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For decades we have consumed resources as if they are inexhaustible, as if the world is ours, rather than a precious gift from God. Now we see the consequences of our choices - we know that this cannot go on.
You and I are here by the creative and loving act of God and that same loving God has given us stewardship over His remarkable and beautiful world. In Green Month at St Mary’s we’ll be looking together at how we respond as a church community, as a city and as a global village! |
Session 1: Caretakers of the Earth
Bible Readings:
John 1:14-18; The Word Became Flesh
Romans 8:18-27; Creation groans but the Holy Spirit intercedes!
Also: John 9:1-12; Phil 2:1-8; Genesis 1&2
The New Testament writers have much to teach us about the world that we live in, where it came from, who sustains it, and where it is going; what it means to live on the earth as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. As we investigate the overarching New Testament themes of Creation, Incarnation, Falling and Re-creation, we discover the “good news” of salvation is connected to the well-being of the cosmos and the natural world - it proclaims the message of God’s saving purposes for all of God’s creation.
Bible Readings:
John 1:14-18; The Word Became Flesh
Romans 8:18-27; Creation groans but the Holy Spirit intercedes!
Also: John 9:1-12; Phil 2:1-8; Genesis 1&2
The New Testament writers have much to teach us about the world that we live in, where it came from, who sustains it, and where it is going; what it means to live on the earth as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. As we investigate the overarching New Testament themes of Creation, Incarnation, Falling and Re-creation, we discover the “good news” of salvation is connected to the well-being of the cosmos and the natural world - it proclaims the message of God’s saving purposes for all of God’s creation.
| green_month_1.pdf |
| Green Month 1 - Chris Hill - 29.09.19.mp3 |
Session 2: The Global Vineyard
Bible Readings:
Mark 12: 1-12; The Parable of the Tenants
Psalm 24: 1-6; The Earth is the Lord’s
In Psalm 24 we hear this unequivocal assertion: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” … Not just the church, the whole earth … actually the whole cosmos, including planet Earth; it’s all God’s. It’s all God’s vineyard; it all belongs to God. And if we think about God’s vineyard as at least as big as the earth, the obvious question raised by Jesus’ parable is this: How have we treated all that God has entrusted into our care? … Do we remember that all creation is God’s holy vineyard? That the land, sea and air and all life are from
God? Do we treat all creation as holy and precious because God is the source and sustainer of all that exists? … Or like the tenants in the story, do we start to think and act like the vineyard— creation, land, sea, air, all life - belongs to us to be used and used up however we darn well please; that’s it ours to trash and ours to burn. …
Bible Readings:
Mark 12: 1-12; The Parable of the Tenants
Psalm 24: 1-6; The Earth is the Lord’s
In Psalm 24 we hear this unequivocal assertion: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” … Not just the church, the whole earth … actually the whole cosmos, including planet Earth; it’s all God’s. It’s all God’s vineyard; it all belongs to God. And if we think about God’s vineyard as at least as big as the earth, the obvious question raised by Jesus’ parable is this: How have we treated all that God has entrusted into our care? … Do we remember that all creation is God’s holy vineyard? That the land, sea and air and all life are from
God? Do we treat all creation as holy and precious because God is the source and sustainer of all that exists? … Or like the tenants in the story, do we start to think and act like the vineyard— creation, land, sea, air, all life - belongs to us to be used and used up however we darn well please; that’s it ours to trash and ours to burn. …
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All Age Worship:
The talk for Green Month 2 at the 10.30am All-Age Worship is in three parts, listen with the slide show below!
The talk for Green Month 2 at the 10.30am All-Age Worship is in three parts, listen with the slide show below!
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Session 3: The River of Life
Bible Readings:
John 20: 19-31; Doubting Thomas
Revelation 22:1-2; River of Life
Psalm 72: 1-19; Fills the whole earth with His glory
“And the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:1-2
Our job is to be healed, formed and reformed by God; as clay in the potter’s hands. To imbibe and express God’s values. Conduct flows from character and our character is formed as we place ourselves at the feet of Jesus. Ecological theology leads us to ask not “What do we need to do?” but rather “Who do we need to be?”
Bible Readings:
John 20: 19-31; Doubting Thomas
Revelation 22:1-2; River of Life
Psalm 72: 1-19; Fills the whole earth with His glory
“And the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:1-2
Our job is to be healed, formed and reformed by God; as clay in the potter’s hands. To imbibe and express God’s values. Conduct flows from character and our character is formed as we place ourselves at the feet of Jesus. Ecological theology leads us to ask not “What do we need to do?” but rather “Who do we need to be?”
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