For Reverend Charissa Suli, a proud Tongan woman, food is more than just sustenance.
It's about bringing people together, celebrating heritage and sharing stories over a meal.
But for 40 days, Rev Suli will go without lamb and beef - staples in a Tongan diet - to bring awareness to the ways individuals can cut their food emissions by half.
"I'm usually a big meat eater and I feel like as a Pacific Islander we do everything around food and meal times, so it's been quite challenging," she told AAP.
"I'm a mother of four and caring for my elderly mother who lives with us, and they're all still eating meat so I'm having to make my own separate meals."
The decision to go without meat is part of the 40 for the Future challenge, taking place during Lent and co-ordinated by UnitingWorld, a leading charity working with communities across the Pacific, Asia and Africa.
Funds raised by participants will go towards reforestation, disaster preparedness and sustainable farming initiatives.
Other challenges include giving up your car for 40 days, aiming to reduce energy use and repairing, reusing and recycling instead of buying new.
Rev Suli hopes participating in the challenge will raise awareness for the work Uniting Church has been doing to support vulnerable and less fortunate communities.
She also plans to engage with local politicians about climate policies.
"Climate change can be such an overwhelming topic but we can take small steps and it's about knowing how you can have an impact personally," said the second-generation migrant.
No stranger to challenges, Rev Suli, 41, has faced many since becoming the first person of colour and youngest-ever president of The Uniting Church in Australia seven months ago.
"People still gasp when they hear of a woman president - I'm not the normal face to be the head of a church because it's always been an older white male," she said.
"I hope through my leadership to inspire other women and girls especially from culturally diverse backgrounds to take on leadership positions.
"I look forward to the day where people stop gasping."
