Mother Nature

by Michael Mc Gregor, Guyana Congregational Union

When the word green is mentioned the word nature usually follows but the understanding of this term to the average person is shallow So many questions can be asked about these pictures but first we need to understand “What is nature?” It can be referred to as the phenomena of the physical world Also everything, in and around that exists The earth is shaped as a ball from a distance, From a very far distance that our activities as human beings, Have separated us from Genesis Most of man’s activities disrupt the natural order For nature, nurtures her own way of life; her own culture

Instead of blending with the natural green Mankind is mostly concerned about the printed green Life is no longer about its need but, it’s about greed The natural green has everything to satisfy our needs Greed tempts us daily to tamper and destroy Mother’s beauty How ironic that when the iron strikes hot the results are cold Companies usually hold press conferences to claim the consequences were unknown The consequences of our current advancements are inescapable Destruction of coral reefs and oil spills Deforestation and Global warming

Now, we are here patching this dysfunctional relationship Hopefully, these green initiatives can help us from sinking We should be thankful for scientists who go beyond the procedures To help human beings connect closer to Mother Nature Painting a safer and cleaner picture of human advancement And a lifestyle which is contributing to Mother’s development

This poem first appeared in the April 2019 issue of INSiGHT.

Voices of Lament, Hope, and Courage

A Week of Prayer in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Edited by: Marianne EjderstenAlbin HillertDr Manoj KurianRev. Dr Odair Pedroso MateusRev. Dr Mikie RobertsRev. Dr Benjamin SimonLyn van Rooyen

To commemorate a year since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic, the World Council of Churches provides this resource for a week of prayer.

This book was designed as a resource for use in prayer groups, congregational services, personal prayer, and in the pastoral accompaniment of those directly affected in different ways by the pandemic. The prayers, messages, reflections, statistics and WCC resources have roots in faith challenged by mourning, fear and uncertainty in different contexts worldwide.

For more details, visit - https://bit.ly/2PilJXJ

Constance - Pioneer, Pastor, Preacher

Edited by the Rev Dr Janet Wootton – is a celebration of pioneers – of one in particular: the Revd Constance Coltman, but also many wonderful pioneers in our own day, women and men.

The book is published by the United Reformed Church (URC) on behalf of the Council for World Mission, the Congregational Federation and the Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women.

Constance Coltman was one of the first women to be ordained to Christian ministry in Britain.

Lydia Neshangwe, Moderator of the Council for World Mission 2020-24, the first woman to serve in this role, adds: "The legacy of her courage is a perpetual challenge to the many churches who are yet to embrace the ordination of women."

On The Way To School

Follow four children from diversely different backgrounds, cultures and way of life who shares a similar predicament when it comes to navigating their way to their institution of learning. They face a long and arduous journey that sets them back daily, especially with the mode of transport that gets them there, something the modern and privileged world is very unfamiliar of. From Kenya, Argentina, Morocco and India, these children open our eyes to the convenience they lack but the extraordinary determination they possess, just to receive the education they need.

https://bit.ly/3137cBy

Girl Rising

The film looks at the lives of 9 resilient girls, all from developing countries, overcoming daily adversities and seemingly impossible obstacles in order to be educated and informed. This powerful glimpse into their lives gives as an unforgettable perspective of what we’ve always taken for granted of, which is the gift and power of when education can do for our lives.

https://bit.ly/3lHLM6w

Nations United: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times

Achieving sustainable development goals has been the aim of Nations United since its creation by the United Nations 75 years ago. In this presentation, it focuses on 4 major areas in which requires urgent solutions as our world Is plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, which are, Climate and our planet, Poverty and inequality, Justice and Human Rights and Gender Equality. Various artistes and celebrities lend their support to the movement, as Mr Forest Whitaker points out, “There’s power in every decision we make. We can shape society and the future of our planet and people in every choice we make.”

https://bit.ly/3nKhmzP

Surviving COVID: Behind each statistic lies a human story

It’s hard for some to understand the devastation, pain and suffering of what COVID-19 has brought unto those who have experienced it and who have felt the brunt of the epidemic which floored the economy of the world and the way of life of its inhabitants. Here, we look at the real, raw and personal insights of those unfortunate to have contracted the deadly virus, how severely it has affected them in their health and well bring, and how their families had to do to deal with it.

https://bit.ly/3vHTVfI

The End of Poverty?

Juxtaposing developed countries with those that are underdeveloped, it gets much easier to see how severely impoverished those people are, in their conditions due to poverty. Wealth which is not known by most in those parts of the world, makes one wonder if it’s plainly a bad situation which keeps the underclass growing in those parts of the world or is it a deliberate move of the rich and powerful, for control and exploitation?

https://bit.ly/3r6Kbbx

Real Value

Real Value gives us an inside look at the true value of things in which we cannot live without in our daily lives. From the shirt on our backs to the fuel than runs our engines, could their value be priced beyond just dollars and cents? To purely profit driven businesses, do they realise the detrimental effects they have on our environment? Will business leaders be open in taking up sustainability measures if proven that their profits will not be compromised? Can businesses be synonymous with environmental responsibility and activism?

https://bit.ly/3s6SAwB

Thank You for The Rain

This film took over 5 years to shoot, it follows a modest, small scale farmer in Kenya and how he turned into a globally inspiring climate activist. Through the masterfully filmed footages of the Kenyan landscape, Kisilu managed to capture the damages of what and how climate change has done to his home and affected his family.

https://bit.ly/3cRmu1N

13th

The painful injustices of America’s racial history appear to have no boundaries. The exploitation and unjust treatment of Black Americans is also alive and well within the high walls of the high security prisons in the United States. The documentary allows the viewers to understand how slavery of the old has evolved into a systemic issue of racism where Black people are kept repressed and afraid as their rights are not the same as their White counterparts, and how it has been taken from them. Easily persecuted and thrown into the slammer even for crimes they did not commit.

https://bit.ly/2PcZAtg

Taiwan: China's next target?

“Despite China’s increasingly aggressive behaviour both at home and abroad, Beijing’s open threat to take control of Taiwan by force is receiving comparatively little attention – leaving this flourishing liberal democracy uniquely isolated and vulnerable. The threat may be far more imminent than many imagine. According to Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu “the Chinese authoritarian leaders may find Taiwan as a convenient scapegoat. Therefore Taiwan needs to be doubly concerned about a possible Chinese use of force against us.””

https://bit.ly/3f38epm

Every Three Seconds

A child dies from hunger due to extreme poverty every 3 seconds in the developing countries. The documentary is about the people who have decided that they are done with listening to such grim statistics, and are taking up the task to end hunger and extreme poverty everywhere, which goes to show that there never really is a problem too big one cannot solve; you just need your will and determination and stand for what you believe in.

https://bit.ly/3tHaruw