The Environment and the Mission of the Church
Five Marks of Mission express the fundamental purposes of the church in a succinct way. They are backed by the Anglican Consultative Council, the Lambeth Conference of Bishops and the General Synod. In brief, they are evangelism, nurturing discipleship, helping the needy, struggling for justice, and caring for the environment.
In full, the Fifth Mark is:
‘To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth’.

We affirmed the fith mark of mission as a central part of our life, work and mission, in a document adopted by the Church Council as the ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN MALTA & GOZO. Copies are available from the environmental officer.

THEOLOGICAL BASIS
The Genesis stories show the creation as inherently good. Humans are given dominion (stewardship) over it (Genesis 1.28) and are to care for it (Genesis 2.15). One result of the Fall, however, is enmity between humans and nature (Genesis 3.15). Later, the prophets dreamed of a time when humanity and the natural world would live in harmony with each other (Isaiah 11.6-9). In the New Testament Jesus often drew on nature to illustrate his teaching (Matthew 13), and St Paul sees redemption on a cosmic scale (Romans 8.18-25).

Today we realize that ‘dominion’ has too often been interpreted to mean exploit, treat violently, use for human ends. We now understand it to mean be responsible for, nurture, manage sensitively and to recognize that there are limits to the extent to which we should use and take from the natural world. We are increasingly aware of our inter-relationship with the natural world and our dependence on it. Taking the long view, our redemption is not complete until it includes that of the whole creation. This gives us a powerful motivation to heal our broken relationships with the natural world. 

• We will take environmental concerns fully into account in our mission, worship, study, education, training, pastoral administrative and other programs and projects.
  
• We will identify environmental issues in our chaplaincy and devise approriate action on them.
  
• We will undertake an 'environmental audit' of our premises and property and devise appropriate plans to care for the most significant aspects of the natural world which are our resposibility. Specifically, we will make an energy audit at least every three years and seek to save energy, wherever possible.
  
• We will ask our members to consider their personal impact on the environment in their daily lives.
  
• We will support the work of local and national environmental organizations, as appropriate.
• We will encourage the chaplaincy council, architects and contractors to take environmental concerns fully into account in repair or construction work.
• We will include environmental concerns in our worship and teaching, especially observing the period of Creation Time between the 1st September and the second Sunday in October, each year.
• We will encourage the use of environmentally-friendly forms of transport and offsetting of carbon emission.
• We will encourage the reduction of consumption and the recycling of waste.
• We will endeavour to successively elect a chaplaincy environmental officer.

• Switch off lights and electrical appliances when not required
  
• Replace used light bulbs with low energy bulbs and replace old appliances with energy efficient ones
  
• Only use what you need
  
• Recycle waste
  
• Buy locally and buy seasonally
  
• Look at how you travel Could you give someone a lift ?
• Draught proof windows and doors
• Ensure that hot water tanks are sufficiently insulated  Would solar panels be an option?
• Compare your current heating source with others Is that airconditioner neccessary?
• Share with others the information that you discover. 

• At the Cathedral, Holy Trinity and at the Seminary on Gozo greetings cards are recycled and sold in aid of church funds.Handmade cards are sold using recycled materials with the addition of a few new items
• There is a second-hand book shop at the Cathedral and a lending library at Holy Trinity.
• There is a boutique at the Cathedral where one can obtain good quality second-hand clothing.
• In our bid to raise funds for the Chaplaincy we are employing recycling on a regular basis. Thank you to all those who support these ventures either by donation of goods or by buying. Please keep up the good work, but we need to do more.