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Church leaders plant sapling as part of the first phase of the PBCA “Green Mission,” at the mission centre in Longleng district.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, June 17: The spread in environmental understanding has ensued in a series of activities to conserve environment. We are obligated to play an active role to secure Mother Nature for sustainable tomorrow. With this call the Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA) initiated the “Green Mission” as a biblical response to the ecological crisis and is drawn from the niblical mandate “Go and preach the gospel beginning from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
This profound initiative “Green Mission” of the PBCA shared by the association executive secretary, N Tialemba Phom to Eastern Mirror was launched on June 5 to commemorate the World Environment Day at it’s headquarter in Longleng district on the theme “Preserving God’s Own Green Earth.”
Many church leaders or theology institutions did not understand the concept of responding to ecological crisis through the institution some years back which could have a larger influence but now both the institutions has recognised the impact they can have and have taken the responsibility in playing the role of propagating the message, Phom said.
The perception that we have always been and will continue to remain at the mercy of nature is very clear. PBCA want to respond to the ecology crisis and take it as a mission of the Church. Any concern related to ecology will be responded with planting more trees, protecting wild life, conservation of forest, discourage random burning of forest, and use of chemical pesticide, he asserted.
The association secretary informed that the church on Sat. June 16 passed a resolution with 52 pastors from various churches under Longleng district in attendance. More than 70 church leaders to observe the same on the second Sunday of June. June 5 being declared as “Green Mission” day, he said the association plant 1000 tree saplings every year starting from the PBCA mission centre and neighbouring village churches under Longleng district.
The PBCA is on a mission to make Longleng district “plastic free”, “eco friendly district” and “green district” in Nagaland by launching the “Green Mission” in the entire Phom land with the involvement of churches. Merely preaching inside the church will not be enough and for that involvement of churches and community participation is essential and PBCA will engage them both for the mission, Phom conveyed.
The secretary stresses “Green Mission” is a comprehensive term that talks about healthy and sustainable living, and pollution free world. Green Mission encompasses a wide range of environmental mission, vision and activities. Introducing “plastic free” program will be a priority of the mission although it was earlier endeavoured which was not a success, acknowledged Phom.
The “Green Mission” will be a vigorous exercise and not merely a day event while the PBCA will continue to carry the mission in all the churches and in six to seven years, we are optimistic that we will be able to plant 8000 to 9000 trees with the church and community participation, expressed the PBCA secretary.
It was in the year 2015 the association announced their purpose to introduce a chapter on environment conservation in the Sunday school textbooks to respond to the negative impacts of climate change. As announced, the chapter on environment conservation was in 2016 to be taught to students of senior and teen categories. This initiative of the PBCA was carried by Eastern Mirror on its April 11 2016 edition.
