As stewards of creation, so we must take care of God’s various gifts to us, especially by keeping the planet earth beautiful and the way to go is green through solemn religious observance.

This was the message Lautoka Wesley Methodist Church Pastor Reverend Emmanuel Reuben shared for this year’s Lenten period.

More than 500 members of the church, 100 Methodist girls and Jasper Williams Primary and High School and Lautoka Methodist School students have made a pledge to support the COP 23 by going green for the lent season.

“We are not going to use plastic plates or cups and plastic materials in any of our functions, we are going to go green,” Rev Reuben said.

“At the same time we are not going to cut any trees, but will go out to plant more trees and encourage members to do backyard gardening.

“So it’s an effort from all our members to say that we are supporting the COP 23 and going green.

“The environment is given to us by God as a gift and we are polluting the environment by disposing plastic and cans and other rubbish which goes in our sea and blocks drains. Worst of all, it’s an eyesore.”

People need to become more environment conscious as God has given the earth to us to look after, so we need to protect it, plant trees and clean up after our mess.

“We will focus on composting, which is a good practice for everyone to get into. It is time consuming, but the benefit of compost is worth the time.

“We have so much land to plant more trees, so we need to use land wisely, it’s all a God-given gift.”

This Lenten period campaign started off on Wednesday the 6th of March and will end on Easter Saturday.

Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar.

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter.

By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.

Edited by Percy Kean

Feedback: rohit.kumar@fijisun.com.fj