[Anglican Communion News Service] A challenge to a Lutheran bishop by young Anglicans in Southern Africa has led to the formation of an ecumenical partnership to fight climate change. The Young Green Anglicans group made the challenge at a Lutheran youth conference last month; and now, the new Green Lutherans group has been launched at an ecumenical service in Swaziland.

During the youth conference, the Young Green Anglicans presented a fig tree to the Lutheran bishop as they challenged the church to go green. The invitation to the youth conference came in response to repeated invitations to Lutherans to take part in Green Anglicans’ events.

“Mbabane Parish of the Lutheran Church responded to the call by God to be Earth Keepers,” Mncedisi Masuku, a member of the Young Green Anglicans, said. The church hosted a “green service” last week using the Green Anglicans’ liturgy for World Environment Day under the theme “Going wild for life.”

“Prayers and readings were focused on the environment,” Masuku said. “Mr Nyembe, a congregant of the parish who is an environmentalist, unpacked the environmental subject and climate change.

“Our green disciple Hlophe Nozipho, in the company of other Young Green Anglicans, presented on how we are engaged as a diocese on environmental issues.”

Nozipho presented an avocado tree to the parish which was planted after service. The Young Green Anglicans advocate the planting of trees at all significant services, including baptisms and confirmations.

“These two denominations (Anglicans and Lutherans) joined hands in the subject of the environment and as we speak the Lutherans are Green Lutheran,” Masuku said. “Our slogan is, “alone you can run fast, but together we can run far.”