Empowering Hope in a Threatened World

 

by Nancy Corson Carter

 

Retired oceanographer Dr. C. Mark Eakin has spent over 30 years with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. His presentation, “Climate and Oceans,” reminded me of the powerful film he helped create as its Chief Science Advisor. The Sundance and Emmy award-winning 2017 movie Chasing Coral documents one of the first repeated coral bleachings that occurred between June 2014 to May 2017. During that time, nearly all world coral bleached, sometimes for two years running, as the Earth’s oceanic waters have continued to warm beyond safe levels for the coral. An area near Guam was hit excessively. Now, almost every year brings bleaching events.

 

When corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but they are under more stress and are subject to mortality.

 

Chasing Coral helped alert the world to what is only a 10-year-old field of study, one which is racing against time to rescue a beautiful and once abundant source of life. Nearly a billion people rely on coral reefs directly and indirectly. Thanks to its availability on Netflix and YouTube, Chasing Coral is available to more people and encourages action in caring for the oceans and advocating for their protection.

 

The corals depend upon a symbiotic relationship with algae, which exudes nutrients for the coral and protects them. Those who study the coral have been shocked to find that in places like the Great Barrier Reef and especially in the tropical waters around Florida, 60% of the coral are in jeopardy.

 

The situation has become critical and scientists are conducting research in coral nurseries to keep them alive and find strains that can survive warming water. One of the corals wiped out in the wild now only survives in a nursery. But we must do more to reduce CO2 now to save one of the ocean’s most valuable resources. 

 

There is some good news on the climate change front. France has officially pledged to shut down all coal-fired power plants in three years. California will put five million electric cars on the road by 2030. Individuals can help reduce dependency on fossil fuels by changing lifestyles, for example, by using mass transit and electric cars, and by supporting electric work vehicles like pickups, buses, and delivery trucks.

 

Reducing local stressors also helps. 50-85% of the coral loss in Kiribati in 2016 is now bouncing back; after a ban on most fishing. Shade helps and anything that cools the water—even ships spraying salt water up to make clouds.

 

Dr. Eakin’s report emphasized a great need to provide mental health support for scientist-researchers who must observe, year after year, the death of once healthy and utterly magical coral reef ecosystems.

In 1994, I went on an eco-tour of the Brazilian flooded forests of the Amazon, sponsored by the PC(USA) and led by Rev. Bill Somplatsky-Jarman. Our preparation packets included a stunning essay,“The Ecology of Grief,” by Phyllis Windle.

 

Windle explores, with a wonderful cast of scientists and especially ecologists, “the benefits of grieving well,” of avoiding the temptation to turn and walk away when what we love is threatened. In the final words of her essay, she writes, “We shall need passion, commitment, creativity, energy, and concentration. We shall have none of these if we fail to grieve (alone and with each other) for the magnificent trees, the lovely animals, and the beautiful places that we are losing.“

 

As Dr. Eakin and others like Dr. Faith Harris in our empowering 2023 Earth Care Conference remind us, “Our hope is to create community together wherever we are.”

 

Nancy Corson Carter, professor emerita of humanities at Eckerd College, has published two poetry books, Dragon Poems and The Sourdough Dream Kit, and three poetry chapbooks. Some of her poems, drawings, and photos appear in her nonfiction book, Martha, Mary, and Jesus: Weaving Action and Contemplation in Daily Life and in her memoir, The Never-Quite-Ending War: a WWII GI Daughter's Stories.

Eating for a Healthy Climate

 

by Eric Diekhans

 

It seems like everything about America is big, whether it’s our landscapes, our superhero movies, our McMansions, or our SUVs. But that abundance results in a disproportionate impact on global warming. Each year, Americans are responsible for 19 tons of CO2 emissions per capita, as compared to seven tons for Europe, two tons for South Asia, and one ton for Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Fifteen percent of those emissions comes from food and food waste. It’s not the largest source of our carbon footprint but it still has a substantial impact on climate change. Making different choices about food can make a real difference in avoiding the worst impacts of global warming.

 

As a member of Montclair Presbyterian Church (MPC) in Oakland, CA, Suzanne Jones helps lead the Earth Care Committee’s Climate and Food Team and recently co-authored MPC’s new cookbook, Climate Friendly Cooking—105 Recipes to Help Save the Planet. During her presentation at PEC’s conference, Suzanne admitted that changing our diets isn’t easy. Food has important connections to our emotions, our habits, and our identities. Think of Thai beef noodles, British steak and kidney pudding, or Cuban boliche.

 

“It can be difficult and even painful to change such deeply held practices,” said Suzanne, but we can harmonize our food-related needs with leaving behind a livable planet and still be healthy and well-fed.”

