As one who finds himself spending the preponderance of his time in a world of concrete, steel and glass, my appreciation for beauty - especially natural beauty - is increasing. Nature, art, and poetry help me recover a sense of the God-givenness of this world, the innate beauty and the sense of wonder and awe it evokes.
Poets say it best;
i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(e e cummings)
and Gerard Manley Hopkins, Jesuit priest:
Glory be to God for dappled things -
For skies of couple-colour ...
For rose-moles all in stipple
upon trout that swim..
It evokes our oldest theology, that of creation, the praise and gratitude it evokes, as well as the responsibility.
This week's message will continue our theme of "Faith and..." by focusing on the environment. The sermon will be anything but a political tirade, and instead, a careful exploration of our relationship to nature, the gift of it as well as the responsibility that comes with it. I've selected a brief passage that illustrates God's glory in creation.
You can read it here.
As always, our spirits will be caressed by exquisite music and other rich dimensions of worship.
Come, and bring a friend.
