gives thanks to God for the Communion Forest, a wonderfully creative initiative arising out of the work of the Lambeth Conference 2022;
2. appreciates and supports the example of our Archbishop, who through the giving away of trees at his consecration and to candidates at Confirmation services, shows his own personal support of the Communion Forest;
3. asks Diocesan Council to facilitate a process by which our Diocese can support the planting of new trees, the re-wilding of existing habitats, and the conservation of mature trees on all Diocesan properties; and
4. requests parishes, Anglican Schools, and other church agencies connected to our Diocese, to investigate and where possible implement activities which foster the growth of new trees and ecosystem conservation.

Angligreen Sustainability Roadmap

This motion affirms the work Angligreen and the Diocesan Sustainability Roadmap, 2023-2030 and its goals. We have already reminded ourselves of the Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion, which include: “To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.” In short form, this is the last of the five T’s: Treasure.

In Genesis chapters one and two, we hear God’s original call to humanity. We can read this in two ways, based on the two creation stories:
• We are called to stewardship and care for all of creation, to till God’s garden; and,
• We are created in the image of God the Creator, who demonstrates how we are to live creatively and hospitably, in the act of loving the very cosmos into being.

In our liturgy we are reminded of this role in thanksgiving five, which begins: Loving God, we thank you for this world of wonder and delight. You have given it to us to care for, so that all your creatures may enjoy its bounty.

This motion has 4 simple calls

1. Support Angligreen. We can do that by signing up to the Angligreen newsletter, meeting and acting locally, and send ideas and feedback.
2. Support the Roadmap, We can do that by signing up online to indicate our commitment. So far 9 parishes have signed up and no schools – you could be first! We can also conduct a sustainability audit in your school or parish, and then start from where you are to improve sustainable habits. The audit template is available on the Sustainability Roadmap page. We undertook the audit in our parish earlier this year, led by our youth group. The results gave us some challenges as a parish to improve on our practices, but it also made lasting links between the young people and the ‘elders’ of the parish.
3. Celebrate the Season of Creation, from 1 September to 4 October. You can sign up for resources, plan activities, have fun, and praise God! Psalm 19 tells us that the whole of creation, the whole cosmos, tells of God’s glory.
4. Participate in the Faiths for Climate Justice campaign, from 14 to 24 Sept, and ecumenical and inter-faith demonstration of our care and concern for creation. Churches and schools can display banners or other signs of support, and join in local activities.

That this Synod:

1. continues to support the work of Angligreen in its endeavours to help our Diocese reduce our ecological footprint;
2. asks all parishes and Anglican Schools and other church agencies to support the Diocesan Sustainability Roadmap by registering their support of this initiative, and undertaking activities in 2024 and beyond which foster achieving the targets of the Roadmap;
3. asks parishes and Anglican Schools and other church agencies to celebrate the Season of Creation 2024 (1 September – 4 October) with the theme To hope and act with Creation (https://seasonofcreation.org/)
4. asks parishes and Anglican Schools and other church agencies to support the Faiths 4 Climate Justice Week of Action 14-24 September promoted by Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC.) (Week of Action – ARRCC) (https://www.arrcc.org.au/weekofaction)