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A Lenten Journey into Self-Care and Earth-Care

“The Earth is the Lord’s and So Are We”

Margaret Atwood, Canadian cultural icon, says to talk of ‘climate’ change isn’t helpful and that we really should be talking about ‘the everything’ change. That’s because issues of the changing climate are already affecting so much in our world beside temperatures—sea levels, crop production, species extinction. Naomi Klein’s latest book, This Changes Everything, presents a comprehensive analysis of what we know about the on-going ‘climate debate’ and where we are heading.

All of this is relevant to us as stewards of God’s world. Klein argues that climate change is a civilizational wake-up call. We are faced with the task of changing the world — before the world changes so drastically that no one is safe. Self-Care and Earth-Care walk hand in hand as we consider our responsibility to live according to the principles of the Reign of God among us — something that we commit to as followers of Jesus. Since both are important aspects of Lenten observance, our first and last gatherings will be led by our Food for the Soul group.

Klein’s thesis is that climate change cannot be separated from global economics in our increasingly complex world. “How then shall we live?” is a key question for both self and global examination.

Tuesdays in Lent 7:30 pm

  • Sabbath Economics (March 17) as a social and economic model: Are we called to a ‘theology of simplicity’?
  • Labyrinth, Food for the Soul (March 24) Perhaps appropriately, on this final night, we will use the ancient spiritual resource of the Labyrinth to focus on where we feel God might be calling us individually to engage with protecting our environment.