Earth and all stars! Loud rushing planets! Sing to the Lord a new song! Hail, wind, and rain! Loud blowing snowstorm! Sing the Lord a new song! God has done marvelous things. I too sing praises with a new song! (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, #731)
This hymn has been a favorite of mine for a number of reasons.
One is that it has more exclamation points than any other hymn I can think of! (And I do like my exclamation points!!!!!!)
But another reason is that it calls attention and gives praise to parts of God’s creation that I don’t always think as marvelous…hail? wind? blowing snowstorms?
Earth Day is upon us this week, and as people of faith, we are reminded once again how we are called to be stewards of the earth and its resources. Our baptismal responsibilites affirmed at Confirmation spell out our responsibility to “care for others and the world God made.”
The ELCA offers this list of suggestions of how we might recognize Earth Day this year:
• Explore and use ELCA Care for Creation resources, including video, study and action guides with information about the Creation Care Ambassadors initiative. https://www.elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Social-Statements/Caring-for-Creation
• Read the Lutherans Restoring Creation story “5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day as Church Together but Apart.”
• Accept the ELCA Young Adults No Plastics for Lent challenge this Easter season.
• Participate in a local cleanup (with appropriate distancing) if permitted by local authorities, or participate in the Earth Challenge 2020 citizen scientist initiative, focused on plastic pollution and clean air.
• Join with the ELCA’s ecumenical partner Creation Justice Ministries in advocacy, education and prayer.
One more (very local) suggestion is to participate this Saturday in Faith’s Outdoor Garden Cleanup from 9am-Noon. Hope to see you there!
In Christ!
Pastor Jen