Tuesday 8 September 2015

eco-discipleship communities in 2016: seeking expressions of interest



How many snow peas does it take to change a Christian?  Uniting Earth is working towards creating two exciting and unique opportunities for you to find out in 2016, but before we go any further we want to hear from people who would be interested.

One possibility is to spend the year in a communal house in Wauchope, attempting to live a “one planet” lifestyle together.  What does “living simply so that others may simply live” actually look and feel like?

The other is somewhere between a month and a semester, on an organic property just outside Bellingen, where you can live in your own tent, a shelter of your own construction, or share a giant communal shed.  This will be very basic living in one of the eco-aware centres of the Mid North Coast.

Both properties have large communal gardens to help you explore the links between food, faith, ecology and justice.  You will be well supported by mentors and experts in various fields, as well as contributing your own knowledge and experience.

People of good will aged 18-30, who are willing to work together courageously and compassionately, and engage with Jesus’ life and teachings as they do so, are invited to read more, and then express interest via http://unitingearthweb.org.au/oneearthcommunity

Monday 7 September 2015

"Humanity"- Season of Creation videos Sep 13


"Where are you?"

God asked this of Adam and Eve in their shame.  

Adi Mariana Waqa brought me up short when she wondered aloud whether this is what God is asking the church now, whilst "stepping inside the destruction and devastation that we have caused."

Where am I?  Where are you?

I'm in my own garden.  Sometimes.  Not often enough.  More weeds than vegetables.  More slugs than salad greens.

Where are you?  Where is your congregation in the midst of this devastation being wrought on God's garden?

Earlier in her sermon for Humanity Sunday in the Season of Creation, Mariana reflected on her stay with her farmer uncle in his garden in Fiji.  How does his garden connect to the Garden in Genesis 2?  How does Genesis 2 provide meaning for Genesis 1?

I highly encourage you to engage with Mariana's story of her transition from indifference to Creation, to realising that the salvation she professes in Jesus Christ must offer hope to the whole of Creation.

And if we find ourselves, like Adam and Eve, tempted to hide in shame when God comes knocking to see what we are doing to serve the garden, we can take hope from Maria William's children's story of the kangaroo paw, and the ever open offer to learn from our mistakes.

Don't miss these two great reflections: if you don't get the ProjectReconnect DVDs, you can get them free for download from UnitingEarth

Mariana is a 3rd year student at the United Theological College.  Her main academic interests include Old Testament studies, Oceanic hermeneutics, church history, Patristic theology and ethics/ecotheology.