May 5, 2016

I write this column on Earth Weekend. It has been refreshing to be bombarded this week with ways to get out and enjoy nature, reconnect with our identity as creatures intricately connected to creation, and work to improve the environment. Enjoying creation and caring for earth are not just good things we should do as citizens of the planet, they are deeply connected to our faith – something that we often need reminded of.
Humans exist in a triune relationship with God and the world, and our identity is dependent on the goodness of both. We are creatures who worship our Creator and are sustained by creation. Not everyone likes to think of humans as mere creatures, but that is our spiritual identity. In Genesis, humans are formed from humus, revealing how intimately connected our creaturliness is to creation. Reclaiming this identity is not only necessary for the good of our planet, it is also essential to the connection of our souls to the soil from which we come.
By the time you read this, Earth Day, Earth Sunday and Earth Week will be long gone, and yet, let their message remind us that we are to live an Earth Life – reorienting our existence to the places that have given us life and continue to give our lives purpose. God’s first words to humankind, after all, are to care, till and keep the creation that we have been placed within (Genesis 1:28).
Peace,
Allison
PS – If you are looking for a way to reconnect with creation this summer, I encourage you to consider joining us for our church retreat, August 12-14. The retreat provides a surrounding of natural beauty, redwoods to walk among, and ocean views on your travels. The retreat provides a multitude of ways to reconnect with creation and reclaim our identity as creatures of our Divine Creator.