Creation Time and Watershed Moments

1 Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod;

with its crystal tide for ever flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river;

gather with the saints at the river  that flows by the throne of God.

Voices United 710

We are on the cusp of September, the month when many United Church of  Canada congregations will return to gathering in a physical space for worship after nearly six months of coronavirus hiatus. 

 September 1st also marks the beginning of Creation Time, the "season within a season"  which celebrates God the Creator, within the context of our biblical and Trinitarian faith. Augsburg Fortress press offer an explanation of what Creation Time or the Season of Creation is, and here is an excerpt: 

 ...the Season of Creation recognizes that our relationship with the rest of nature is a religious and spiritual matter that views life as “creation.” The Season of Creation challenges us to reorient our relationship with creation, with the Creator, with Christ, and with the Holy Spirit. While this challenge may have been provoked, in part, by the current ecological crisis and a growing awareness of our place in the web of life, the origins of our reorientation lie deep in our Christian tradition, both in our biblical roots and in our theological heritage. 

During these nearly six months of radically reordering our lives many of us have become more aware of the natural world as a source of solace, even those who would not describe themselves as religious. Unfortunately many governments have taken this opportunity to weaken and dismantle environmental protections, with the United States being a notable example. Here in Canada it's rumoured that the departure of Finance Minister from government was because of clashing views on economic recovery for the country, with Prime Minister Trudeau looking to a greener approach. whatever that means.

The pandemic has also meant that fossil fuel prices have collapsed, changing the economic prospects of nations and provinces such as Alberta. This may be a permanent shift as oil producing behemoths such as Exxon find themselves in dire straits. 

Later in September I will lead worship at Trenton United with the theme of the Watershed. We all live in watersheds which are a source of sustenance and pleasure. We also live in a watershed moment in human history.

This may be the best possible time to recognize Creation Time, even though we are anxious about what gathering again may mean, and we wonder about our survival as congregations. The Creator invites us to live with hope, to express our gratitude for Creation, and to be courageous rather than fearful as we enter into change.