World Religious Leaders Caring for the Garden

Pope Francis speaks at a conference at the Vatican, Monday, Oct. 4, 2021. Pope Francis and dozens of religious leaders are making a joint appeal to governments to commit to ambitious targets at the upcoming U.N. climate conference.Francis is hosting a daylong conference Monday at the Vatican that climaxed with the signing and handover of the joint appeal to the head of the COP26 conference. (Alessandro Di Meo, Pool via AP)

 On this Feast of St. Francis I went for a saunter (to muse, be in reverie or wonder) in honour of this Roman Catholic patron saint of animals and the environment. It is a gloomy morning but I stopped along the way to thank the Creator for the beauty of the woods and water and to ponder the words "reverence, attention,awe" which I've adopted as a sort of mantra. This is the time of the year for multitudinous mushrooms.

                                                         Mushrooms at the Frink Centre

Meanwhile, thousands of kilometres away, a multitude of dozens of leaders from different Christian denominations and other religions  sprouted up alongside the pope named Francis to sign a joint appeal to governments to commit to ambitious targets at the upcoming U.N. climate conference. At the same time they promised to do their own part to lead their faithful into more sustainable behaviour. According to a Washington Post article:

“We have inherited a garden; we must not leave a desert to our children,” said the appeal, which was signed at a formal ceremony in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican before being handed over to the head of the COP26 conference, Alok Sharma. For the religious leaders, care  for the environment is a moral imperative to preserve God’s creation for future generations and to support communities most vulnerable to climate change.It’s an argument Francis has made repeatedly and most comprehensively in a 2015 encyclical, “Praised Be” and was echoed Monday by imams, rabbis, patriarchs and reverends who shared how their faith traditions interpreted the call, many of them insisting that faith and science must listen to each other to save the planet.

As Groundlings, those who humbly respect that we as humans and all that lives have been created by God, we will sustain spiritual practices which open us to the wonder of Creation and also motivate us be people of action.

 I am heartened by this Godly collaboration by faith leaders. I hope political leaders will listen and respond. 

Jimmy Carter, Exemplary Groundling

 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; 

the world, and they that dwell therein. 

 For [God] hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

                                       Psalm 24:1-2 KJV

This is the final Sunday of Creation Time in the Christian liturgical year, a mini-season which begins on September 1st and concludes on October 4th (tomorrow this year) with the  Feast of St. Francis, the patron saint of critters and ecology. 

This got me thinking about the 97th  birthday this past Friday of former US president Jimmy Carter. Carter is a remarkable human being whose activism in peace-making,  human rights causes, and organizations such as Habitat for Humanity during retirement may arguably outweigh his accomplishments during a single term as POTUS. 

During his presidency Carter was ahead of his time when it came to environmental legislation to protect huge expanses of wildnerness  in attempting to reduce the use of fossil fuels for vehicles, and in promoting the development of energy alternatives. He had solar panels installed on a portion of White House roof more than 40 years ago. They were removed during the Reagan era, put into storage, and never reinstalled. 

As with virtually everything in his life and leadership Carter's decisions were informeed by his Christian faith. As a boy his mother, Lillian, taught him the importance of respecting Creation, as did Annie Mae Willis, the Black  nanny whose care for Jimmy included taking him fishing.

In his book entittled Faith Carter observes "I have met many famous people of deep religious faith, including Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, Arch- bishop Desmond Tutu, Anwar Sadat, Menachem Begin and Billy Graham, some of whom have had a direct and beneficial effect on my life." He goes on the speak of Annie Mae as one of the most influential people in his life of faith. 

I'm impressed that the moral and ethical compass of Jimmy Carter led him to be a committed Groundling, caring for Creation, aware that the "Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."  

Orange Shirts & Honouring Rivers

 

This past Sunday we joined with others in prayerfully acknowledging the upcoming Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We wore our orange tee-shirts and at least half the congregation came dressed in orange in some form. It was meaningful as Rev. Isaac led us through our prayerful, penitential, and respectful worship which acknowledged the terrible harm done to Inidigenous peoples in what we call Canada by Christian denominations which ran Residential Schools. 

