Green Speech

Wanted to kick off "Earth Week" in a big way. Here's a letter Joel Allen (Minister of Discipleship at FUMC) and I sent to the editor of The Jackson Sun. Not quite nailing 95 theses to a church door in Wittenburg, but it's something.

Caring for creation is primarily a theological issue, and people of faith who see creation as a gift from God have a deep responsibility to lead the way in an overall “greening” of Jackson. Given the number of faith communities in Jackson, the city should be one of the “greenest” in the nation. Unfortunately this is not the case. Perhaps this is because caring for creation is often confused for a political issue in which there are polarized sides. Of course this is a mistake because people of all political stripes (as well as other definitions by which we divide ourselves) are dependent on creation for life in the same way. It is one of the great levelers in life. We all share this planet, and its health is vital for ours and all other creatures. “The environment” is not something separate from us. We are all part of the environment - intricately woven into it and inseparable from it. This should be evident to all humans, but people of faith have a further responsibility. We who profess to love God must love what God made. Certainly this applies to our loving one another, but we are called to show great care for all that God brought into being. It is wonderful to see curbside recycling and other movements in our community, and we pray people of faith who call upon the God of all creation will recommit themselves this Earth Day to loving the Creator by caring for creation.

Rev. David Brent Hollis

Rev. Dr. Joel Allen

Turning Over A New Leaf

I've been pretty nonexistent on here lately. It's certainly not due to a lack of passion about this issue, but lately I have struggled with "the next steps." I think for a while I have felt a stirring to pursue something "big." For whatever reason, I've been putting it off. Well, a couple of things have happened.

First, the church I serve (www.jacksonfumc.org) committed to host the "Hope for Creation" Simulcast on April 21st at 6:30 p.m. (CST). This was even accomplished without my cajoling, and I'm very excited about it. You can see more about the simulcast here: www.blessedearth.org

Second, the conference in which I serve has a creation care team that I have been a member of but on which I have done very little. The other day, one of my closest friends shared with me that at the last meeting (which I didn't attend - a cautionary tale) we were nominated to have more responsibilities. He's pumped about it, and so am I. This blog may become a larger forum for this work, and he might even become a co-contributor.

So, the big thing is I want to help bring curbside recycling to my community. I have really no idea how to accomplish this. We have some recycling, but honestly it's pretty meager especially considering our size and resources. All I really know is we generally live in a society where if enough people want something badly enough it tends to happen. So I hope I can be a catalyst for this. If anyone reading this has accomplished such a goal, please tell me how.

I also hope to post each day during Holy Week to make up (slightly) for my dismal record lately.

Weekly Green Thought

"I do not worship matter. I worship the Creator of matter who became matter for my sake, who willed to take His abode in matter, who worked out my salvation through matter...Because of this I salute all remaining matter with reverence, because God has filled it with his grace and power. Through it my salvation has come to me." John of Damascus, On the Divine Images 1:16

Weekly Green Thought

"The whole earth is a living icon of the face of God." John of Damascus (675-749), Treatise

Combine and reduce

My calendar post the other day had a great suggestion I hadn't considered. I constantly look for ways to cut my lifestyle and live simpler. This post suggested combining as many hygiene products as possible. If everyone in the house can use the same shampoo, body wash, etc. you can buy in bulk and use refillable containers. Cuts down on waste and expenses. Of course, I'm single so there's no one to share with except my dog, and I'm not sure I should use her shampoo. But hopefully I'll have a larger family someday to share with.

Weekly Green Thought

"Poor innocent little creatures, if you were reasoning beings and could speak, you would curse us. For we are the cause of your death, and what have you done to deserve it?" Isaac the Syrian (late seventh century)

Happy Green Year!

For Christmas I got a "Living Green: 365 Ways to Make a Difference" desk calendar. I'm quite excited about it, and I will use its wisdom to supplement the "Weekly Green Thoughts" (which will hopefully be more weekly than they were in 2009 ;) from The Green Bible.

I like this one a lot since I recently bought a new house. It is on the calendar's box rather than an actual page I've seen yet - but I think it works anyway. "What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on?" - Henry David Thoreau

What if we start to think about the virtue of a house not in terms of square footage or amenities, but in terms of its impact (or hopefully lack thereof) on the earth which is home to all creatures?

Weekly Green Thought

"See my works, how fine and excellent they are! All that I created, I created for you. Reflect on this, and do not corrupt or desolate my world; for if you do, there will be no one to repair it after you." Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13 (sixth-eighth centuries)

Weekly Green Thought

"How can a person of flesh and blood follow God?...God, from the very beginning of creation, was occupied before all else with planting, as it is written, 'And first of all, the Eternal God planted a Garden in Eden.' Therefore...occupy yourselves first and foremost with planting." Leviticus Rabbah 25:3 (fifth-seventh centuries)