I received a tweet -- yup, a tweet-- from the United Church of Canada asking if our congregation celebrated Creation Time, a five week period during the Season of Pentecost to give thanks to the Creator, along with considering our responsibility to be good stewards and co-citizens with all creatures. Perhaps Twitter is the proper venue to ask the question since we tweet, tweeted our responses.
I answered yes, and noted that we do so in Worship, Sunday School, and Bible Study. We even have specially designed bulletin covers, thanks to our daughter Jocelyn who is a graphic designer. Even though I only had 140 characters to work with I was pleased that I could respond in this way.
This year we are addressing the themes of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air which are the elements of the First Nations Medicine Wheel. All these themes can be supported scripturally in both Older and Newer Testaments.
I have found Creation Time a challenge in the relatively few years we have been observing it. We are people of the Good News in Christ and speaking about the state of the planet can be rather grim. Somehow we must find the balance between repentance and celebration. But I do believe we can make a difference if we trust that God is with us and that "this is God's wondrous world."
Are you glad we observe Creation Time, or are you bemused by this new focus?
5 comments:
I think it's an important focus ... and really, given what climate change is demonstrably doing to our world (look at this summer across North America as evidence) it might make sense if more people everywhere took notice.
For our kids, I think it is great. This morning we began by sharing a summer memory where they enjoyed creation. Some, although they had spent much of the summer able to enjoy the outdoors, had to really think about the question to come up with an answer. Made me realize how easy it is to take for granted the wonderful gift of this earth.
For Sunday School I think the season of Creation is a wonderful vantage point to reconvene our learning each year and to look to creation in helping us to understand our place in the bigger picture.
Some fabulous conversation this morning around God's use of fire in the burning bush...these kids are digging deep. I am looking forward to water, air and earth.
Thanks to both of you. And thanks, Laura for the Sunday School update. I find if heartening.
I appreciate it. After church, it gave Jake and I an 'easy' topic to talk about on the drive home. We both came up with ideas of how we could make some simple changes at home as well. The word complacent became our word of the day and I think that it will be our reminder word of how to stay on top of the little pledge he and I made in our car ride home.
Your conversation is just what we hope for S. Thanks for letting us know.
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