Streams of Mercy

In a week of bracing for Tropical Storm Fred, with another storm, Grace, right behind it; in a week of continuing concern for wildfires raging throughout the west, and earthquakes at home and abroad, (even today in western North Carolina) speakers bring ‘code red’ and hope to the Presbyterians for Earth Care Conference.

The conference preacher, Dr. Neddy Astudillo of GreenFaith, spoke from Tampa, Fla, of the increase in tropical storms and the spike in hurricane activity the past several years. Bible study leader, Dr. Jonathan Moo of Whitworth University, spoke from Spokane, saying that if the group was gathered there, it would be hard to see or even stay outside due to the unprecedented wildfires in the region. Both leaders spoke of work to be done by Presbyterians in the climate crisis, work that must be done in hope.

Dr. Moo said, “We live in a time where, increasingly, it can be hard not to despair over the state of our Earth, over the state of our world. When I think about the century of mismanagement, how we did not listen to indigenous leaders who knew how already to care for the forest to let small fires burn, even to set fires, and then you lay over that a century of mismanagement with climate change, making our summers longer and hotter and drier, the human fingerprint on the state of our world is becoming impossible to ignore.”

According to Dr. Astudillo, “Code Red points to the fact that as a church we cannot continue speaking or singing of God in one way, and acting in society in another, in a way that puts life under threat, or else our songs are only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal … Code Red means that while we are in a diverse country and denomination with diverse languages, we need to recognize that climate change disproportionately impacts black and brown communities. So we need to make sure resources are available to all so that all that is served by the church in Christ’s name is made available in a way that all members of the church can partake, so no one is left behind, no blessing is lost in translation.”

Dr. Moo shared these words in closing his portion of the conference: At a time like this, we need biblical hope, rooted in Christ … One of Christ’s guiding points was that Creation is not the backdrop to the story of God and humanity. Rather, it is part of the story … We are called to love, to care for Creation, and for our human sisters and brothers together.”

We need groups like Presbyterians for Earth Care to remind us who we truly are.

Elizabeth