Mardi Tindal

Fall 2009

Touch the earth lightly, use the earth gently
nourish the life of the world in our care:
gift of great wonder, ours to surrender,
trust for the children tomorrow will bear.

“Touch the Earth Lightly” (Voices United 307)

Greetings in our abundant life in Christ!

Fall in Canada is such an easy time to declare that God and God’s creation are good. Today, though, we know that not all is well in creation. Scientists, theologians, and Aboriginal and spiritual leaders from many traditions tell us that our hands are not touching the Earth lightly enough for the sake of life itself. We are leaving a large and damaging footprint. Instead of nourishing the life of the world, we are making our Earth and ourselves sick. Instead of caring for the Earth and taking only enough to survive, too many of us have plundered and exploited the Earth for the profit of a few.

We are at a critical moment, a kairos moment. And we have an opportunity now to take KAIROS actions such as signing the KYOTOplus petition. Through KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, The United Church of Canada joins with 10 other churches and church agencies in faithful action for justice and peace.

I told the 40th General Council that I believe God is calling us to the abundance that is possible when we gather as community and listen deeply to Spirit, to creation, and to one another. As David Hallman, former United Church staff, environmental consultant to the World Council of Churches, and a member of my Moderator’s Advisory Committee states in Spiritual Values for Earth Community (WCC Publications, 2000), we must live by spiritual values for a new sustainable and healthy Earth Community to take root. We must live out in our everyday lives

the sacredness of the earth, the place of the human species as an integral member of the broader life-system, and the need to respect life including that which has gone before and that which will come after.

(p. 8)

We follow Jesus, who challenged the death-dealing powers of the Roman Empire for the sake of life for all. As disciples, we too must challenge death-dealing societal policies and practices. I hope that you will join with other people of faith and civil society organizations by reading and considering the campaign material and KYOTOplus petition. Please submit the petition to KAIROS by November 30.

This petition calls on our federal government to take urgent action on the climate crisis. The international community is coming together in December 2009 in Copenhagen. At that time, Canada must make a commitment to targets that are in line with climate change science in order to minimize the impacts of climate change on communities here and abroad. Canada must also commit to living up to our Kyoto obligations.

I also invite you to an enlivening year of study, worship, and action on our mission theme—Living for the Earth: Choosing Creation over Empire. Check out the May 2009 special edition of Mandate and our website for Bible studies, workshops, stories, and worship resources. We’ll also keep you posted about actions to take in concert with Christians globally.

In my own life, living by such spiritual values is taking shape personally and communally, through renewed prayer and new behaviours for the life of creation. With others in my congregation, we have developed and are now living by a set of Green Policies to guide our communal life, worship, and witness—including practices for energy conservation, transportation, political action, and more.

The Youth Forum at the 40th General Council continues to inspire. They helped the Council leave a legacy of environmental care from that meeting, raising almost $16,000 to support Naramata Centre’s installation of solar panels. Larissa Kanhai (who is also on my advisory committee) mobilized members of her community to reduce their energy consumption enough to offset the carbon impact from travel for 60 commissioners!

At my installation as Moderator, I asked church members to help me eliminate my carbon footprint when undertaking necessary travel on your behalf. Will you be among those who help? Please let me know how by sending an e-mail. To help you make the necessary calculations, please see the resource “Creating a Climate for Justice” on the KAIROS website or the offset calculator on the Faith & the Common Good website.

Every time I choose to act differently, especially in concert with others, I have a deeper sense of living in the abundant life of Christ. My hope is that you have the same experience.

Yours in Christ,
Moderator Mardi Tindal

“Touch the Earth Lightly.” Words: Shirley Erena Murray ©1992 Hope Publishing Company. Used with permission.

David G. Hallman, Spiritual Values for Earth Community. Risk Book Series. Geneva: WCC Publications, 2000. Used with permission.