It was also World Rivers Day on Sunday so before church we drove north of Belleville to paddle in our kayaks on the Moira River -- wearing those orange shirts, of course. We were mindful that in days past the Moira and nearby rivers including the Trent, the Salmon, and the Napanee were used as travel routes by First Nations peoples and served as a source for food. Over time these rivers were degraded by industrial and human waste and their biodiversity was undermined. No one expects to see salmon in the Salmon River now. 

In recent decades efforts have been made to clean up these waterways and its's working. This summer we've paddled in our canoe and kayaks on all these rivers and we've seen plenty of wildlife. On the stretch of the Moira we paddled on Sunday there have been otters, mink, beavers, as well as bald eagles, ospreys, and blue herons in abundance throughout the seasons. We see fish jumping and schools of gar. There are wildflowers in abundance along the shore. We regularly give thanks to the Creator for all we see and hear and smell. 

There was a sense of the holy as we paddled on Sunday and again on Tuesday. Because of recent heavy rains we were able to make our way through a maple swamp which was like a cathedral. 

We are realizing that the spirituality of Indigenous peoples here and around the world has been Earth-honouring. Our Judeo/Christian tradition encourages Creation care as well, but somehow we drifted away from that essential aspect of our faith. Perhaps we will develop the humility to listen and learn as we seek to "live with respect in Creation." 

The Return of Fridays for Future

 It's difficult not to be aware of Greta Thunberg, the dimunutive Swedish teen who rather quixotically began a personal protest to address the climate emergency. three years ago. Somehow her efforts drew first domestic and then international attention and her Friday protests became events drawing tens of thousands of people in citiies around the world. The march in Montreal in September of 2019 drew an estimated half million people, probably the largest crowd ever for a Friday's for Future event.

I mused about Thunberg as a prophetic figure, even though she isn't a religious person. In the tradition of many of the biblical prophets she is an unlikely candidate for the role and has been reviled by some in power, yet she has persistently spoken truth to power and has inspired untold numbers of her peers. 

Then came the pandemic, and while the movement didn't go away the opportunities for public demonstrations disappeared. There is a global call to action today and there will be a Fridays for Future Quinte event in downtown Belleville (Market Square 1:30). I hope that today will mark a revival of the public face of the movement and that it will be a wake-up call after the enforced slumber brought about by the pandemic.

 God be with all those who are providing leadership in these events, the participants, and those in governments and industry can make a difference. 

                                                                         WHAT WE DO:

 #FridaysForFuture is a youth-led and -organised movement that began in August 2018, after 15-year-old Greta Thunberg and other young activists sat in front of the Swedish parliament every schoolday for three weeks, to protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis. She posted what she was doing on Instagram and Twitter and it soon went viral. 

             7,500 Cities             +14,000,000 People                       ALL Continents

Forest Week and Faith

 

                                                                     Tree -- Isabel McLaughlin 

When I wrote yeserday about the ancient sequoia and redwood trees threatened by wildfires in California I hadn't realized that it was National Tree Day and that this is National Forest Week in Canada. /https://treecanada.ca/tag/national-forest-week/

Here in Belleville the event was celebrated with a reminder that the city has been working with the Rotary Club (an organization which does so much good in so many areas) and Quinte Conservatoin to plant 50,000 trees.Last weekend we picked up some tree seedlings of different species at a give-away put on by Quinte Conservation and Rotary (regular reader Judy was part of the team.) 

 I was interested to see that the newspaper article featured a photo of the avenue of trees at Belleville Cemetery, a place where there are many mature trees of varying species. While I applaud this initiative I am frustrated that the city allows the razing of wooded areas in preparation for development which often takes several years, removing both the trees and habitat for various creatures. 

The other day we visited the McMichael gallery for a wonderful new exhibit called Uninvited: Canadian Women Artists in the Modern Moment. It features the work of 33 artists who were usually not invited to show their work with male counterparts and did not receive the recognition they deserved. There are also pieces created by Indigenous women artisans whose work will never be attributed, sad to say. 

