At a recent engage contributors' day, we were asking the question "what constitues 'worship'?  How can we share ideas on this website that go beyond our narrow expectations of what worship is, and embrace God's bigger picture?"

Well, it is clear that fasting was part of Old Testament worship, and that in Isaiah 58 God challenged his people to go beyond simply skipping a meal - "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" (Is 58:6)  As I write, today is the first day of Lent, a time when people traditionally fast something for 40 days.  What if our fast this year went beyond giving up chocolate, but made a very real difference to people in the developing world?

Climate change already impacts lives across the world.  Tearfund quote Andrew, a farmer from Malawi who says: "in 1992 we harvested sixty 50kg bags of maize. The land was more fertile, there was no sand and the climate was reliable. This year (2009) we harvested three 50kg bags."

Our lovely friends at Tearfund Youth and Students are always great at highting practical ways we can make a difference - not simply as 'social action' or 'good works' but as an integrated part of our worship to God.  So we're recommending you check out their 'Carbon Fast' material - read through the info, and consider whether you, your small group or your church could attempt these simple, practical steps, which if everyone did them would make a huge difference to the environment.  Download the info from the box above, and visit their website for more stuff including a PowerPoint to present this to a small group or church.
 

Sam co-leads engageworship.org with his wife Sara. He completed the LST degree in Theology, Music and Worship, and co-leads RESOUNDworship.org. He also works part time as Worship Minister at St James, Hemingford Grey, and has led musical and creative worship at events like Spring Harvest, New Wine North and the Baptist Assembly alternative stream.

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