Joy to & for the World at COP15

 

Joy to the world! the Lord is come: let earth receive her King!

Let every heart prepare him room, 

and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,

and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns: let all their songs employ,

while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,

repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody.
 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

 Let the sea roar and all that fills it,
    the world and those who live in it.

Let the floods clap their hands;
    let the hills sing together for joy
 at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
    to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
    and the peoples with equity.

Psalm 98: 4-9

Should we all be singing the great hymn Joy to the World this morning?  We awakened to news that an agreement was forged at the eleventh hour -- and beyond -- at the COP15 conference on biodiversity. A number of environmental leaders and climate change scientists, including Dr. Katherine Hayhoe who is also a Christian have sounded a celebratory note after reviewing the content of the agreement. It addresses several key areas, including the 30 by 30 goal for protection, funding for developing nations, and Indigeous guardianship. 

Joy to the World, is in the Christmas section of the United Church worship resource, Voices United, but some argue that it was written for this season of Advent. It's also suggested that writer Isaac Watts wasn't targetting a liturgical season at all when he wrote it in 1719 -- more than 300 years ago. Watts interpreted the psalms in many of his hymns and this is Psalm 98. I think it captures the imagery of all Creation exuberantly, joyfully celebrating the Creator. I've used this hymn/carol on Earth Sunday and during Creation Time with some 'splainin' so folk don't think I'm crazier than usual. 

Prof. Katharine Hayhoe

@KHayhoe

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50m

In this season of giving, every one of us has just received the best possible gift for any living thing who depends on this planet for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the resources we need: A Global Biodiversity Framework.

The two "outside in" art pieces from our home which I've included today are of places we've cherished through the years. One is a photograph from Killarney Park in Northern Ontario, with the sweep of islands in Georgian Bay. We visited the park regularly when I was in ministry in Sudbury, and paddled out into these waters. The other is a poster for an exhibition by the late Gerald Squires, a Newfoundland artist who grew up on Change Islands, off the Northeast coast of the province. I began ministry not far from these islands adjacent to Fogo and we return regularly, as we do to Killarney. In both locations we have experienced both the wonders of biodiversity and the degradation of the natural world. 

Delegates at COP15 literally applauded the agreement and the creatures of the Earth may eventually do as well, by flourishing. While this pact has been years in the making I'm grateful that it has been announced in Canada.  

Creator God, I pray that today's announcement will issue in action which will bring a joyful, healing renewal for our planet. 

Germany's Minister of the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection Steffi Lemke and Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault applaud after the COP15 plenary meeting adopts a global biodiversity framework in Montreal, December 19, 2022.

LARS HAGBERG/AFP/GETTY IMAGES