 

Suzanne said that “the dominant factor that determines our dietary greenhouse gas emissions is what we choose to eat for protein.”

Thirty-one percent of agricultural emissions comes from livestock and fisheries. Most adults need 50-175 grams of protein per day. Eating 100 grams of beef protein emits 49.89 kg of carbon. Getting the same amount from nuts emits about half that amount.

 

But you don’t have to completely give up meat to make a positive environmental impact. Ruminants do the most damage to our environment. These are animals like cattle, bison, and sheep that chew the cud regurgitated from their second stomach, or rumen. This causes them to exhale methane, which is 80 times stronger than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. Ruminant waste also emits CH4 and nitrous oxide n20, which are 300 times more potent as greenhouse gases than CO2.

 

“Cutting out just red meat and dairy products results in emissions comparable to pescatarians (who eat fish but not meat) and lacto-ovo-vegetarians (who eat plants, eggs, and dairy products),” says Suzanne.

 

If you don’t want to become a full-time vegetarian or pescatarian, Suzanne suggests saving beef for special occasions like Christmas dinner, and getting most of your protein from pork, chicken, and plants.

 

Fish is also another good source of protein, but choosing the right seafood is complicated. Wild-caught fish tend to be better for the environment than farm-raised, though new methods of raising fish on land are changing that calculation. Plus, ocean ecosystems are very stressed due to overfishing, pollution, and acidification from CO2 emissions.

 

Crab, lobster, and some oysters and prawns are very high in CO2 emissions because boats must go out and check traps often.

 

You can learn about the best options for choosing seafood using the Seafood Carbon Emissions Tool.

 

Buying local has become a popular way to minimize agriculture’s harm. But Suzanne says that, while it may have other benefits, buying locally sourced food has little impact on emissions because transportation only accounts for 6% of agricultural CO2. But it’s still important to be aware of how our food is transported. Ships are much more fuel-efficient than trucking. California beef has only 1% lower emissions than beef exported from Australia. On the other hand, air shipping perishable foods like out-of-season berries is terrible for the environment.

 

Food waste also contributes to global warming because food grown but thrown away offers no benefits. In the United States, we waste 40% of the food we use, and 30% of food is wasted worldwide.

 

“What could be more unChristian?” Suzanne asks.

 

She suggests that we be careful not to overbuy. We can also bring our own containers to take home restaurant leftovers, buy ugly produce that might otherwise be thrown away, and donate our extra food if possible. You can even search the web for companies that will deliver ugly but tasty produce to you, or consider signing up for a CSA farm share.

 

Following all of the advice in this article will make a positive impact on your personal carbon footprint but Suzanne reminds us that to save our planet, we must also take action to support and change institutions that have an even larger impact on carbon emissions. That means supporting democratic institutions and voting rights so we have the power to make our voices heard. Those voices must demand that governments enact swift and bold policies to phase out fossil fuels and other sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Eric Diekhans is a published author, Executive Director of the Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries, and a member of Lake View Presbyterian Church in Chicago. You can learn more about him on his website.

Wild Journey: Going Beyond Church Outside

Doing Wild Church

By Mindy Braun

 I have found God in nature for as long as I can remember. The tiny wildflowers would speak to my heart and reassure me that God sees me, just as He sees the hidden face of the flower. I also felt a sense of gratitude from God and the flower that I had the eyes to see them, notice them, appreciate them.

 It was through my grandparents, Bob & Barbara Stevenson, that this church of the wild experience really got established in me. They heard and answered God’s call to move from Coalinga, CA to Calvin Crest Conferences near Oakhurst, CA. Calvin Crest was established by the San Joaquin Presbytery of California in 1954. They moved their family of six up to the camp, where my mom spent her high school years. Our family would spend holidays there and I became a camper at Calvin Crest when I entered elementary school.

 The mountain and forests of Calvin Crest (which is on the homelands of the Miwok Indians) were midwives to my spirituality and connection to God. Calvin Crest’s outdoor church was my favorite. My heart could truly soar in worship underneath those pines.

 I’m now 48 and am rediscovering a deep connection to God through this beloved earth and all creation. For years, my heart has longed for church outside again. I was able to get a taste of it during Covid-19 when my Presbyterian church, The Cove Fellowship, began to meet outside when the weather allowed. I confess that at times I may have listened more to the goldfinches singing in the trees than the sermon.

           When a fellow spiritual director told me about a book she was reading, my life and heart opened up in a new and exhilarating way. I began reading Church of the Wild by Victoria Loorz. It’s her story of being a spiritual director and pastor, longing for something beyond her experience of church. When she writes, “I longed for church to be a place where Mystery is experienced not explained…” I heard my own heart echoed.

