Save the Whales & the Fishers Too

So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, 
of every kind, with which the waters swarm,
and every winged bird of every kind.
And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:21

Early this past week the first sightings of North Atlantic Right whales were made in Canadian waters and immediately certain fishing areas were closed to protect the whales from entrapping gear. In some respects this is a positive move on the part of the feds. I also had mixed feelings. Right whales are endangered and not a single newborn calf was seen this year. Whale experts figure this species has twenty years at most if the deaths aren't curtailed and we have to act immediately to avert this disaster.

At the same time the men and women who make a living from fishing are struggling. The lobster fishers point out that despite the dozen or more deaths from gear entanglement last year none were from their lines.



I heard a researcher, Michael Moore. on CBC Day Six yesterday who suggested that there may be different ways to fish areas that don't endanger whales. There are devices that scientists use which are triggered to either float their equipment to the surface or release lines on floats by someone in a boat above. They are already being employed by the fishing industry in Australia, but not here. Of course, this would be expensive for fisherman who are already on the razor's edge of profitability.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/how-ropeless-fishing-traps-could-protect-north-atlantic-right-whales-and-the-fishing-industry-1.4676352

I have a goofy notion. Take some of the hundreds of millions in governmental subsidies for the highly profitable fossil fuel industry and give the money in grants to those who are fishing. Start with a pilot project for research into alternative gear and give grants to those who are willing to give it a try. I know, crazy.

I figure that as a Canadian who is a Christian I can care about the survival of the whales and the fisher-folk.

Any thoughts?

Cycling for Your Life

Present in a community of beautiful diversity
we ask your protection and blessing on all who ride;
commuters and athletes, students and children,
DUIers and those who can’t afford anything else,
along with all others who take to the roads and paths of Belleville.
Keep us safe as we travel.

God of life, Hear our prayer.

 We now observe a moment of silence for all who have died while riding.

God of life, Hear our prayer. AMEN

This poster showed up in the form of a recent tweet and its good to see that cycling will be celebrated in Toronto, a city not known for its friendliness to those on bicycles. It came the same day a sombre commemorative ride was being held for a slain cyclist. The Ghost Bike Ride, as it was called, brought together riders for an eight kilometre cycle, finishing at the crash site where Douglas Crosbie was killed on May 16. Crosbie, 54, was riding westbound along Dundas Street East when he was struck by a truck attempting to make a right-hand turn. He died in hospital later that day.



Ghost Ride for Douglas Crosbie

Another cyclist has been killed since then in Toronto, along with a number of serious collisions in which bike riders fare the worst.

I can't recall a fatal collision locally during the five years we've lived in Belleville, but it can be scary to ride in this city. I've had several close calls even though I'm a careful rider and when it's gloomy or dark I have lights a blazin'. It's a mindset of privilege for vehicle drivers and even though they often complain about cyclists or pedestrians, in a high percentage of collisions motorists are found at fault. It amazes me that so many motorists are frustrated with traffic congestion yet blame in on cycling lanes and cyclists. It's the vehicles, vehicles, vehicles!

When I was at Bridge St. we had a Blessing of the Bikes, followed by a ramble through town. A number of people came from the community and we wheeled the bicycles to the front for a prayer, a portion of which is above, and a blessing (below). God knows we need all the help we can get.

Blessing of the Bicycles and Cyclists

God, bless these our bicycles and all of us as cyclists.
Pour out your protection on our CSA approved helmets.

Guide our handlebars and steer us ever true.

Bless our wheels that move upon your good Creation.

Anoint our brakes that we may know our limits.

Give us an internal GPS so we might always return home safely.

Send down your Spirit with a blessing upon these bikes

May our wheels rise!  Amen.

Created and Creating

We are not alone,
    we live in God’s world.
 We believe in God:
    who has created and is creating,     who has come in Jesus,
       the Word made flesh,
       to reconcile and make new,
    who works in us and others
       by the Spirit.
We trust in God. 
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.

As we awaited our departure for Iceland three years ago we wondered if our plans would be changed because of circumstances beyond the control of the tourism industry in that marvelous country. A volcano with an unpronounceable name was stirring and the media quickly turned it into a big news story, even though seismic experts in Iceland were sure that there wasn't much chance of an eruption. They were correct and we enjoyed a wonderful vacation. We're planning another trip to volcanic islands in the Atlantic, the Azores, and we trust that they will remain dormant as well, at least until we have come and gone!



Azores Geopark

We've been watching during the past couple of weeks as the heaven-on-earth of a Hawaiian island has become hell-on-earth for those who live near the Kilauea volcano. Lava has erupted through fissures and flowing toward the sea, taking out everything in its path including homes. Others have been forced to leave without any idea of when or if they will be able to return. We have learned new words such as "laze" and "vog" used to describe the lava haze and volcanic fog created when the molten rock meets the sea and creates clouds of toxic gas which can actually rain down particles of glass.