                                                                     Belleville Cemetery

One of the paintings is by the late Isabel McLaughlin of the wealthy Oshawa family which was instrumental in  the inception of General Motors. When "Tree' was exhibted at the AGO in 1936 it was described by one critic as "seething with verve." 

Somehow we must return to an appreciation of trees and forests for what they bring to our landscapes and our souls. Once again I'll note that there are scores of references to trees in scripture from Genesis to Revelation and that Jesus' last night was spent in the olive grove which is the Garden of Gethsemane. 

In the McMichael exhibit there are also several tree paintings by Emily Carr including a couple which show the aftermath of clearcutting. It is essential that we "live with respect in Creation" which includes our relationship with trees. Trees matter to our spiritual health and we are invited to walk amidst them with reverence. 

                                                                                    Emily Carr

Protecting the Cathedrals of Trees

 

                                                                Fire in Sequoia National Forest 

Many years ago Ruth accompanied me when I travelled to Victoria BC for a national church meeting -- imagine, those gatherings with representatives from across the country actually occurred! When the meeting over several days concluded we drove to Pacific Rim National Park and walked a couple of forest trails. As we made our way through towering red cedars and massive hemlocks we were in awe, and realized that at times we were speaking in hushed tones, as though we were in a cathedral. We had actually stopped on our way across the island at Cathedral Grove, a stand of giant Douglas firs. 

For centuries humans of European background have destroyed forests of these giant trees in Canada and the United States and all that remains are the remnants, often in national parks.The age of some of these trees is mind-boggling. Some are older than our Christian religion and others may predate the birth of Judaism.

 Recently, urgent efforts have been made to protect sequoias from wildfires in California. Firefighters have wrapped the bases in protective aluminum blankets and it seems to have been successful -- this time. The combination of often indiscriminate cutting and the ravages of climate change accelerated fires is a serious threat.

We've just been informed that Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris has been stabilized as the first step toward restoration after a devastating fire two years ago. For all we revere this historic building many of the endangered trees are older than the cathedral and their crowns compare in height to that of the nave. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the same commitment was made to preserving forests, and not just of the superstar variety?

 Notre Dame means Our Lady and there is a monastery in California called Our Lady of the Redwoods, home to a small community of Cisterian nuns whose buildings are situated in the trees. God bless and preserve the trees of forests around the world as our necessary companions and teachers. We can certainly prayer for forest protectors around the world, including those currently protesting at Fairy Creek on Vancouver Island 

Cathedral Grove Painting -- Diane Rae 2005

A Climate Vote Today for a Better Tomorrow

I published the content below as a Lion Lamb blog this morning but it certainly applies as a Groundling blog entry, and perhaps more so. Please take a look. 

Last weekend 5,8 million Canadians voted in advanced polls for the federal election, and we were among them. We've since learned that another million of us have requested mail-in ballots, an unprecedented number. This is encouraging, although we both struggled with how to vote in an election which shouldn't have been called in the first place. 

As Christians there are a number of issues which matter to us, some of which have received little attention. They include affordable housing for the most vulnerable and childcare, and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. We certainly care about Canada's abysmal record during the pandemic regarding protection for seniors, and general care for our elders. 

Our primary concern is how the federal government will address the climate emergency. This may turn out to be the hottest summer on record and we are witnessing more catastrophic weather events around the planet. This is an existential threat to Creation which requires a clear, practical, costed strategy. Some have termed this the Climate Election, although I'm not convinced that this is how Canadians view it. This is urgent for all God's creatures, but we have a special bias toward our four grandchildren and the world they will inhabit. 

In 2019, economist Andrew Leach and climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe ranked the climate platforms of the political parties for Chatelaine magazine and they have updated it for this election. I have written about Hayhoe who is a Canadian and a Christian teaching in Texas. It is a state where many evangelicals are climate change deniers and where the government is central to the problem rather than part of the solution. I've appreciated her commitment to science and her persistent call to action without being adversarial. She is fond of saying that she doesn't "believe" in climate change because it's a matter of scientific fact rather than faith. 