 I soon visited Wild Church Petaluma and pretty much wept through the entire time. “This could be church?” I thought. I signed up for Wild Church Network’s six-week leadership course for those who were feeling the call to start a wild church in their watershed. Wild Church Petaluma is part of the Petaluma River watershed and I lived in the Laguna de Santa Rosa watershed just north.

 I quickly realized I was kind of “doing wild church” already. I had been leading God in Nature Hikes for the past four years through Journey Center Santa Rosa, for which I serve as Executive Director. We are a Christ-centered contemplative spirituality nonprofit for those seeking to encounter the Sacred. We have various pathways to encounter the Divine and one of them is God in Nature. I had been leading groups where we started with a scripture or poem reading, walked in silence together for 20 minutes, then stopped along the trail to share what we had noticed. Then the rest of the hike was in conversation with one another.

After telling others in the Journey Center community about wild church and seeing there was a resonating “YES!” in people’s hearts, Wild Journey was born in December 2022! This is the description you will find on our webpage:

 

Wild Journey is an emerging community of those who are returning to nature as spiritual practice. We are Christ-centered AND welcoming to all spiritual paths. We are not led by doctrine or dogma, but by the Divine Mystery that dwells in us all. We meet outside in various locations within the Laguna de Santa Rosa watershed and seek to reconnect with the sacredness of earth, honoring the Divine Presence in all beings.

 

Our gatherings offer opportunities for contemplation, grief and praise, movement and song, solo wandering and wondering, advocacy, ecological restoration, and activism on behalf and in collaboration with the beloved others in our watershed. Children are welcome to participate or play nearby. All are welcome.   

 

We meet once a month within the Laguna de Santa Rosa watershed; usually the first or third Sunday of the month. Wild Journey is an expression of Journey Center Santa Rosa and is a part of Wild Church Network.

 

There are four movements within our time together:

·       Gathering & Grounding – Welcome, Invocation of the watershed, introductions and gratitude, 7-direction prayer

·       Reading & Reflection – Reflections on the season we are in and poems to ponder

·       Wandering & Wondering, - 30 minutes to wander and listen to nature speak

·       Sharing & Sending – return to the circle to witness how the Spirit moved in each other and then a closing song to send us out

 You will find on the Wild Church Network website this beautiful description of the movement that is drawing people to love, protect and preserve this precious gift of Mother Earth:

 

“Popping up all over the land, like wild mushrooms after a spring rain, Wild Church communities are responding to a call from deep within to change the way we relate to the natural world, moving  ‘from a collection of objects, to a communion of subjects’ – Thomas Berry

 

In this age of mass extinctions, we feel compelled by the love of Christ to invite people into intimate relationship with some of the most vulnerable victims of our destructive culture:  the land, waters, and creatures with whom we share our homes.  

 

New Wild Churches are emerging all the time, offering invitations to reconnect with the natural world. As kin. As sacred. As beloved co-participants in a larger story of grace and inter-being.

 Wild Journey continues to grow and welcome those who are longing for connection to God and nature in community. I am in awe that this indeed is church and would dare to say it is a much fuller expression than I have ever known.

 

Mindy Braun is the Executive Director of Journey Center Santa Rosa. She graduated with the 2021 Cohort of the Journey Center Association’s Spiritual Director Formation Program. Her passion is to create safe, sacred spaces for all people to experience love and belonging.

Grounded in Context

 by Rev. Eric Beene

Eco-activism can easily become abstracted. The problems of changing climates and planetary destruction become separated from the places where we encounter the needs of the world, and they lead us to worry in ways that can literally overwhelm us. Photography is also a process of abstraction. When we snap a photo, we literally put a frame around an object or a scene or even a person, and then we remove it from its context and carry it away into a much bigger world. But I wonder if photography can be a tool for grounding our activism again, too.

Although photography is a process of abstraction, the act of zooming our lens in on an object or set of objects and pressing the button or tapping the screen happens in a context. The context is not only visual. It is also filled with the emotions we feel when we are confronted with what we see in that place, as well as the spirit that stirred us to go to that place and take out our camera. As we frame and capture images, we also capture those feelings and that spirit’s leading, and if we are willing to pay attention to them, they can be a source of great power for us. In a 1958 article in Commonweal called, “Poetry and Contemplation:  A Reappraisal,” Thomas Merton said, “Aesthetic intuition is not merely the act of a faculty, it is also a heightening and intensification of our personal identity and being by the perception of our connatural affinity with ‘Being’ in the beauty contemplated.” By noticing and acting on the feelings and leadings inside us as we frame a photo, we exercise our creative power. That creative power is aligned with the power of the Creator whose work we are abstracting and carrying home. And then, in looking at our photographs later, and in sharing them with others, we bring them to new contexts in which we can discover additional details, with new feelings, different values, and longings we didn’t know we had. Through our photography, with all of its context, abstraction, and re-contextualization, we can ground ourselves over and over again in our “connatural affinity with ‘Being.’” 

