Dear ICA/OE Friends!

Happy Earth Day/Week!

Thanks for the Earth Day messages, poetry and Laudato Si music that have been posted this morning. 

Today I find myself both lamenting Earth's crisis and humanity's continuing complicity in its destruction and also celebrating Earth's beauty and its continually unfolding wonder--caught between bad Judeo/Christian Biblical interpretation/theology that spurred humanity to "dominate" the land and all that is in it through violence and extraction and also a vision that calls humanity to beat swords into plowshares and be midwives of a New Heaven and New Earth.

So related to Earth Day, I thought I would share . . .

Carleton and I coordinate the Earth Care Team at Second Presbyterian Church, where we attend.   To celebrate Earth Day, in addition to our morning service, we will be hosting an evening outdoor in person campfire s'more Earth Day Vesper Service.

-Attached:  a draft of the service, using Native American and Celtic motifs. 

-Below:

      -info about the vesper service with links to two songs that will be used;

      -a link to a blog by Carleton written for our presbytery's e-news for Earth Day;

      -Lyrics to song:  A NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH

APRIL 25 EARTH DAY CAMPFIRE/S'MORES IN-PERSON VESPER SERVICE

All are invited to Second Presbyterian Church's EARTH DAY VESPER SERVICE, Sunday, April 25, 6:00 PM in the church parking lot, hosted by the Earth Care Team.  We will be gathering around a "campfire", worshiping together, and then enjoying a time of fellowship and making s'mores.  Food and utensils will be provided.  Bring a chair, wear a mask, and practice social distancing.  Parking may be on the street or on the left side of the church parking lot, as you enter the lot.  Come celebrate the gift of God's Creation and our call to care for Earth and all that is in it.  All are invited to wear GREEN!

Vesper songs:

Let the Earth Breathe:

 2.15.21 Let the Earth Breathe.mp4

Now I Walk in Beauty:

Now I Walk In Beauty Libana- Fire Within - YouTube

Carleton's Earth Day blog.  He coordinates the presbytery's Earth Care Team. 

Earth Day 2021 - Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy (glpby.org)

 

                        A NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH

 

                        Who knows why the star lights the planet

                        Why creation stretches in vastness

                        Why so small a creature as I am

                        Meets and feels the wonder at hand.

 

                        Who knows what the wind whispers softly

                        What the land recalls from life’s dawning

                        What life’s goodness bids us now to choose

                        What new thing we’re given to do

 

                        Who knows where the Earth greets the rainbow

                        Where the river beckons to go

                        Where the road will lead us to enter

                        A new way that seeks no return

 

                        Who knows how the eagle wing soars so

                        How the mountain moves upon order

                        How the serpent laughs with the white dove

                        Bringing forth new beings filled with love

 

                        Who knows when the waves kiss the shore line

                        When sand castles shift to the sea

                        When new footprints christen the strange birth

                        Of a new heaven and new earth.

                                                                                     ejhs 

Have a great Earth Day/week!

Ellie  

elliestock@aol.com 

<EARTH DAY VESPER SERVICE. 4-25-2021, Second Presbyterian Church.docx>

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