A Covenant for Climate Justice

PWRDF Worship Resource 2020

…and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

(The Revelation to John)

By Suzanne Rumsey, Public Engagement Coordinator

As I was working on the sample sermon for this worship resource, the media was filled with news and images about the wildfires in Australia. And so, as you will read, I began the sermon this way:

The images were apocalyptic. Australia burning; burning for months. In the state of New South Wales 72,000 volunteer firefighters – the largest volunteer firefighting force in the world – were under siege as they attempted to save people, animals and forests. In a January 7, 2020 CBC interview one “Firie,” as they are nicknamed, said, “Yeah mate, I’m an arborist… I’m usually up there climbing around in [trees] actually.”

On the wall of my cubicle at the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) there is another image, a photo, taken about twenty years ago on Haida Gwaii, the traditional and unceded territory of the Haida First Nation off the west coast of British Columbia. In it I am standing in an old growth forest at the foot of a very tall and very ancient cedar, gazing up into its canopy. Only the first 20 feet or so of that giant tree can be seen in the photo. I remember the quiet wonder I felt at being in its sacred, wise and ancient presence. That tree was likely there before settlers “discovered” Canada. I pray that it is still there and that it will be there long after I pass from this earth.

Two images of God’s Creation; of the Tree of Life. Two calls to “keep covenant” with God for climate justice.

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