Leach and Hayhoe aren't exactly thrilled with any of the parties but here is the link to the Chatelaine article, and their report card for 2021: 

The Grades

Conservatives: B for ambition, B- for feasibility
Greens: A+ for ambition, C- for feasibility
Liberals: A- for ambition, A- for feasibility
NDP: A for ambition, C- for feasibility
BQ: N/A for ambition, B+ for feasibility

https://www.chatelaine.com/news/canada-election-2021-climate-plans-graded/

The Sheltering Tree of 911

Trinity Root --  COLLECTION 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM. 

GIFT OF STEVE TOBIN, AMERICAN ARTIST. PHOTO BY STEVE TOBIN.

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,

    and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
    the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the spirit of counsel and might,

On Saturday, tjhe 20th anniversary of 911, I wrote in my Lion Lamb blog about visiting New York City and what is known as Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Towers which were obliterated by terrorists. Many innocent people died that day and while we also wanted to visit the memorial and museum which now  exists there we were a few months early for the opening. 

 We did enter St. Paul's Chapel, a historic church which is adjacent to Ground Zero yet somehow escaped damage, some say miraculously. It became a staging place for responders and a refuge for the weary and heartbrokem. The fence around the church became an impromptu place for memorial banners which were eventually moved inside. There are other exhbits inside, including one in the entrance called "Healing Hearts and Minds." 

I learned just recently that In the weeks after September 11, sculptor Steve Tobin pondered  commemorating an American sycamore tree at the edge of Ground Zero, toppled by the force of the collapsing towers. One description offers that "theresulting artwork is striking not only for its ambitious scale and engineering virtuosity but also because of the tree’s presentation as something other than terrestrial branches, foliage, and woody surfaces."

Trees aren't heroic the way humans are, or at least we assume they aren't. Just the same, our lives are intertwined with trees in many ways. I've mentioned before that trees are mentioned more often than just about anything else in scripture other than God and people. It's important that the sycamore tree is recognized for the shelter and protection it provided, as well as the symbolism it offers. 

Larry and the Fear of God

 

The warnings have been issued for southeast and east central Newfoundland as Hurricane Larry is about to make landfall. As the weather map indicates, winds could top out at 130 kilometres per hour with accompanying heavy rain. I began ministry in outport Newfoundland 40 years ago and we experienced some intense weather, including the winter storm which sank the Ocean Ranger oil rig. Older Newfoundlandes concede that weather has become more unpredictable and storms from the south which would once have cycled more or less harmlessly out to sea are now more likely to hit Atlantic Canada and create havoc.

Two years ago at this time we were on Change Islands, adjacent to Fogo Island and fortunately beyond the path of Larry. Actually, on this precise date the remnants of Hurricane Dorian swept across the province and it ended up being a wild night. We were in an old saltbox house which shook and moaned beneath winds of 100 kph. While the storm put the "fear of God" in us it was also exhilarating -- we still wonder how we fell asleep that night!

I was reading a book called Wisdom's Wonder by one of my favourite theologians William Brown. In it, and elswhere, Brown explores the chapters in Job in which God challenges the poor schmo whose desire is to faithful despite losing everything that matters to him. Yahweh speaks to Job out of the storm and doesn't exactly offer comfort. 

There is a virtual scientific consensus that it is humans who are intensifying weather events by altering climate patterns. It ain't God who is doing this, and, yes, life as we know it may be on the verge of drastic and even irreversable change. There is still a glimmer of hope that we'll wake up in time, but we are a stiff-necked species and not inclined to pay attention to the signs of the times.We would do better to fear our own hubris than the Creator. 

Meanwhile, we can say a prayer for the folk on the Avalon Peninsula as Larry comes close to home. And could we add a prayer for humility and wisdom while we're at it? 

Spring Time in Creation

                                                       Creation Time Hike in South Africa 

The Season of Creation or Creation Time unfolds in what is Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, including Canada. For many Christians observing Creation Time from September 1st to October 4th this is Spring, with all its promise. I saw a tweet from Green Anglicans about a recent hike:

 SEASON OF CREATION HIKE – HELLO SPRING

September is the start of  spring, and also  in the Anglican calendar (ACSA) it is youth month and also globally and ecumenically it is Season of Creation; a time where christians celebrate and honor God through taking care of the environment and all that lives in it.Young people of parishes in the Pondoland parts of the Diocese of Mzimvubu took to Magwa Falls and Mbotyi beach in Lusikisk i eMampondweni in the Wildcoast.

