In a fast-paced world dominated by 24-hour news cycles, consumer culture and the dizzying expansion of technology, the season of Lent can feel like a relic of the past. One more tradition squeezed out by our busyness and distractions. As Ecclesiastes 7:12 reminds us,
“God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.”
But perhaps now, more than ever, Lent is a rare invitation to pause. To follow Jesus into the stillness of creation. It’s a time to give our full attention to God, to live more simply and to act generously out of love for our neighbours and this beautiful, fragile world.
Climate change is undoing decades of progress, driving poverty, food insecurity and forced migration across our world. There’s profound injustice at its heart: those who’ve contributed the least to this crisis are suffering the most, while those who’ve burned the most fossil fuels have largely insulated themselves from its effects.
What can we do? We can follow Jesus.
Our world urgently needs a movement of attentive and generous discipleship.
Lent can be that annual ‘spark’ that reminds us of who we are in Christ, and all the love and hope we have to offer a hurting world.
We’ve heard our church partners’ call for solidarity and support to help vulnerable communities build resilience to climate impacts. We invite you to join us in answering their call:
“We hope and pray the world will join us.”
Below, members of our partner churches from across the Pacific share about their experiences of climate change and environmental degradation.
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“In Kiribati, we are experiencing coastal erosion, and we believe that increasing sea level rise contributes to the losing of some of our lands.” Teraoi, Kiribati Uniting Church |
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“Climate change is severely impacting our land [West Papua]. In the highlands it is becoming harder to grow potatoes and catch animals. Without our staple foods it affects our health and nutrition.” Ekyen, Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua |
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“Here in Tuvalu, young people have anxiety about sea-level rise, droughts and migration. I fear for the loss of our culture and traditions, but I tell myself: “God has given us this land, and we must hold onto it for future generations to enjoy.” Tetavaa, Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu |
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“Across our communities in Kiribati, climate change is causing reduced rainfall, droughts and lack of accessible clean water.” Bubutei, Kiribati Uniting Church |
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“The dry season [in Solomon Islands] feels hotter and longer. Mass logging has removed so many trees, king tides wash the fertile soil away and it doesn’t come back. I’ve seen small islands that now look like deserts.” Caleb, United Church in the Solomon Islands |
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“In Fiji, we feel the rising sea levels. There are burial sites that are now underwater and villages that are being forced to relocate. We all think it is a serious issue that needs to be tackled, and we pray the world will join us.” Rev. Asinate, Methodist Church in Fiji |
Lent Event offers a way to step into action, faithfully and meaningfully.Commit to 40 days of faithful action for God’s creation. Fundraise or donate for communities on the frontlines of climate change. Speak out for justice. Throughout Lent, we’ll share stories from our partner, the Free Wesleyan Church in Tonga, showing how your actions will help transform lives across the Pacific, Asia and Africa. Will you join us? By acting together, we can challenge the status quo of a distracted and disconnected world, make a real difference in the lives of our neighbours, and inspire vital hope and courage for the future. Sign up, get ideas for action and connect with a community of like-minded people at www.lentevent.com.au. |