Last week was the second Sunday of Season of Creation we are observing here at Koonung Heights. We extended the range of the theme “Immersed in Water” to go beyond the fresh water found in rivers, lakes, the Great Artesian Basin, creeks, dams … to cover the world’s oceans, where, actually, the vast majority of the world’s water is found. Around 97%, to be more precise, and this water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface. Kind of makes you wonder if Water, or Ocean, would be a more appropriate name for our planet. But we humans, being earth-dwelling creatures, have favoured the name Earth, and I can’t see it changing soon.

That was a shock to me; that only 3% of the world’s water is fresh! And it becomes even more critical when we realise that one quarter of the world’s population lacks safe access to fresh drinking water.

And we also focused on the point that our theme for Season of Creation is not just “Water” but “immersed in water”. This introduces the idea of action, gesture, even commitment. It is a similar idea to the sacrament of baptism where the power of the symbol is not just in the bread and wine itself but in the bread being broken for us, and the wine being poured out for us. And so we in the sacrament of Baptism are immersed in cleansing, yet drowning, waters and we rise to new life in Christ.

This Sunday we will continue our theme in what I am thinking will be the third and final service in our series. To be honest, I think I only have three watery-themed services in me! It will be wonderful to welcome Antony McMullen from Uniting World as our guest speaker. Antony will bring a perspective from the Pacific Ocean countries and churches that the Uniting Church is in partnership with.
Ray G