#AYSApondoland grabbed the opportunity to learn while exploring nature by hiking and later swimming. One thing about nature is that; it is consistent if undisturbed. From the beautiful sounds of the water from the 142km high waterfall, to the chirping birds and the crunching sound of the wind against the leaves of the trees (mostly dry as it is season change). If you have any adrenaline rush bone in you we most definitely recommend Magwa for you 😉 if not well you can still enjoy the beautiful scenery from a distance

We are grateful to Revd. Mandla Rangana who hosted us as a Green Anglicans chaplain and further allowed us to celebrate provincial youth Sunday the next day at St Stephen’s(Qebedu). Further more we are forever indebted to the Green Anglicans office in Cape town for the love and support- To be young and serve the Lord!

Nature-based Rosh Hashana

 

Today marks the conclusion of Rosh Hashana, one of the most important of the Jewish High Days and the equivalent of the New Year. I was intrigued to read a Washington Post piece about Jewish women who are now meeting, essentially virtually from what I can gather, for  

a small, monthly women’s group centered on the moon, the Jewish calendar and ancient Jewish beliefs about natural cycles and patterns. The Hebrew Bible establishes the Jewish calendar as based on the moon and calls for Jews to celebrate the new moon each month. The practice is called Rosh Chodesh (or “new month,” or “head of the month”).

The At The Well group began small but interest has grown for this exploration of environmental-based spiritual practices. It's certainly fitting that women whose for whom monthly cycles are integral to life would explore how the moon shapes their religious tradition. There are at least 230 “Well Circles” across the globe, she said, with the pandemic significantly expanding participants from mostly millennials to many women over 45.https://www.atthewellproject.com/

People of different rellgions, including Christianity, have grown more aware of the importance of natural cycles and rhythms in light of the environmental and climate crises we are experiencing on Planet Earth. There is a commonality as Groundlings who seek hope and meaning in the midst of so much gloomy news. As Christians we can humbly read the Jewish scriptures which also make up a large portion of our bible and awaken to the meaning and direction of these texts. 

                                                                          Moon Colours

Teaching Outdoors

Mr. Brown's class studies in the woods at Toronto's High Park in 1917. The High Park Forest School, founded four years earlier, was run jointly by the Department of Public Health and the Board of Education at a time when outdoor education was catching on around the world.

JOHN BOYD SR./CITY OF TORONTO ARCHIVES

When Jesus[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...

Matthew 5: 1-3

Schoolboards across the province of Ontario are trying to figure out how to keep students, teachers, and support staff safe as life in the classroom resumes this Fall. We're grateful that our nearby grandkids, 8 and 6, are attending a French school which did an excellent job of establishing protocols last year resulting in no incidents or scares regarding COVID-19.

This year one of the changes is allowing more latitude in the schoolyard during recess. Children will not be required to wear masks while playing outside. No doubt this decision is based on the high vaccination rate in our region, low case numbers, and what we now know about transmission.

Children need the opportunity to be outdoors and active and research shows that we are all healthier in body, mind, and spirit when we have time outside each day. The brightest indoor lighting doesn't hold a candle to what we receive on even a gloomy day outdoors. 

I'm surprised that there hasn't been more of a push to hold classes outside during the pandemic, although we can hardly describe the Ontario goverment as progressive in any aspect of education. Obviously the logistics of holding all classes outdoors would be considerable, but why not some, especially with schools which have plenty of green space. There is actually a global Outdoor Classroom movement and an Outdoor Classrom Day in November -- not exactly our finest month in these parts!

While this may seem radical or innnovative, depending on your perspective, during the so-called Spanish Flu pandemic a hundred years ago some classes moved outdoors, even in colder climes such as ours. In order to minimize the risk of tuberculosis (for which students are now vaccinated) the Toronto School Board established the High Park Forest School, which held its very first class in 1914. The subsequent building from the 1930's is still in use for other nature exploration purposes. 