We can let our impulse toward activism on behalf of the environment follow a similar path. We can take those issues that are abstracted and overwhelming and put them back in touch with the feelings and the spirit which were the context into which our activism was born. Our desire to preserve and protect the places where we live and where we encounter the needs of the world thus can become an expression of our affinity with the Being in whom we live and move and have our own being.

 All of the photos below were taken within an hour’s drive of my home in Sonoma County, California. I have paired them with sentences of scripture to show how I perceive my own connection through them with the God of my being. I pray that they will show you a way that leads you to be grounded in your own identity and affinity with the One who created you and calls you into the work you do.

“When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.” (Jeremiah 10:13)

“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore!” (Psalm 16:11)

“Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all day long.” (Psalm 35:28)

“For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew.” (Zechariah 8:12-13)

“The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11)

“Happy are those…whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them!” (Psalm 146:5-6)

Rev. Eric Beene is General Presbyter of the Presbytery of the Redwoods and an amateur photographer. Previously, he served as Pastor to congregations in Savannah, Georgia, and Boston, Massachusetts. He lives in Windsor, California, with his wife Mary and their teenage son Isaac.

Morning Grace

 

Eric Diekhans

By Eric Diekhans

The alarm sounds at 5:30 am and I immediately roll out of bed. In summer, the sun is already bursting through the blinds; in spring and fall my bedroom is dark and sometimes cold. I pull on lycra shorts, jersey, gloves, and cleated shoes. When the weather get colder, I add a jacket, booties, lobster gloves, and sometimes a balaclava. My gear allows me to ride even when the temperature drops below freezing. 

The world is mostly silent as I push my bike out the door and climb aboard. A few blocks later, I wave to a small gathering of cyclists also ready to roll out. They ride faster than my pace so I continue on solo. That’s the way I prefer it anyway. 

I’ve been taking these morning rides for years, two or three times per week from mid March until November. The early start allows me time to get home, walk the dog, and get ready for work. During the pandemic, when I was working at home, I continued my ritual. The streets I ride on Chicago’s North Shore were mostly deserted. In a time of turmoil and uncertainty, my this stress-free hour offered me peace.

 During Covid, I began to think of my morning ride as a form of prayer. I’ve always felt more comfortable with unspoken prayer that comes from my heart and soul rather than words that come from my head. While Covid brought the world almost to a stop, my thoughts receded and God’s presence came forth. 

I roll north and spot other cyclists out for training rides. A few cars and delivery trucks add to the mix, but nothing like this road will see in an hour as the morning commute begins. Lake Michigan is off my right shoulder. I sense its magnificence even though I can’t see the water through the houses and parks along the route. Some mornings, I pause partway through my route to ride down a steep hill to a deserted beach. The sun rises over the lake and I take a few moments to contemplate the wonder of nature.

Riding back up the hill, I continue on even quieter streets. Birds sing to me overhead and occasionally I spot a deer ambling across the road. I turn and pick up the bike trail that runs along the commuter rail for my return trip. Occasionally I spot a runner or a train roars past, momentarily disturbing the peace.

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” (Mark 6: 30-31)

I suspect that Jesus retreated to the desert or some quiet garden more often than reported in the gospels. Ministry is hard work and solitary contemplation is as important as engagement. As Christians, we need to be in fellowship in the pews, and in service outside the church doors. But we also need to connect with God in creation, and where better to find the Divine than in nature’s quiet embrace?

I reach the end of the trail and roll back onto city streets. The traffic is starting to pick up as the rest of the world begins its day. I’ve ridden these streets so many times I know every busy intersection and my mind continues to relax. When I arrive home, I’ll continue my own day in a state of grace thanks to the nourishment of the natural world. Hopefully, that feeling of peace will linger in my soul long after my ride has ended.

 

Eric Diekhans is an award-winning author, television, and podcast producer, and a member of Lake View Presbyterian Church in Chicago. If he’s not on his bike, you can find him at www.ericdiekhans.com

Nurturing Spirit and Body; Seeking to Nurture Earth

 

JOY’s 7-circuit canvas labyrinth

By Diane Waddell

 The Justice, Outreach and Yoga (JOY) New Worshiping Community is a part of the 1001 NWC program of the PCUSA. The group gathers in St. Joseph, Missouri, in a sacred, beautiful space where the prairie has flourished, offering solace and quietude for the restoration of body and soul.

