Weekly Clergy Letter from Mother Anne Turner
Dear Friends in Christ,
The sacred and secular calendars intersect in a beautiful way this year.
Sunday was Easter Day, when we celebrated the power of the resurrection and the renewal of all creation. Nature adorned the day with dogwood and azalea blossoms, with sunshine and warmth.
Tuesday was Earth Day, when people all over the globe gathered in celebration and defense of our planet, committing themselves to environmental justice.
We have many ethical obligations as Christians. One of the chief ones is being a good steward of all that God has entrusted into our care. Part of that trust is financial stewardship, which we talk about a lot in church. We talk less often about environmental stewardship, which may seem less immediate but is no less important.
In the creation story of Genesis, God tells the newly minted human beings this: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” (1:28). But many have argued that “subdue” and “dominion” are inaccurate and misleading translations. It would be more right to talk about care than domination.
I invite you to consider, in this season of new life, how you are restoring life to this planet.
As individual, our practices are varied. I know some of you are avid recyclers, while others plant native gardens, while others drive electric vehicles. There is no one right way to be a disciple.
Grace Church as a community is exploring many efforts. Our Creation Care Committee is examining how we use and recycle disposable products at the church, among other efforts. An offshoot group of the committee is working to explore the feasibility of solar panels on our property. This work ranges from small and immediate to large-scale and long-range. It is both diligent and visionary.
Our Creation Care Committee next meets on Sunday, May 4, at 12:15 p.m. I encourage you to join them. You can contact our Junior Warden, Eric Waskowicz .
May you enjoy the glory of this season and treasure this planet well.
Yours in Christ,
Anne