Rome (NEV), October 31, 2020 – “The awareness of the environmental issues importance is growing fast in our churches”, said Stefano Bertuzzi, member of the Council of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI). Bertuzzi coordinated and animated, together with Francesca Evangelisti, the confrontation between the ecological communities present during the works of the 5th biennial meeting held last October 24, on the digital platform.
This is a project of the FCEI Globalization and Environment Commission (GLAM) whose title, in this edition, was: “A sea of communities”. “There is still a lot to do – continued Bertuzzi -, but we are sure that the network will be able to grow and strengthen its issues: the safeguarding of creation cannot wait any longer”.
The meeting of the Eco-communities should have been held in presence, but due to the COVID-19 emergency it was not possible: “We regret losing part of that confrontation certainly facilitated by meeting in person. On the other hand, this allowed the participation of many more people, who thus were able to discover (or deepen) the Eco-communities network and the good practices that the ‘ecologically committed’ churches carry on. Fortunately, current technologies helped in transforming the activities that normally take place in person into remotely form”, concluded the Council member.
The meeting was attended by about 50 community representatives, the GLAM Commission, FCEI vice president Christiane Groeben and the executive secretary, Pastor Luca Baratto.
“The meeting atmosphere was one of mutual listening and welcoming, creating a comforting network effect. Several communities attended for the first time”, commented GLAM coordinator Antonella Visintin. Among the direct testimonies on the paths that churches and communities have taken, those of Bologna and Modena, Mottola, Civitavecchia, Rome, Florence, Velletri, Gaeta, Forlì, Verona, Udine … From north to south, a network that individually and collectively engages people. Many ideas and practices have already been implemented, as well as proposals for the future and the analysis of critical issues, to seek solutions together. “The proposal to twin up has been made – said Visintin -. It is a truly federative experience, where every denomination (Baptists, Methodists, Adventists, Lutherans, Waldensians …) brings its own contribution”.