 JOY was birthed from a Laudato Si understanding of seeking equity in both environmental and social justice. Leaders and others who are part of the community share opportunities for sacred connection. We are a Matthew 25 community, seeking justice, and are particularly grateful for the three recently added “intersectional priorities” to Matthew 25, including the importance of working as faithful stewards of God’s Creation to respond to Climate Change.

 Our Community meets at least three times a month. Our spiritual gatherings begin with candle or sage burning, prayer vigil for local or global needs, and the music of singing bowls. Our themes have been based on Celtic spirituality which keeps us grounded and centered in Creation. Alternate months we share and are amazed by the work of the mystics such as Hildegard of Bingen, who offered an essence of “greenness.”

 We have been gifted by one of the members, Rev. Dr. Krista Kiger, with a 7-circuit canvas labyrinth, and have been able to share a special sacred time of a labyrinth walk at least twice yearly. Our hearts, minds, and spirits are enriched by the sacred walk.

 We are strengthened and nurtured in our space and through our community. Our next steps are those in which we reach out to the wider community — our neighborhood and the wider region to advocate for the healing of the Earth. (Refuse, reuse, recycle; limit or refuse single-use plastics; plant native flowers, shrubs, trees; care for our gift of water, air, earth…)

 Indeed, for we ourselves to be healed and whole, we must nurture and care for this beautiful home called Earth.

 

Diane Waddell is Leader of JOY New Worshiping Community.

Alyeska: A Special Part of Our Earth

 

Caribou photo by Brian Schmitt

by Barbara Brown

When I first moved to Alaska in 2007 I had visited here twice before, and I was in awe of the magnitude and majesty of this place. The name Alaska is derived from a native word: “Alyeska”, which means great land, and this state certainly is that.

 

    I live in the city of Palmer in the southcentral area of the state, about a 50 minute drive from Anchorage, the largest city. When I watch our local news and weather, the station is based in Anchorage, but the reports cover other areas of the state as well: North Slope, Interior, Southeast, Aleutian Chain, Western, Kenai Peninsula, and  Prince William Sound. I live in the area which is known as being “on the road system”, where a majority of the population lives. Once you get past Fairbanks in the interior there are no roads to get places except for the Haul Road, used by truckers to get supplies up to the oil fields in the north.

 

   My city has several very popular tourist destinations: the Reindeer Farm, where you can go in the pen and feed them, the Musk Ox Farm, where you can watch them being groomed for their incredibly soft qiviut fiber, Hatcher Pass, where you can hike, ski, and see the remains of the Independence Gold Mine, and the small town feel of the downtown area, full of shops and restaurants.

 

  Out my front window I have a wonderful view of Pioneer Peak which stands at 6,398 ft. and is part of the Chugach Range.  These mountains, along with the nearby Talkeetna Mountain Range, are not as high as the Rockies but are jagged and stark against the mostly flat plains surrounding them. The ever-changing light and shadows from clouds overhead means I will never get tired of watching them.  If you have never seen a mountain bathed in the pinkish, orangey glow of Alpenglow, you really need to come here to experience it.

 

   The Matanuska Valley, where Palmer is located, was carved out by the Matanuska Glacier. Like many of the glaciers in Alaska it has receded many miles back from where the town is, but it is readlily accessible by car, and you can go on guided tours across its surface. The Matanuska River flows from it through town, and it is a classic example of a braided river, full of glacial silt. The water at the height of the spring melt runoff time is a bluish gray color.

 

    The fertile soil in this valley means this area supports some of the largest agricultural fields of the whole state. Maybe you have heard of the giant cabbages that can grow up to 110 pounds, and other giant vegetable like 4 pound carrots and 5 pound kohlrabi. There is a whole section at the state fair (held in Palmer in late August through Labor Day) of giant veggies on display each year, so again, if you have never been to Alaska, maybe you want to come for that.  We even have Cabbage Fairies who wander around the fairgrounds in their cute green costumes spreading good cheer to young and old. 

 

   Our new Representative in D.C., Mary Peltola, is Alaska Native,  from the Kuskokwim River area in and around Bethel. She is passionate about protecting this great land.  She is aware that Alaska has mostly been a resource extraction state in its relatively short 63 years of statehood but she knows that there is much to be done to keep this boom and bust extractive economy from completing raping all the bountiful resources in this land. There are now collaborative approaches happening that are moving the state toward a regenerative economy. For a sample, listen to the latest episode of “A Matter of Degrees” podcast.  The episode delves into the decades-long fight to protect the Tongass National Forest in southeast AK. It features Marina Anderson, Deputy Director of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership and President Richard  Chalyee  Peterson of the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.

 

     In closing, I want to reiterate: Alaska is a great land, and its nickname The Last Frontier is well earned. I feel blessed to call this place home, and pray God will bless our efforts to care for this special part of our earth.

