News
EPRe - Shared Action 12-24
The Protestant Church of Réunion sent three representatives to Madagascar to participate in the Shared Action Seminar for the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region.
Upon their return, the participants decided not only to share the discussions and experiences they had during the seminar but also to put into practice the resolutions adopted at the end of the seminar by offering theoretical and practical workshops to members of their church.
Workshop 1: the cutting technique
Workshop 2: Creation of a community and parish garden - Inauguration on 08/12/2024
Seminar paper inspired by Colossians 1:12-20
More than a framework for life given by God, Creation is first and foremost an element in God's relationship with human beings. God wants human beings to be with him. It's God's plan, his goal, his mission.
It's for this reason that we must care for Creation.
Stage 2: Creation (in progress) of an orchard with a multitude of fruit trees (like the Garden of Eden) for parishioners' consumption.
Workshop 1: Creation of an "alternative" nursery: papaya, lemon, passion fruit, pineapple, avocado, banana...
Workshop 2: Introducing parishioners to the nutritional and therapeutic benefits of each fruit
Putting into practice the techniques proposed in the EPR garden
Stage 1: "We had to redesign the existing EPR garden to make it more beautiful, more serene, more pleasant for parishioners, but also a showcase for our Church. A showcase to attract the attention of passers-by "in search" of spirituality or simply looking to fill a void in their lives..."
Promising results: every Sunday we see new people arriving and old ones returning. The Gospel is making its way...
Step 3: Create a "scented", ecological garden corner containing mosquito repellents (citronella, geranium...).
“Based on our reflections and the workshops we have conducted on the theme Inhabit Creation differently , Inhabit Creation differently we can draw the following conclusion:
We can take action by providing our training (through on-site workshops) to churches according to the following criteria:
– Churches must have access to a plot of land large enough to create the garden (since this is the “material” objective of the proposed solution).
– Ideally, they should have a majority of young people and working-age adults, who represent the future of the parish.
– They must “endorse” Inhabit Creation differently Shared Action Inhabit Creation differently , meaning they must “agree” with its principles.
Based on these criteria and the discussions we had during the seminar, we propose to engage with churches in Mauritius and Madagascar.
Haja Yvette RAKOTOMAVO
January 13, 2025 in Saint Denis de La Réunion