During the past couple of months Trenton United Church has been alternating indoor and outdoors services. Although we're in the parking area the backdrop is a wooded lot. The children have gathered under the canopy of trees for their concurrent sesson and I'll admit to being a bit jealous of their setting even though it was only a few metres away from ours.

I do feel that our souls benefit from taking our soles and the rest of our bodies beyond the confines of church walls, however familiar or beautiful our sanctuaries may be. This is of benefit for children, but it really doesn't matter what age we are. And as always we need the reminder that Jesus did most of his best teaching and preaching outdoors. 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-a-classroom-in-the-forest-historic-outdoor-schools-offer-inspiration/

                                                The Sermon on the Mount -- Karoly Ferenczy

Labour Day & Sustaining Creation

 

I've written abou the protests at a site called Fairy Creek on Vancouver Island, an area which contains some of the last old-growth forest in British Columbia. Indigenous and environmental protesters have been blockading logging roads since last year in an attempt to save these trees, many of which are massive. There have been roughly 800 arrests a number now comparable to the civil disobedience "war in the woods" at Clayoquot Sound nearly 30 years ago, also on Vancouver Island. 

As always there are arguments that the tree-huggers are naively impeding the livlihoods of workers who are employed in the forestry industry. So, just who's side are we on on Labour Day?

 We should be cautious about villainizing people who are earning a living in resource extraction industries, including foresty and fossil fuels. Ultimately they are not the ones who become wealthy as a result of short-sighted and destructive practices for harvesting and extraction.. At the same time, when these trees are gone, they are gone. Suzanne Simard grew up in a logging family and worked in the industry until she concluded from her groundbreaking scientifc research that forestry as it's practiced on the West Coast is unsustainable. People deserve to have worthwhile employment, but what happens when the resources have been depleted and disappear? I highly recommend Simard's book, Finding the Mother Tree. 

                                                                            Fairy Creek 

I do feel that we must develop a more expansive understanding of sutainable work alongside ecological sustainability. As I've noted before, the words economy and ecology have the same root in the Greek word oikos, which means household. "Super Natural" British Columbia is now dealing with summer after summer of wildfires which blanket the province in smoke and threaten communities. These fires are exacerbated by climate change which threatens the wellbeing of thousands. 

God never gave humans license to plunder, nor to destroy the "meaningful work" of the ecosystems which sustain us and all life. When will we wake up, I ask once again. 

. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fairy-creek-blockade-election-1.6161196

Creation Time and Contemplation

 

                                     Illustration by James Lee Chiahan

This is the first Sunday of Creation Time for 2021, the period between September 1st and October 4th (the Feast of St. Francis) in the liturgical year. This is a relatively recent development in churches which observe the Christian year and for the final decade or more of my ministry (I retired in 2017) I was intentional about including themes which celebrated God's gift of Creation, along with inviting those in my congregations to "live with respect in Creation." 

I have appreciated the efforts of the United Church to raise up the Creation Time focus. At the same time I have been concerned that we take an activist approach without enough emphasis on contemplation. At time I wish we would reverse the earnest maxim "don't just sit there, do something" so that we hear "don't just do something, sit there." Actually, we need to walk there, paddle there, pray there, so that we fall in love with the world that God loves enough to send his Beloved, Jesus, to be among us. 

One of the Christian authors and thinkers I admire in this regard is Fred Bahnson, who continues to challenge me in my earthy, Groundling faith. In a Spirituality & Health interview he reflects: 

Among certain progressive Christian circles in the U.S., I think we have leapt too quickly into a kind of shrill activism that’s devoid of self-reflection. We need political action. We need fossil fuel divestment. Clearly, we have to keep the remaining carbon in the ground, and divestment is a powerful strategy that forces fossil fuel companies to stand down. But such activist work can too easily replace the need to deal with ourselves, to confront that line between good and evil that, as the Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said, runs down the center of every human heart. That’s why we need contemplative practice. 