Barbara Brown is a member of PEC as well as the Presbytery of Yukon.  She was one of the planners and hosts for a glorious eco-trip to Alaska/ Yukon Presbytery in 2014 along with Curtis Karns, then Executive Presbytery of Yukon Presbytery.

Taking "Church" Outdoors

 

Covenant Kayakers

by Eric Diekhans

 

Outdoor ministry. The phrase evokes memories of church camp, probably a few hours’ drive from home. A week or two spent in nature for children, teens, or perhaps families.

 

But what if outdoor ministry was more accessible, just a short work or drive away? What if it was right outside your church’s door?

 

After retiring from his call as a PCUSA campus minister, Bruce Chapman became a Florida master naturalist and park ranger. When he and his wife moved to North Carolina in 2019, Covenant Church and its Outdoor Ministry Committee were a perfect fit for him. At the time, outdoor ministry opportunities there were modest. The church offered a monthly hiking excursion to contemplate nature and enjoy fellowship.

 

“I started talking with Lauren Sawyers and other church people that were involved in the hiking,” says Bruce. “We all were sensitive to environmental issues, and a core group of us wondered what else we can do as Christians.”

 

Bruce and Lauren became committee co-coordinators as their ambitions grew. The committee focused on a multi-pronged mission: “To provide members of our community practical opportunities to experience nature; deepen relationships with the church, each other and our natural surroundings; and grow in faithful stewardship of the environment.”

 

The committee continued to offer hikes to beautiful area locations like South Fork Catawba Trail and the Stevens Creek Nature Preserve, along with kayaking and other outdoor activities. They also invited speakers like Timothy Beal, author of When Time is Short, to speak about climate change. An eco-study group formed and, Chapman says, “We looked for ways to not just navel gaze but actually have a mission project or some kind of outreach.”

 

One of their first ventures was a stream clean relationship with the local stormwater district. The church adopted an urban stream in a restored riverine habitat that runs through Charlotte and committed to picking up trash there four times a year.

 

Last summer, the church also started a gleaning mission through the Society of St. Andrews, a grassroots, faith-based, hunger relief nonprofit. “They collect leftovers from fields after harvesting is done,” Bruce shares.  “Our group visited rural North Carolina farms and collected tomatoes, squash, and other vegetables left in the field.  These were then passed through the Society of St. Andrews to needy organizations.”

 

The committee is also looking at ways to make a positive impact on the environment right outside the church’s doors. “Just before we came to Covenant,” Bruce says, they added an addition to the building, To meet city code, they had to offset that impervious surface by digging an earthen basin to catch stormwater runoff. But the basin isn’t doing its job because it’s not connected to any of the downspouts or drainage systems. It’s just grass that we mow.”

 

The committee has drafted a proposal to repurpose the basin as an urban wetland habitat and micro-forest.  It sees the project as a significant statement about how Christians can be good stewards of the earth.

 

The work of the Outdoor Ministry Committee is just one way Covenant strives to be “a forward-thinking community with a culture of embracing innovation as we live out our mission. “ In doing so, the church provides an inspirational example of how we can all be better stewards of our environment, individually and as a community.

 

Eric Diekhans is an author, editor of “Earth News,” a member of Lake View Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and Executive Director of the Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries.

Walking Matthew 25

 

Rick and Jo Randolph in Alaska, 2019

by Jo Randolph

 

Walking is the oldest form of transportation on this earth. In Genesis 13:17 the Lord asks Abram to “Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” He explains this is the way for Abram to get to know the land that the Lord will give to him and his offspring forever.

 

Having grown up on a farm in southeast Wisconsin, walking was the mode of transportation to get to and from my grandfather’s home, to get to and home from school (on nice days), and to visit with friends after school and on holidays. It has become fundamental to the way I experience creation around me. When you wander many days and hours over fields, you feel the dirt between your toes, you smell the odor of the soil and the sweet ripe berries and fruits ready to eat.  The beauty of the trees leafing out, the flowers arriving in spring, and the sound and smell of the leaves falling to the ground in the fall. To see creatures scurry away from me, to see the birds soar above, to hear the sounds of the wind rustling the leaves of each of the different trees, or water flowing over the rocks in the streams – it is a different language you learn when taking the time to wonder on the immense gift of this glorious creation around us.

 

I have had the opportunity to walk in many and varied areas of the world, from the farms of

Wisconsin to the mountains and deserts of AZ, from the forests of Germany to the glaciers of Alaska and the sands of the outer banks. The sounds of each step on the land and the sounds of the winds and animals informed my deep love and passion for this world and to care for it deeply.

