It's Lent... and here is a challenge!

It’s Lent, and this year Dennistoun New is taking time to think about the idea that we all need to change the way we live due to Climate Change. But why should we, in Dennistoun New Parish Church, do this?

BECAUSE.....

it is our belief that God created OUR planet and declared it very good. So, to us, the creation – and everyone in it – is precious to God, and this should be reflected in the way we treat the planet and everyone on it.

BECAUSE.....

Jesus calls us to love our neighbours. At the moment, climate change impacts the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world already. We are called to bear each other's burdens. This means that those of us in the affluent west need to do what we can to help. And also, perhaps, recognise our own abuse of the earth’s resources. Our environmental damage is making more of our earth a barren wilderness.

AND...

as a church, our beliefs demand that we take these things seriously! Changing our habits and priorities isn’t easy and doesn’t always happen overnight... so let's start with one small step.

Here is a small step we all could take this Lent to reverse the damage we are doing:

GO MEAT-FREE FOR ONE DAY A WEEK IN LENT!

Go on, try it!

Why?

• Farm animals contribute to 15% of global greenhouse emissions, roughly the equivalent of all the exhaust emissions from every car, train and aircraft across the world!
• There is, also, too much deforestation to make way for livestock.
• The resources used to farm them all also contribute to a significant amount of impact on the climate.
• By 2050, there will be an extra 2 billion people on the planet. We will struggle to produce enough food to feed all these people.

According to research, CUTTING MEAT OUT OF YOUR DIET is "probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth."

Here are some websites for meat-free recipes:

• BBC Good Food vegan recipes
• Jamie Oliver Vegan recipes
• Vegan Society Recipes

And here is a recipe to get started:

Mushroom Stroganoff by Lucy Netherton

Prep: 10 mins Cook: 20 mins Serves: 2 Easy

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp paprika
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300g mixed mushroom chopped
150ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp soya sauce
3 tbsp Greek Style yogurt
small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
250g pouch cooked wild rice

Method

1. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and soften 1 finely chopped onion for about 5 mins.
2. Add 1 tbsp paprika and 2 crushed garlic cloves, then cook for 1 min more. Add 300g mixed mushrooms and cook on a high heat, stirring often, for about 5 mins.
3. Pour in 150ml vegetable stock and 1 tbsp soya sauce.
4. Bring to the boil, bubble for 5 mins until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat and stir through 3 tbsp Greek yogurt and most of the small bunch of roughly chopped parsley. Make sure the pan is not on the heat or the sauce may split.
5. Heat rice, following the packet instructions. Add remaining parsley and serve with the Stroganoff.

You can also use quorn products that can be found in most local supermarkets.

Other steps you can take

• Could you give up single-use plastics for Lent?
• Could you buy nothing new for the whole of Lent?
• Could you commit to finding alternative methods of transport this Lent?
• Could you commit to living locally this Lent?
• Could you give up using electricity for an hour each day during Lent?

So, whether you are old or young... why not take on the challenge? It’s a small step but hopefully the start of an important journey! What sort of planet do you want to pass on? If we don’t start soon, it may be too late.

Young people are depending on us... and so is the Earth!