Here are some links to Fred Bahnson pieces which have certainly spoken to me .

https://emergencemagazine.org/film/on-the-road-with-thomas-merton/

https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/keeping-the-world-in-being/

/https://orionmagazine.org/article/the-ecology-of-prayer/

Your Arms With Christ Beneath These Rooted Trees

Malcolm Guite walking his dog near his home in Cambridge, England. He's the former chaplain at Girton College, part of the University of Cambridge. (Submitted by Malcolm Guite)

Malcolm Guite is a British Anglican priest, poet, and musician who looks as though he may be related to Hagrid from the Harry Potter films. Last year he wrote about the liberating pleasure of exercise during the pandemic by way of riverside and woods walks. He also reflected on another exercise, the recitation of psalms as he rambled. Here is his interpretation of Psalm 1, the beginning of the Psalter. It seems fitting for the beginning of Creation Time or the Season of Creation. Surely these could be lyrics for a hymn? 

Beatus vir

Come to the place, where every breath is praise,
And God is breathing through each passing breeze.
Be planted by the waterside and raise

Your arms with Christ beneath these rooted trees,
Who lift their breathing leaves up to the skies.
Be rooted too, as still and strong as these,

Open alike to sun and rain. Arise
From meditation by these waters. Bear
The fruits of that deep rootedness. Be wise

In the trees’ long wisdom. Learn to share
The secret of their patience. Pass the day
In their green fastness and their quiet air.

Slowly discern a life, a truth, a way,
Where simple being flowers in delight.
Then let the chaff of life just blow away.

Creation Time 2021

We are called to be the Church:
    to celebrate God’s presence,
    to live with respect in Creation,
    to love and serve others,
    to seek justice and resist evil,
    to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
       our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
    God is with us.
We are not alone.

    Thanks be to God.

from the United Church New Creed 1968

amended in 1994 to add the words "to live with respect in Creation."

It has been months since I posted a Groundling blog entry and I know why. While I tried to keep up with two blogs (Lion Lamb is the other) I found that while I usually had the time for both I didn't have the mental energy. It's meant that I've reflected on eco-faith issues as well as celebrated both Creation and Creator in Lion Lamb.

Today, though, is the beginning of Creation Time or the Season of Creation in the Christian liturgical year and I'm compelled to acknowledge this as a Groundling. Creation Time is roughly five weeks from the first of September to October 4th, which is the Feast of St. Francis, the patron saint of the environment. In Canada we often stretch the season to our Thanksgiving which is the second weekend of October. 

This year the theme of Creation Time/Season of Creation is A Home for All? Renewing the Oikos of God. The question mark intrigues me because it suggests that humans have botched an expansive, inclusive perspective on what it means for the Earth or Turtle Island to be home. If we are wise and faithful Christians we will rediscover and renew our commitment to our planet being home for all creatures, great and small. 

That odd word oikos is actually Greek for household, home, or family. The English words ecology and economy both come from oikos which serves as a reminder that the two concepts are intertwined. We are all involved in "home economics." a school term from the past for some of us, the class where the practicalities of caring for a household were taught. 

It happens that during this Creation Time are in the throes of an election here in Canada and some are claiming this is the Climate Change election because of the sense of urgency in addressing the issue. I'm not so sure that Canadians are concerned enough to make the Climate Emergency a high profile issue but I think we should. As Christians we can choose to vote according to which party demonstrates "home economics" seriously and with a credible action plan. 

We can also focus during these weeks on the gift of Creation as our home and ask what we will do to humbly respect our place in the world which our earthy God has brought into being. 

The Creator's Ice Cubes

 

                                                            Ruth on Change Islands July 2017

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind...

...Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
    or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
    for the day of battle and war?
24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,
    or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

from Job 38

 Four years ago, right now, Ruth and I were on Change Islands, adjacent to the better known Fogo Island off the northeast coast of Newfoundland. I retired in June of 2017 so we headed back to the area where I began my ministry, what would be a five week absence from home. We drove there with our kayaks and had the remarkable opportunity to paddle at a cautious distance from actual icebergs but often alongside the smaller chunks of ice or "bergy bits." It was the summer of the iceberg with people in their eighties unable to recall any summer with more. We were awakened in the night as bergs calved or rolled over just offshore from the house we were renting. It's impossible to describe what this experience was like for us but it was magical.