 

These and other walks just around our suburban area have taught me to listen, see, and learn about not only the nature around me but the way we have changed that nature to suit our desires but not the needs of creation that must live there.

 

Walking on a PCUSA Peacemaking study tour is an amazing learning experience. An experience of the greater world around you that you cannot learn from just watching a documentary. Take the opportunity for yourself.  I have had two such opportunities and am looking forward to a third one this April. My husband Rick and I traveled to Guatemala and Costa Rica in 2017. I also had the opportunity to travel in early 2019 to Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica. 

 

In 2017 we experienced peacemaking, environmental issues, and climate concerns of highly conflicted communities. We traveled to historically peaceful places and highly conflicted small villages. From environmentally degraded areas to ones of great ecological beauty. We met and talked, worshiped, and learned about the people of faith in Guatemala and Costa Rica who have been responding to issues of peace and environmental justice issues for generations.  We arrived in Guatemala and first visited CEDEPCA (Protestant Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America) and its staff. We were briefed on the context of the climate and the areas of conflict of the indigenous peoples the we would be meeting and learning from during our short time in Guatemala. Our first stop the next morning was to visit with a small group of members of the Peaceful Resistance in La Puya. They were/are protesting the poisoning of their waters (and the minds of the corrupt Guatemalan government officials) by the mining corporations in Canada. They have set up a watch area on a small narrowing of a dirt road where they keep an eye on the helicopters and heavy trucks. The corporation is NOT supposed to be doing any work on or in the mines but these helicopters are flying in and out of the ‘closed’ area daily.  There are big earth-moving trucks that are ‘just moving’ dirt to ‘help clean the tailings ponds’ from the poisonous chemicals that are used to release the gold and silver from the land. Having lunch with these people while holding a watch on all the traffic flowing by was revealing. Some of the travelers were neighbors and some were unknowns. Some with weapons and some traveling with foodstuffs and children heading home from work and school. The whole visit was certainly a visceral learning moment to absorb what our developed world ‘wants’ and is creating for those indigenous people’s daily lives.

 

Our Guatemala travels also allowed us to worship with the Asociaciónde Mujeres Indígenas de Santa María Xalapán (the indigenous women’s association of the Santa Maria Xalapán). The Xinca Invocation Ceremony was breathtaking and left us in wonder about the gratefulness these people have for the everyday gifts, given to them by God, of water, air, food, and comfort.

 

In Costa Rica, we learned the damage monoculture plantations of bananas and pineapples have on the lives of the small villages and villagers.  The overuse of pesticides and fertilizers used in crop production for the export of these two crops alone has poisoned the water and taken jobs from the original inhabitants of the villages.  I still wonder HOW villagers can function with only five gallons of water delivered weekly. The local government is mandated to deliver fresh water weekly to their homes, and it is per home, NOT per number of people living in the home. Those five gallons are to be used for ALL their needs, from drinking, and food preparation to cleaning both themselves and their clothing. The running water in the creeks is so caustic due to the chemicals it is ‘eating’ the skins of the people and the fibers of their clothing.

 

The 2019 Central American Migrant Trails peacemaking tour of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras focused on immigration issues. Our group learned about the immigration context being faced by those wanting to emigrate north. It was a clearer picture of the reasons why they take the risk of embarking on a dangerous journey with small children in tow. We heard from Not For Profits and government officials while exploring the potential and actual consequences of US policies. Mass deportation is impacting the lives of the returned migrants, their families, their communities, and their nations. In El Salvador, we heard from Catholic Relief Services, the Ministry of Foreign Relations, and returned migrants from a migrant program. In Guatemala, we heard a priest tell us about the pastoral challenges to care for caravans of immigrants. We met returned Guatemalans and heard their stories of how they are unceremoniously returned to Guatemala by our government.  In Honduras, we met with organizations working for transparency and against corruption in the Honduran government. We also heard from a children’s ministries and advocacy group, the RedViva Danish network, and a Presbyterian Hunger Program partner Ecoré, working to better the lives of the people impacted.

 

Wandering and studying these and many other issues certainly opened our senses to wonder how this world created for all has been abused for the ‘select.’ Learning from those who have experienced the issues or those who work with impacted immigrants as well as with our own Presbyterian Mission Co-Workers opened our eyes in some small steps as to how we can walk in the manner to which Christ called us in Matthew 25 to care for all others.

 

This April my husband and I will again travel on a PCUSA Peacemaking Study Seminar. We will be studying the native lands of the Southwest, the Doctrine of Discovery, and its legacy today. We will be learning the harm the Doctrine of Discovery did to indigenous peoples of North America since the landing on this continent and to this day. 

 

Psalm 104 will be with us daily as we walk, wander, and wonder in the steps of those we have harmed.