It shouldn't surprise us that there is a traditional belief that this volcano is the home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess. Here is a description:

Pele is a goddess of fire, lightning, dance, volcanoes and violence, a daughter of Haumea and Kane Milohai. Early Hawaiians respected and honored Pele, and made offerings to please her or calm her wrath. Every time an eruption occurs, the local people think that it is a way of Pele giving a gift. The lava that flows out of the eruption forms new land, so the people leave offerings such as fruit, flowers, and fish to thank her for her generosity.

In other words, Kilauea is recognized as a mixed blessing. As a Christian I don't have much more than curiosity about a fire goddess, but I am fascinated by the reality of the ongoing work of creation, which never ceases. Tectonic plates shift, eruptions occur, new land is created. When another volcano, Krakatau, erupted in the 1880's all life was wiped out on the relatively remote Pacific island, yet within a few years plants and creatures began to recolonize it.



Krakatoa painting 1883

Our New Creed of the United Church (above) speaks of a God who has "created and is creating" and we are both humbled and astonished as humans by the work of the Creator. We can pray for those who have been displace by Kilauea, and for their safety. We can also thank God for the dynamic planet of which we are a small part.

Thoughts?

Auraculous!

Paddling on the Salmon River

Word of the day:

"auraculous" - of or concerning the wonder occasioned by sound rather than by sight;
ear-marvellous. (Word coined by @casparhenderson in A New Map of Wonders).

Robert Macfarlane

I really like author Robert Macfarlane's Word of the Day on Twitter and often retweet it to those who follow me.

Yesterday we had an "auraculous" couple of hours on a stretch of the Salmon River, north of Napanee, Ontario. We launched our kayaks from the boat launch by the bridge in Roblin, with the sound of a loud and aurally intrusive generator nearby. I found myself getting quite tense listening to it in the few minutes it took to untie our boats and get on the water. Then we paddled northeast, away from the village and along the tree-lined stretch of river without any sign of other humans. The noise of the generator faded.

We saw a heron and kingfisher in flight. The turtles basked on logs and a water snake cruised between us. The emerging leaves were that colour of Spring which exudes hope.

The woods were filled with the sound of birds and it was the source of delight for us. It was what I described recently as God's choir, with voices we know well and others which weren't easily identified.

We weren't on the water all that long, yet both of us felt restored, more calm and alive by the time we returned to our vehicle. Auraculous!

For Now the Winter is Past

 

... for now the winter is past,
    the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
    the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
    is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
    and the vines are in blossom;
    they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
    and come away.

Song of Solomon 2:11-13

There was only one passage of scripture in today's royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Henry (Harry) in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. To my delight it was actually a mash-up of verses from the spicy Song of Songs, or Song of Solomon, in the Hebrew scriptures. The focus of the preacher was on the latter verses from chapter 8, with the emphasis on the fire of a self-giving, outward-looking love. But I was delighted by the words from chapter 2 which liken love to the end of winter and the fragrance of Springtime. The imagery is all life coming into being and seeing the world with fresh eyes as the seasons change.

As with so much biblical imagery, Creation, and our humans place within it, are celebrated in this passage, as though we can't really understand ourselves outside of nature. 

 Later in the morning I went outside to check our rain barrels to discover that the rainfall had released the fragrance of the lilacs which grow unfettered along a fence line. Is there anything more lovely? I snipped some blossoms to bring inside, but it was being caught off guard by the olfactory surprise which was the gift.

Hope in the Forest

Wouldn't it be great if a provincial and the federal government, an oil patch giant, a First Nation, and a conservancy organization played nice to create one of the largest protected areas in Canada, one roughly twice the size of Vancouver Island? That actually came to fruition earlier this week, although many Canadians may have missed the announcement.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) worked with the Tallcree First Nation, the Alberta government, the federal government and Syncrude Canada to create a new provincial park south of Wood Buffalo National Park and expand existing area parks. Already Canada’s largest national park, Wood Buffalo is now part of a network of connected conservation areas preserving a record 67,735 square kilometres of boreal wilderness. 

Spanning 3,300 square kilometres, the newly created Birch River Wildland Park is home to 68 species of conservation concern, including wood bison, peregrine falcon, and boreal woodland caribou. Other newly added or expanded areas in the network include Kazan Wildland Park, Richardson Wildland Park and Colin-Cornwall Lakes Wildland Park.

I have been critical of the oil companies in Alberta which seem to have the provincial and federal governments in their thrall. What has happened in the tar sands region is a crime against the environment and a shame for all Canadians. Still, this likely wouldn't have happened without Syncrude, so full credit for their participation.

Protected areas tend to be islands rather than contiguous habitats which allow for the movement of species which don't get the concept of boundaries. This initiative is hugely important and should be applauded.

We are in the hope business as people of faith and as a Christian I want to be hopeful and celebrate hopeful acts. Thanks to all the participants who made this happen.

Thoughts?