Speech on the Five Marks of Mission

Here is a short speech I gave at Church of Ireland General Synod 2019. I'll write up a longer blog post on my impressions of Synod and what happened at the Climate of Hope fringe event soon.

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I believe that the church needs to raise its voice in response to the climate crisis. 

You have seen the protests in the news – in March this year 1.5 million children took to the streets in the School Strike movement crying out for change.

Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old leader of the climate movement, said last month in the House of Parliament, "We children are doing this to wake the adults up. We children are doing this for you to put your differences aside and start acting as you would in a crisis. We children are doing this because we want our hopes and dreams back."

As a church, we need to Act Now and respond to this crisis.

We need to have a clear message and mission for the age of climate breakdown.

I am pleased to see the emphasis the Council of Mission has on the Five Marks of Mission. For we need to set a course, with all of the Five Marks of Mission as our guide. A clear presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that includes justice for the suffering and care for creation, can help us reach a new generation.

If you would like to join the conversation to help build a Climate of Hope, then please come along to the informal discussion this evening at 6:30 this evening in the Millennium Room.

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