 

(31-34) – May the Glory of the LORD endure forever: may the LORD rejoice in his works . . . . May my mediation be pleasing to him for I rejoice in the LORD.

 

Jo and Rick Randolph are members of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Heartland Presbytery. Jo is currently the Treasurer of Presbyterians for Earth Care.  Rick, an MD, is Senior Medical Director of Heart to Heart International.

Creation is Calling

 

Diane with a Kenyan friend on a mission trip to Thawke Village near Nairobi

by Diane Waddell

 

Eco-Tourism is a popular item….a destination-type of tourism where visitors hope to travel responsibly or visit places that are deemed to be sustainable communities. `

 

Consider a spin-off on Eco-tourism…towards faith-based, destination Earth encounters, such as Sustainable Mission trips.   Consider the term…Sacred Earth travels as a new mindset. Indeed, connecting with our Sacred Earth is connecting with the beauty and intelligence of plants and other animals….with earth, air, soil, water.

 

In fact, Creation calls us… as God calls us…through whispers of water, air, fire, and soil; through multitudes of types of plants and animals; all miraculous. Our response to that calling honestly must be with reverence, grace, and gratitude. Creation is calling…for Justice. The Rev. Dr. Bill Brown (professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary) shared many wise words at PEC’s Stony Point Conference in 2019. He suggested that the term we need to use is “Creation Justice” as we are stewards of God’s magnificent gift.

 

I am so grateful that the PCUSA, through Presbyterian Compassion, Peace and Justice programs, has shared and continues to share ways of connecting with our global partners through travels and seminars (both virtual and on-site.) I have been so grateful for connections that have continued to be transformative for me. In Lima, Peru, for example, I vividly recall climbing up one of the Andes Mountains toward a small community and school. The higher up the mountain, the more poverty there was. The children had to climb down in the dark in the morning to get to school, and parents had to leave in the darkness down the mountain to get to their farming work. Thanks to the work of World Mission partners, Hunger Program, Disaster Assistance, and many others for allowing us to be connected both virtually and physically around the world; raise awareness, and support persons in need.

 

Presbyterians for Earth Care has shared many excellent conferences both on-site and virtually, and continues to share and prepare us as Creation calls. Stay tuned for their next amazing conference in September, 2023 and for many webinars coming up…when we can virtually ‘tour.’ And hold in appreciation those who have hosted conferences. (Thanks to Barb Brown who has written a lovely article about Alaska. She and others including then-EP Curtis Karns hosted a great conference in Alaska open to PEC members.)

 

Yet, we can also be connected with travel in our backyards, church campuses, local parks, rural areas, and more. We can work towards making a sanctuary in our own backyards with trees, plants, and animals. Planting native plants and trees is a beautiful way to make a special connection. Native species are more sustainable and adapted to thrive in their own natural habitat.

 

While connecting with your own space, look up the name and history of your watershed and what native tribes walked in the same space. Work with local and national groups who appreciate caring for your Earth space… to work on the transformation of your backyard, church campus, etc., toward becoming a more sacred space.

 

Wendell Berry states that “it is impossible, ultimately, to preserve ourselves apart from our willingness to preserve other creatures, or to respect and care for ourselves except as we respect and care for other creatures; and…it is impossible to care for each other more or differently than we care for the earth.“ (The Body and the Earth) He reminds us that the earth is what we all have in common, that it is what we are made of and what we live from, and that we therefore cannot damage it without damaging those with whom we share it. Amen.

 

And as we travel, we recall that sustainability in means of travel is extremely important… Thanks to Jo and Rick Randolph’s travel stories of walking while traveling. How beautiful to touch the Earth with respect while walking and hearing Creation calling that much more clearly.

 

And if and as you do travel using fossil fuels, consider contributing to the Restoring Creation Fund as a carbon offset program of the PCUSA, which will go toward planting and nurturing trees with longstanding partners.

 

Restoring Creation For Ecology & Justice (E865715)

To give by phone, call 800-872-3283. To send a check, please designate where you want your gift to go on the memo line and mail to:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

 

As you consider an eco-tour, hold in your hearts the concept of Sacred Earth. Consider that sacred earth each time you touch the ground as you walk, every time you breathe in the air, feel the warmth of the sun or the coolness of rain and marvel at the beauty of God’s garden. Allow each moment to be a means to answer Creation’s call for justice. Be grateful for each opportunity to be and share, whether it is with a plant or water fountain, indoors or outdoors; whether in your own backyard, or on a local, regional or global visit or conference.

 

Hold those moments and those places sacred. For indeed, they are.

Aho. Amen.

 

Diane Waddell is a leader in Heartland Presbytery’s Justice, Outreach and Yoga New Worshiping Community, and past moderator of PEC.