Greetings,

During the week some of us have been gathering for the Seasons of Creation Bible Study. This week there was recognition that as a community we don’t find it easy to lament. We are not comfortable expressing grief and sorrow at how things are, and to recognise our part in this. There is a need to speak truth to the reality of the state of our Earth, including how we have contributed to this, so that we might take seriously our call to change our habits and become part of the solution.

‘Hear the song of our lament, we grieve a dry and broken land, hearts have turned from your intent and earth is ravaged by our hand.’  These are the opening words of a song by Keiko Ying. It is the words of the chorus that are hope filled. As the singer cries out ‘renew us, restore us, have mercy on us Lord’, hope lies in the belief that the God who calls us beloved, longs to bring restoration and renewal for all of Creation, and we are a part of that.

While we need to lament, let us also hold on to the hope of restoration and renewal that is ours through the God-one who came to dwell with us.

Blessings – Heather Hon (she/her)