A Message during The Season of Creation from The Stewardship of the Environment Committee
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Healing a Broken World
by Mark Gibson (Chair of the Diocese of Montreal Stewardship of the Environment Committee)
The risen Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on his followers…us…to fill us and empower us to be Jesus’ partners in growing God’s Kingdom on earth. We are stewards of this wonderful planet, and we recognize with sadness and repentance that in many ways we have done a poor job as stewards. As we repent, we change our ways, and we try to cooperate with the ecosystems God has given us, and to give thanks for the new technologies allowing us, for example, to conserve energy and shift to renewable energy sources.
We give thanks that God has given us everything we need; all we need to do is open our hearts to learn and to change.
As a small committee reporting to Synod and Diocesan Council, the Stewardship of the Environment Committee is currently focusing on enabling practical change by helping congregations and the diocese to become more energy efficient, thereby reducing our carbon footprint while also saving money. We are building partnerships with Concordia University’s Engineering Department, Dawson College and with the Green Churches Network to create tools to guide congregations towards proven equipment and grants for helping to fund them.
We are asking church leaders to highlight our efforts as they communicate the broader importance of addressing climate change, in the context of our Christian calling to be good stewards of God's creation. We encourage the members of our diocese to share the practical actions they are taking, and to reach out if they need assistance considering the options, whether for their parish or their own homes. Be sure to vote in a way which reflects your concern for the environment, and communicate that concern to the politicians you interact with, both before and after the election.
Finally, we are seeking parishes who would like to partner with us in becoming more energy efficient, as well as individuals who would like to join our committee.
May God’s Kingdom come, on earth as in heaven; may we each play our small or big parts in making that happen!
