Reflections from Independent Presbyterian Church’s Earth Care Team
by Susan Haskell
Our Earth Care Team approaches the care of God’s earth from several different perspectives all of which lead to the same goal. One member who had always recycled the most common goods, learned when she opened an electronic recycling company about what more can be recycled and how to make a much greater impact on our environment and God’s creation.
Another member came to care for the earth through birding. She realized how all things are connected; how dependent one species can be on others. Watching birds led to fascination with turtles, which led to learning how wild animals are impacted negatively by human trash.
A third member is very basic in her motivation to care for the earth. She believes that stewardship is the right thing to do if we care about our children, grandchildren and all who come after us. A high school Environmental Sciences teacher as a young girl was influenced by her parents who presented the world and its intricate beauty as something to be explored and treasured. She connected her study of fossils in kindergarten to the heat in her house, gas in the car and pollution in the air. All of these members are using their own perspectives to raise challenges to our congregation to be better stewards of God’s creation given to humankind for our use and care.
Susan Haskell is an elder at Independent Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama. She has been active in the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley, having served as Moderator of the presbytery and Chair of the Commission in Preparation for Ministry, and in the PCUSA as a member of the Board of Trustees of Columbia Seminary and as part of the Heidelberg Catechism task force. Susan is also an active volunteer in the Birmingham community, involved with many organizations working to preserve and improve Alabama’s diverse land and water resources, and currently serving on IPC’s Earth Care Team.
No comments:
Post a Comment