Earlier this year, our Diocese
sponsored a day long Mission conference centered around Stewardship. Julien
Goulet, one of our parishioners and spouse of our priest, presented an
educational and thought provoking segment on environmental stewardship. This
week’s stewardship message is just a small portion of the information he
presented.
God of unchangeable power, when you
fashioned the world, the morning stars sang together and the host of heaven
shouted for joy: Open our souls to the
wonders of creation and teach us to manage faithfully the riches of this good
earth, to the honor of your glorious name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
● Americans
buy an estimated 28 billion plastic water bottles every year. Nearly eight out of every 10 bottles will end
up in a landfill. (earth911.com)
● Americans
use approximately 14 billion disposable coffee cups per year. They are NOT
recyclable themselves due to plastic content used to protect the cup from
liquid leakage. It is estimated that
coffee waste accounts for 40% of all solid waste going into landfills.
(sustainablelafayette.org)
● In the
summer and Fall of 2011 the largest algae bloom in lake Erie history took up
nearly 1/5th of the lake’s surface. It sucked oxygen from the water, clogged
boat motors and washed ashore in rotting masses. Reports suggest it could happen again due to
the warming climate and modern farming practices where phosphorus-laden
fertilizers are swept from corn and soybean fields during heavy rainstorms.
● 350.org a group raising awareness about global
warming reports that: 350
parts per million is what many scientists, climate experts, and progressive
national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2
in our atmosphere. We are currently at
400 ppm.
The Holman Bible Dictionary states that
environmental stewardship is “utilizing and managing all resources God provides
for the glory of God and the betterment of God’s creation.” We are called to be collaborators in the work
of creation and to use God’s gifts wisely.
The Rev.
Sally G. Bingham formerly from Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and the founder
and President of Interfaith Power and Light
says it best:
“If you are a Christian, you are
an environmentalist. As a Christian, you
and I are called to be caretakers of God’s Creation. Care for Creation is
central to Christology. If people of
faith don’t take on this role, how can we expect others to? It is our
responsibility. Furthermore, I must remind us that our baptismal vows denounce
forces of evil that destroy Creation. Every one of us and every one of our
behaviors matter. Our choices matter. The clothes we wear, the food we eat, the
coffee we drink the electricity we use and the cars we drive. These behaviors
all affect someone else and in many cases, these behaviors affect others
adversely... We are de-creating what God
has made. Overuse of resources,
pollution and destruction of natural areas continue to threaten life on the
planet. The environmental community is
not doing a very good job protecting Creation.
The human race has only one, or perhaps two generations to rescue
itself.”
It
is up to us (not our children, not future generations) to do something. So what can we do...
Along
with making personal changes (such as changing the light bulbs, driving less,
turning off our computers, eating locally...) Interfaith Power and Light (http://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org/) suggests
becoming a Cool Congregation (http://www.coolcongregations.org/)in order to
make changes as a community faith.
Gracious God, you have given us much this
day. Send us out now to care for this
fragile earth, our island home. Grant us
the wit and the will to transform the toxic, irreverent ways we live, and the
saving presence of your Son, Jesus Christ, who goes before us and calls us into
this world you love. To him, to you, and
to the Holy Spirit be honor and glory, now and forever, Amen.
دهن العود الرجالي
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