wfn.org | Environmental Concerns Need More Church Support, says Antiguan

["Beckett, John" <BeckettJ@gc.adventist.org>]

Ambassador

ANN Bulletin
Adventist News Network
Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters
May 17, 2000
----------------------
Environmental Concerns Need More Church Support, says Antiguan Ambassador

Silver Spring, MD, USA ... [ANN] The Antiguan Ambassador to the United
States, His Excellency Lionel Hurst, says churches need to be more committed
to the environmental concerns that threaten global ecology. 

During a meeting at the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church on May 10, Hurst pointed to the massive impact that pollution played
in threats such as global warming.

"The pollution caused by the industrialized nations is posing a huge threat
to the earth's climate, with resulting dangers to many nations," claims
Hurst. "The frequency of devastating storms is a result of the global
warming caused by pollution. More than 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide are
released into the atmosphere every year. This is one area where the churches
can express a united point of view and do so effectively."

Antigua and Barbuda suffered the impact of five hurricanes in the past four
years. The destructive results of such tropical storms have damaged the
islands' economies which are heavily dependent on tourist income.

"Churches in Europe have been far more vocal in addressing environmental
issues," Hurst continues. "We are looking for more involvement by churches
here in the United States, as well as in Antigua. Church organizations need
to take up such causes and address them in meaningful ways. If God's
creatures and creation are being destroyed, then Christians need to be
concerned."

Adventists in Antigua make up one in nine of the population and are the
largest church-going group, according to Ambassador Hurst. [Jonathan
Gallagher]
----------------------
Contact Information: 
Communications Department
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600

Phone: 301-680-6300
e-mail: info@gc.adventist.org
web: http://www.adventist.org/