Climate change and its effects on our partner Churches

The Uniting Church strongly believes the natural environment is not merely a resource for the benefit of human beings but has intrinsic value as part of God’s good creation. This commitment to the environment arises out of the Christian belief that God, as the Creator of the universe, calls us into a special relationship with the creation – a relationship of mutuality and interdependence. We believe that God’s will for the earth is renewal and reconciliation, not destruction by human beings. The Uniting Church regards climate change as a serious threat to the future and integrity of life on earth and acknowledges that it is the most vulnerable nations that will suffer the most imminent impacts of a changing climate.

Through Uniting World, we work together with our Church partners in Africa, Asia and the Pacific to eradicate poverty and strengthen partnerships, connecting with each other for life. Our Relief and Development, Church Connections, Experience volunteer programmes are brought together in our partner Churches. The Partner church relationship is integral to the work of Uniting World and at the heart of everything we do. Some relationships are over 100 years old and form a kind of international intimacy between Uniting Church communities in Australia and those of our partners. Uniting World advocates on behalf of our partners on issues that affect them and through representing them, transforms both their communities and ourselves.

The Uniting Church in Australia’s Western Australian Synod has built strong relationships with many partner Churches within the Indian Ocean Rim and is concerned for those nations vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Christie Marsh recently spent some time with the Social Justice and Mission Unit of the Synod of Western Australia, working on a report which looks at the effect of climate change on the churches we partner with on the Indian Ocean rim. The purpose of this document is to provide a foundation and framework for an educational resource for congregations, specifically directed at those in Western Australia. The aim of the resource being to increase awareness of issues our partner Churches are currently facing, and what we as individuals, congregations, and as a nation can do to assist and support our partners in Christ in these challenging times.