Jenny Gee Reflects on our call as Christians to care for God’s creation

“The pure of heart see all things full of God. They see him in the firmament of heaven, in the moon walking in brightness, in the sun when he rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. … They see him ‘preparing rain for the earth,’ ‘and blessing the increase of it.’” – John Wesley

This is my favorite time of year. From mid-March to mid-April I start to walk through my yard and into my woods picking up any of the loose trash blown into the area through the winter. I sit for hours-on-end picking thousands of acorns that have settled among the stones on my patio and digging out hundreds of wayward oak seedlings from my garden beds. To some it might sound tedious. For me, it has become a form of prayer and a time of expressed gratitude. As we near the end of April, the tasks change and become more physical and more wonderful. The smell of the soil, the wiggle of the worms and the promise, hope and miracle of each little shoot coming through the ground. Each aspect of that springtime garden is a reminder of the generous, creative and amazing God we love and serve. It is also a reminder of our responsibility toward caring for all of creation.

The United Methodist Social Principles tell us it is our sacred calling to be responsible stewards of and to care for all of creation. We affirm that all creation belongs to God and is a manifestation of God’s goodness and providential care. Some may call creation care a ‘political issue’ and climate change a ‘partisan argument’ but our UMC Social Principles clearly state that we are to acknowledge that unsustainable human activities have placed the entirety of God’s creation in peril. And that our activities are causing the destruction of ecosystems through our overconsumption, short-sighted policies and the poor management of natural resources.

The Social Principles go on to identify ways that we can alter our actions so that we can create a positive impact on the environment. We can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, refrain from overconsumption, repurpose and recycle materials, reduce our personal carbon footprint and avoid purchasing and using products that harm the environment. While we have personal responsibilities to make changes within our homes, we must also act in community. As Christians, we have a responsibility to raise our voices to demand the development and enforcement of policies and practices that protect all of God’s creation.

How will you make changes to your day to day living to create a more just, healthy and hope-filled earth? It is the best way to show our gratitude toward our generous Creator. The City of Brecksville is celebrating Earth Day on April 27 (see the Determined Service page for more information.)

One day will not undo the damage we’ve done to God’s creation over decades. Earth Day simply reminds us that we must be advocates for the earth and be defenders of creation every day if our children and grandchildren will have a world that can sustain them. – submitted by Jenny Gee, Director of Education

Brecksville UMC is continually looking for ways to improve our commitment to environmental stewardship. Do you have ideas, or are you moved to start a new earth-friendly practice here? Reach out to Jenny at education@brecksvilleumc.com to chat about it!

Learn more about the United Methodist Social Principles and find more resources on our website: www.brecksvilleumc.com/CreationCare