3rd July-Climate Sunday

Theme from Galatians 6:7-10 – we reap what we sow, and let us not grow weary in doing good.  
​This worship at home version of this Climate Sunday Service has been prepared for you by Rev Christine Fox.

A time of mutual encouragement in ‘doing good’ for our earth, and raising awareness of the effects of our actions, inspire us in our climate action, with their aim to use growing as a visible sign of a kinder connected community.

Call to worship 
A prayer of praise from Psalm 66:1-5 – 
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.’[a]
5 Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!

Song StF 82 ​How Great Thou Art (O Lord my God, When I in Awesome Wonder - 3vv) Sung at Spring Harvest

Introduction to Climate Sunday
In regard to the climate - Actions have consequences….burning fossil fuels –coal, oil petrol gas diesel takes the carbon out of the ground so increasing the carbon in the atmosphere – too much carbon dioxide makes a blanket around the earth with other greenhouse gases – global warming melting ice caps, change in climate  - flooding people’s land, crops are affected… increasing food prices.

 Yes we reap what we sow..
​
Someone reminded me this week of the well-known saying – do to others as you would have them do to you – Though Jesus used these words, they are the Golden rule that appears in other religions too. Kindness is the life-giving attitude that builds up all people and communities, and our earth. 
Today I hope we can encourage each other to be kind through our actions that have wider impacts than we sometimes think.

Galatians 6:7-10  The Message
7-8 Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, they will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All they’ll have to show for their life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
9-10 So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith

Song StF687 One human family God has made, 

Your thoughts on the Bible passage? Galatians 6:7-10 –
a) We reap what we sow,  -how do we see that in our own lives? (positive and negative)
How do we see that regarding climate change?
​
b) ‘and let us not grow weary in doing good’ – how can we encourage each other?

Message : Revd Christine Fox

​To find out more about 'Incredible Edible' go to the Eco-Church page here.

Song StF 693 beauty for brokenness

Intercession prayers – prayer by Jon Swales 
Creator God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You created a world of wonder, And declared it to be good. 
Father of Creation, God of Compassion, The earth was formless and void, And you spoke, And life came into being. Trees and plants were raised from the earth, You formed man out of the dust of the ground. The soil and mud Participate in your creative act. And you declared it to be good. And we declare it to be good. For our lives are inexplicably linked with the life of the soil. 

From the riches of soil, Crops, vegetables, and fruit grow, which sustain life, of both human and non-human worshippers. Soil is our life support system, For this, we give you praise. Soil provides anchorage for roots, For this, we give you praise. Soil holds water and nutrients, For this, we give you praise. Soils are home to a myriad of microorganisms, And an army of microscopic animals, For this, we give you praise. 

In this time of climate breakdown, The soil is our ally, Our friend, Providing a vital role in the earth's interconnected ecosystem. We praise you for fertile soil, From which a symphony of praise grows and is given voice. 
Father of Creation, God of Compassion, We have moved East of Eden, We are Homesick Exiles, Creation Groans, The Soil is Dying. We have betrayed our friend, And may well reap what we have sown. We have opened the door to the sin of ecological violence, And it has overwhelmed us. Through the greed of exploitation, The fertile earth is being degraded, polluted and acidified. 

We lament that 12 million hectares of once fertile land is lost every year to desertification and drought. We lament that an increase in degraded soil will likely affect food production. We lament for when we have chosen quick profits instead of sustainable agriculture. We lament the use of certain types of pesticides which bring increased yields for the moment but, in the long-term, makes the soil incapable of sustaining life. We hold before God now all peoples whose land is damaged through war, especially Ukraine, and all who struggle to feed their families.

Father of Creation, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Your son walked this land of soil and dust, And dreamed a dream of a different world, A Kingdom in which the hungry are fed and the humble are lifted high. May we too, who walk this earth, Tread lightly upon the soil, And, like your Son, May we be Kingdom people, Who Dream, And Act, Who Tend and Keep, Guard and Protect, Plant and Harvest, Sustain and Develop This world that you have made. 

May our hearts, as fertile soil, Be the place from which the fruits of the Spirit grow, May we, like Jesus, feed the hungry, And care about the soil from which our food comes. In all areas of life, may we point to the Father of Creation, who loves all that he has made including all those we love.

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You created a world of wonder, And declared it to be good. To you be all praise, honour and glory. Amen

The Lord’s prayer:-
Our Father….

Song StF 411 May the God of hope go with us every day

Blessing
Go, in the name of Jesus, the Source of all love and kindness, to sow good seeds that will produce a wonderful harvest. 
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. 
Amen.

To find out more about 'Incredible Edible' go to the Eco-Church page here.