This year is quite the opposite when it comes to icebergs in Newfoundland with yesterday's bulletin showing no icebergs along what is often advertised as Iceberg Alley, Yet the cause  for both these anomalous seasons may be the same. In 2017 scientists were suggesting that the thousands of icebergs was a result of climate change affected warmer waters surrounding Greenland's glaciers. This year the traditional pattern of calving bergs has altered and the southerly flow through Iceberg Alley isn't taking place.

I've mentioned in this blog that while we've vacationed on Change Islands I would regularly enter the historic Anglican church and open the 150 year old bible to passages of scripture about Creation, including the magnificent chapters from the book of Job. Each time I returned the bible had been dutifully closed, but I kept up my mildly seditious behaviour as a statement abut the rugged natural beauty of these islands. The bible says nothing about icebergs -- surprise, surprise -- but there are passages about the wonder of ice and snow. I also searched out the Prayer of Azariah, an apocryphal reading inserted in the book of Daniel which is found in the venerable Book of Common Prayer.

It may seem that having reverence for ice and snow is, well, cold, yet our  planet depends on our frozen poles, along with frigid seasons in certain climes. You might not be inclined to celebrate Winter on a frosty February day but if scripture does as a gift from the Creator why can't we?

 Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.

Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

from the Prayer of Azariah

                                               Moi in the waters around Change Islands July 2017

Blessing the Oceans on June 8th

 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths:

 their soul is melted because of trouble.

 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.

 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Psalm 107:23-30

Last year we had three trips to the ocean cancelled because of the pandemic. First on the schedule was the summer home of cousins whose place is on Chesapeake Bay. Second was Haida Gwaii, the island archipelago off the coast of British Columbia, In the Fall we were going to stay at the summer place of another generous person, an old house on Change Islands, Newfoundland, adjacent to better-known Fogo Island. These islands are near the five-point pastoral charge I served following ordination in 1980, congregations with a number of fishers. 

Each experience would have been very different, yet each would have involved the tides, the inhaling and exhaling of the great waters of the planet under the influence of the moon. Many of the most deeply spiritual experiences of our lives have been adjacent to or on the surface of oceans and seas. 

We felt a profound loss in not being able to make these trips and, hey, we're not getting any younger. Still, we had hope for this year. Well, we may be shut out for 2021 as well, with the rescheduled trip to Haida Gwaii cancelled months ago. And for those who say miracles don't happen, we got our flight money back from Air Canada!

This is World Oceans Day for 2021, so I just had to note this United Nations day which was first proposed by Canada, a country with plenty of coastline and coastal waters:

 Canada's mainland coast, including the islands of Newfoundland, Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island, is 71,261 km long and fronts on the North Pacific, Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. If all measurable islands are included, the saltwater coastline has been measured at 243 797 km long.

We humans have made a mess of caring for our oceans, sad to say, and we could despair as a result. I would prefer to celebrate God's wonders in the deep and to be motivated by this reverence and awe to be stewards of the abundance of the seas before its too late. There are still Blessing of the Fleet ceremonies in various Canadian ports, Along with the safety of the mariners we can pray that the fish and birds and mammals of the waters these ships ply will flourish. 

Prayer from the Blessing of the Fisheries 

Celebrate God's Presence UCC

 Blessed are you, O God,

for your Spirit hovered over the primordial deep

and caused oceans, seas, and rivers to be formed.

Blessed are you, O God,          

for you filled the waters with all manner of living things.

Bless our boats, fleet, and vessels this season.

Bless the sea that it might teem with abundant life this year.

Bless all who move upon the face of the waters

and dive into its depths.

May we rejoice in the waters' beauty and power;

may all who go down to the sea in ships

find safety from its perils.

Bless all who wait on shore

and at home until loved ones return.

May Christ who calmed the storm,

and filled the nets of his disciples,

be with us all.  Amen.

                                                                 Ruth on Change Islands