Anglican Communion News Service

As part of his visit to the Diocese of Machakos, the Archbishop of Canterbury went to the Christian Community Services offices to hear about the work they are doing in the region - empowering rural communities who are facing the challenges of food security, adaption to climate change and environmental conservation.

Dr Williams was also able to see at first hand one of the village projects processing cow dung to create biogas (an initiative set up in partnership with the Anglican mission agency, CMS Africa, and the diocese).

Dr Williams spoke about the how Christians had begun to look at creation in a new way - as something which holds the wisdom of God and so should be treated with the gentleness and respect it deserves:

“In the last few years more and more Christians have been realising there is another relationship that needs attention and that is our relationship with the whole of creation. We need to learn how to use creation in a proper way, we need to learn how we can relate to the world around us - not in greed, not in domination, trying to bully creation to doing what we want - we need to learn to live with the creation, with the wisdom buried in creation, God’s own wisdom. As we learn to take care of those around us, the fruits of the earth are more likely to be used for the cause of love and peace with one another.”

In speaking about the work of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Dr Williams described how it was part of the restoration of the broken relationship between God and man, and between man and God’s creation:

“All the work that I have read about and seen, the work that I have witnessed in the Church - all that work is about the New Creation. It takes for granted the restored relationship with God our Father. It builds up a true relationship between human beings in fellowship and faithfulness. It works at restoring our relationship with the whole world around so that we can work for the glory of God in the world we are in. We can learn how to farm the earth, farming God’s way like the project I’ve been hearing about today - we can learn how to do that so as to honour God and bring him glory”.

Biogas is a form of energy which uses cow dung and other biological waste to produce gas which can then be used in the homes for cooking fuel and other uses. This preserves the forests by removing the need to cut firewood for cooking, while protecting people’s health in a smoke-free environment. It also reduces emissions from charcoal burning, is less expensive than paying for petroleum gas and electricity, and benefits the environment as it provides a natural fertilizer for farmers, protecting their bio-diversity.

Further information about the Biogas project can be found at the Church Mission Society website.

The full text of the Archbishop’s homily can be found here 

Related News Entries

• Archbishops of Canterbury and Kenya: "visit has strengthened the historic fellowship between our Provinces" (June 24, 2011)
• Archbishop of Canterbury's Visit to Kibera, Nairobi (June 24, 2011)
• Archbishop of Canterbury in Kenya: faith is about 'making a difference' (June 22, 2011)
• Archbishop of Canterbury dedicates site of first Anglican University in Kenya (June 20, 2011)
• Archbishop's sermon to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nakuru Diocese, Kenya (June 19, 2011)
• Archbishop of Canterbury to visit Congo and Kenya (June 17, 2011)