Archbishop calls for halt to “indefensible abuse” of rivers
The Archbishop of Wales today (April 17) called for a halt to the “indefensible abuse” of our waterways.
Rivers, he said, were dying because of pollution.
Archbishop Andrew John’s comments came during his Presidential Address to members of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales at the start of its two-day meeting in Newport.
The pollution of Welsh rivers will be the focus of a summit, Restoring Welsh Rivers, which the Archbishop is convening in November. Key speakers at the summit will be addressing the Governing Body meeting tomorrow (Thurs).
Archbishop Andrew said, “Why should we be concerned about water? Because our rivers are dying. Water companies are illegally pumping raw sewage into them. And even as sections of our farming communities are underpaid and undervalued, intensive farming practices, promoted by unsustainable food production systems, are poisoning rivers with excess fertiliser and animal waste – witness the tragic situation in the Wye Valley. We recognise investment is being made to improve our drainage and improvements are being delivered. However, all of us – including the industry, regulators, government and local authorities - must play a part in halting this indefensible abuse of the most essential element of life. Our summit will seek to create a consensus and momentum for change.”
It was the role of the Church to speak out on issues of fairness and justice, he said.
“As we serve those around us, we do so as Christians. We are not an NGO nor an arm of government. We are compelled to speak out on issues where we believe something is out of place."
Archbishop Andrew’s keynote address also looked at how the Church in Wales could grow and thrive in an uncertain landscape.
We are compelled to speak out on issues where we believe something is out of place
He related principles outlined by Professor John Kay and Lord Mervyn King in their book, Radical Uncertainty, to the future of the Church.
The Archbishop praised the Church’s role in national events and paid tribute to the work of clergy and lay ministers.
He said, “Week by week, it will not be the seminal events which shape a nation’s identity. It will be the events of life and how others support and help us through them. All of us will suffer times of loss and heartache and we will remember those who showed kindness, love and compassion. In its ministry of accompanying, the Church in Wales shows that God loves the world and reaches through us with transforming grace in Jesus.”
For the Church to flourish, it needed to develop and grow, said Archbishop Andrew. That meant adapting to change and learning from each other’s experiences.
Change would focus on the operation of Ministry and Mission Areas – the larger geographical units which are now the Church’s primary local groupings. Important lessons were emerging from them, such as their potential for wider reach and bigger projects, team-working to make the most of the ministry of all, not just the clergy, and their courage in taking risks and being willing to make mistakes.
Referring to the policy of making substantial investments to grow the Church, Archbishop Andrew said, “We have an opportunity to develop ministry from the base of lived experience,” said Archbishop Andrew. “Early applications to the Church Growth Fund are showing dioceses are building on what is being learned through our Ministry and Mission Areas whether by developing hub churches, planting new congregations or appointing pioneers and chaplains.”
Collecting and analysing data in areas including investment, membership and carbon emissions, was another important aspect of growth, he said. It was also about being curious and prepared to evolve.
The kind of life which brings hope is built one step at a time
Imagining a good future for the church, however, was not about constructing “impossible dreams”, said Archbishop Andrew.
“Anyone can cast visions which are wholly illusory, which sound impressive but are fantasies. The kind of life which brings hope is built one step at a time; faithful reflection on our contexts, asking good questions and starting to plan and practise the things which allow us to be true to our calling.”
However, the Archbishop concluded that the most important part of the Church’s strategy was its prayerfulness and shared faith in Christ. Healthy churches, he said, needed to be “robust in the ancient spiritual disciplines”. He pointed to the BBC’s latest Pilgrimage series, which followed celebrities on the North Wales Pilgrim Way, as an example of a renewed interest in spirituality.
“We need to give ourselves constantly to the love and to the practice of Jesus Christ, becoming authentic, forgiving and hopeful people with something worth sharing.”
Archbishop's Presidential Address
Download hereThe Governing Body is meeting at the International Convention Centre Wales at Newport on April 17 and 18.
The meeting is live-streamed via a link on the Church in Wales website and YouTube channel
On Thursday morning at 10am, James Wallace, CEO of River Action, and Dr Christian Dunn, Associate Director of the Bangor Wetlands Group, Bangor University, will both give a presentation on their work and outline the scale of the river crisis as they see it.