Season of Creation
Letter from the Rev. Milind Sojwal
Dear St. Mary’s family, as you may be aware, the month of September is dedication to Creation Care. Our liturgy will reflect a few changes to incorporate our focus on God’s wonderful Creation. In addition the first two Sundays in September will feature Adult Education offerings after the service, focused on Creation Care and led by Eugene Loh and Roni Portillo.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1)
We live in a world that is so concerned about ownership. We draw boundaries, treasure title deeds to property and exploit our land as if it is there simply for our consumption and pleasure.
The psalmist reminds us today that we bring nothing, we own nothing and we will carry nothing away with us, when we leave this earth. That every part of the created world has one owner and that is God.
And God has graciously granted the holy responsibility of acting as stewards of God’s land. We are called not only to appreciate and enjoy it, but to dedicate ourselves for its well-being and for posterity to be able to benefit from it.
Every creature that inhabits our forest, every mountain peak and every early morning fog is a gift from God for us to admire and enjoy. When we stand in nature in awe and amazement, we are standing on Holy Ground, which reveals the beauty and creativity of our God.
Creation care is act of worship. Tending to God’s creation is a physical act of acknowledging God’s ownership and our responsibility as stewards.
So today, as we go about our day, let us breathe in the fresh air; let us take in the beauty of nature and remember we are in God’s house.
May we be remembered as the generation that cared for nature in a way that its pristine beauty handed down to us, was preserved, cultivated and grown by our faithful tending to God’s land. Amen
Programs after Worship during Season of Creation
During Season of Creation, we are having discussion sessions in Edwards Hall after worship.
On Sep. 6, we talked about how God created life and how our roles are to propagate cycles of life... and love, and forgiveness; we are called to "up" our recycling games! See these brief videos by Eugene.
On Sep 13, our program was "Taste and Talk": we discussed plant-based eating, and enjoyed a plant-based lunch prepared by fellow parishioners. Eugene Loh provided a biblical context, and summarizes his points in this video. Steve Bruemmer shared how eating meat and other lifestyle choices contribute to climate change. Roni Portillo presented ethical, environmental and health impacts of plant-based eating. Ann Pettit recruited several members to bring delicious plant-based dishes to sample. Many of these recipes and links have been posted on Plant-based recipe section of the Creation Care web page.