Welcome to the
North Wiltshire Methodist Circuit
It is the time of year when
churches will be holding Harvest Festivals. A time of year to specifically give
God thanks for food, thanks for those who produce the food and now more frequently,
and I’d suggest more urgently, for Christians to think more about the planet
God has given to us.
Perhaps in years to come
people will talk about the summer of 2025 when we had many weeks, if not months,
of dry, warm, and at times hot, weather. Those of us of a certain age still
talk about the summer of 1976 because of the drought that year and water
rationing. That has happened in some places this year through hose pipe bans.
If you’re sceptical about
climate change, you’ll just see this summer as a glorious one. But perhaps like
me you are becoming more and more concerned about the way climate change is now
a climate emergency.
The 19th century
evangelist Dwight L Moody said
“I look upon the world as a
wrecked vessel. God has given me a lifeboat and said to me ‘Moody, save as many
souls as you can’”
Were we to accept Mr Moody’s
view, we’d think that the world is
doomed for destruction and therefore our main and urgent calling is only to
make more Christians.
As followers of Jesus, we
are called to make more followers. But Moody’s lifeboat analogy suggests that
those in the lifeboat should not be concerned about what’s going on around
them. And for me this isn’t the case.
In Genesis chapter 9 after
the great flood, God tells Noah that never again will the earth be destroyed by
God’s hands. God cares for what he has created, and he expects his children,
you and me, who are part of his creation to care for the world too. If I may
rewrite Dwight L Moody’s comment
“God has given us a lifeboat
in Jesus Christ but we need to concentrate on fixing the damaged vessel too”.
It is easy to be daunted by climate
change and think it’s an issue that has to be solved on a global scale. Whilst that
is true, I’m reminded of an African proverb which says
“Many small people, who in
many small places, do many small things, can alter the face of the world.”
As we give thanks for the
harvest each of us can reflect how we could do small things to make a
difference. We must start with prayer, seeking God’s guidance on how we, and
the churches to which we belong, can be custodians of God’s planet and be part of the new creation God is
bringing in through Christ Jesus.
David
Welcome to the
North Wiltshire Methodist Circuit
It is the time of year when churches will be holding Harvest Festivals. A time of year to specifically give God thanks for food, thanks for those who produce the food and now more frequently, and I’d suggest more urgently, for Christians to think more about the planet God has given to us.
Perhaps in years to come people will talk about the summer of 2025 when we had many weeks, if not months, of dry, warm, and at times hot, weather. Those of us of a certain age still talk about the summer of 1976 because of the drought that year and water rationing. That has happened in some places this year through hose pipe bans.
If you’re sceptical about climate change, you’ll just see this summer as a glorious one. But perhaps like me you are becoming more and more concerned about the way climate change is now a climate emergency.
The 19th century evangelist Dwight L Moody said
“I look upon the world as a wrecked vessel. God has given me a lifeboat and said to me ‘Moody, save as many souls as you can’”
Were we to accept Mr Moody’s view, we’d think that the world is doomed for destruction and therefore our main and urgent calling is only to make more Christians.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to make more followers. But Moody’s lifeboat analogy suggests that those in the lifeboat should not be concerned about what’s going on around them. And for me this isn’t the case.
In Genesis chapter 9 after the great flood, God tells Noah that never again will the earth be destroyed by God’s hands. God cares for what he has created, and he expects his children, you and me, who are part of his creation to care for the world too. If I may rewrite Dwight L Moody’s comment
“God has given us a lifeboat in Jesus Christ but we need to concentrate on fixing the damaged vessel too”.
It is easy to be daunted by climate change and think it’s an issue that has to be solved on a global scale. Whilst that is true, I’m reminded of an African proverb which says
“Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things, can alter the face of the world.”
As we give thanks for the harvest each of us can reflect how we could do small things to make a difference. We must start with prayer, seeking God’s guidance on how we, and the churches to which we belong, can be custodians of God’s planet and be part of the new creation God is bringing in through Christ Jesus.
David