“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it.”
~Psalm 24:1
Take a moment and think about this verse. What does it mean to say that the earth and everything in it belongs to God? Every person, place and thing, every plant and animal, every drop of water and grain of sand, every speck of dust, every atom – all of it belongs to God. That is quite a statement of faith!
Go ahead and memorize this verse. Tack it up on your refrigerator, write it on a postit note at work or on the bathroom mirror, put it by your computer or someplace where you will see it every day. This verse is going to be our theme for the fall. Starting on September 13 with our worship service and picnic in the park, we are going to explore what this verse means for how we live our lives as people of faith. On September 13, we highlight our Green Faith initiative and recognize our Green Team which has already been working hard through the summer toward our 2year certification as a Green Faith congregation. On September 20, we kick off our program year and return to two worship services with Church School and Adult education. Church School is also following a “green” theme for the year, starting with the creation story in Genesis and exploring other creation-oriented stories throughout the year. On September 27, we celebrate the faithful work of all the youth and adults who participated in the mission trips this summer and fall. Then during the month of October, we will explore what it means for us to live faithful, generous lives in light of this basic truth – all that we are and all that we have belong to God.
We are also inviting everyone to further engage this theme in your personal devotional lives by purchasing a copy of the book Earth Gospel: A Guide to Prayer for God’s Creation by Sam Hamilton-Poore. Hamilton-Poore is a PC(USA) minister, spiritual director and professor at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He has put together a wonderful collection of prayers, hymns and writings that span the globe and the centuries. It is organized into a 4week cycle of morning, midday and evening devotions that is easy to follow and adapt to your schedule. Books are available for $7 in the office and after worship services. Join us as we pray for God’s creation and deepen our understanding and appreciation of it as both a blessing and sacred trust from our Creator.
See you in church!
~Tami