Sermon for St Edward’s, 29/9/24 – Harvest Festival
Readins: Genesis 2: 4-9, 15-18 & Matthew 6: 25 – 34
Today we give thanks, and we think about God as provider and sustainer of life, and that last one is what I want us to think about for a few minutes. God as sustainer of life.
When creation was finished, God put humans in the garden to look after it, to take care of it. A little later in the Genesis passage we read that humanity is to ‘rule’ over creation. Over the years this has been translated as dominion, that humans have dominion over creation and this has led to a sense of using creation for whatever we like without concern for the impact. The element of nurture and care that we read about earlier, was often ignored or overlooked. But 1:15 says that God put people in the garden to work it AND take care of it.
It is not just our role, in doing so humans are working in partnership with God. We get to work alongside the one who created the world and help to oversee it. We get to work with the God of care and compassion to offer it ourselves. And we get to worship alongside creation as it worships.
It’s a bit like if you are a tech geek, being invited to work with Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. If you are a scientist, to work alongside Alice Augusta Ball or Marie Curie. An artist, to look after the work of Michelangelo or Frida Kahlo.
Ask me later who they are if you don’t know!
All of their work has been reproduced, reused, explored in many ways, it all has purpose, but the original work is held in high esteem, it is looked after. We wouldn’t dream of damaging it, but we can still use it for ourselves.
Just as we are part of creation and it has purpose for us of course, but we also work in partnership with God within it. God is the creator of the world and remains at work in it. As we read in our gospel reading:
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will God not much more clothe you…
your heavenly Father knows what you need
We are designed, and given the mandate to work with the creator who remains at work in creation as sustainer of life.
And yet… we so often forget this. We focus too much on ourselves.
But I think, if we gather to celebrate harvest and give thanks while continuing to destroy and damage creation then our thanks is simply worthless.
And not only do we damage it physically but I think spiritually too:
A few weeks ago I shared in our Tuesday mass that part of creation’s role is to worship God. We see that in scriptures like Psalm 98 which talks of:
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy.
or Psalm 19 which opens by saying:
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament (skies) proclaims his handiwork.
Creation worships God, brings glory to God
There is something so beautiful about the idea of creation glorifying and/or worshipping God. I think what this psalm and other verses say, is that part of creation’s purpose is to glorify God, to worship God. It’s a little like going back to the artist – a beautiful painting or artwork reflects the artist – we revere Michelangelo for example for his beautiful sculptures and paintings. The artwork points to the artist. Just so with God. God is the creator and creation points to God, brings glory to God.
We focus a lot here at St Ed’s on creation and being an eco church and that’s because I believe it is part of our calling and purpose to both join in with creation worshipping God and to tend and care for God’s creation.
It is clear from Genesis that God intended humanity to use resources from the earth to live, but we have taken that too far, and I would suggest that humanity’s damage to the planet is also hindering creation from that part of its purpose, to glorify God.
Not only are we created with a role to nurture creation but we are to join with it in worship.
And it is not too late to make a difference.
It is amazing the more you explore nature the more you realise how much everything works as eco systems together. I know a few of us have been to Knepp, the local rewilding project, or seen the movie and some are going in a few weeks time. One of the main reasons they started their project was when they realised that the way they were farming the land was basically killing their ancient oak trees. A tree expert came and talked to them about the way trees communicate with each other through an underground system of funghi – in mycorrhizal networks and this in turn benefits other plants and wildlife. They discovered how insect life was dying off again because of they way they were intensively farming the land. And in subsequent years they saw insect populations come back to life and that in turn had a positive effect on other wildlife.
At Knepp over 20 years or so they have seen turtle doves coming back to roost – turtle doves are one of the most endangered birds in this country. A population of rare purple emperor butterflies finding a home there, and much more. It is all connected. As a result when you visit Knepp it really does feel like you can see the glory of God’s creation, animals living in harmony with the land and with other creatures.
So what can we do?
Firstly practically: we might think, oh climate change/ damage to the planet, what can I do, I’m just one person? But little actions add up to bigger ones.
Have you worked out your carbon footprint? How much your life impacts the world around you? Simple calculator online, which helps to think about our own impact but also that we can offset that, make a difference to pay back for the damage we have done if you like – as a church we can’t just change our boiler and we are doing all we can to reduce our energy use so this year we funded the planting of some trees to offset our carbon footprint.
If you have a garden or a place you can grow some things in pots? What can you grow that will help the wildlife or eco system where you live? plants that support pollinators for example or a particular type of bird?
Or can you help practically with a local wildlife or eco project like at the Green Circle here in BH or with the Lost Woods project that we work with here at St Edward’s?
A really simple one is to think about the products you use in your homes. Are you cleaning products eco friendly? We want to help you out with this so this morning we have some samples from Ocean Saver, a UK company that makes products that are totally eco ,ocean friendly, plastic free etc. So on the way out you can grab a free washing machine pod and a dishwasher tab – bagged up or some singles. Give them a go = there are other brands but we use these and they work well. If you like them why not switch – we are happy to do a big order together.
So that’s some practical thoughts.
But also let’s think about our worship, of course you can come to garden church but what about your own time in creation – I am out every day with the dog and I have started asking God in that time to show me what creation is saying today. Every time I am drawn to something.
Just to give a couple of examples:
On a windy day I felt God was talking to me about the breath of God, God breathing on us, giving us life. Seeing a kestrel in flight God was talking about patience. An earthy smell in wet woods, God reminded me that this is the smell of an eco system at work, with natural processes going on unseen. A dead tree reminded me that death is a natural part of life, once dead a fallen tree provides food and a habitat for wildlife, until it is completely rotted away.
We are meant to be co sustainers and nurturers of this planet, with God. not to be simply using and taking for our own benefit.
And we are created by God, just as nature is. We share a purpose to bring glory to God, to worship, and we have a responsibility to restore nature to its full purpose and potential so that we can all worship God in harmony together, singing with the hills, roaring with the seas and making a joyful noise to the Lord together.
Amen.
No Comments