Throughout Creationtide, 1st September - 4th October, there will be a daily posting of material to help us reflect on the various themes associated with this period in the Church’s year.
Credit NASA: Muir Glacier 1941/2004
The posts will incorporate the following themes:
- Glory of the Cosmos,
- Bible
- Earth’s Wonders
- Care of the Planet
- Meditation/ Prayer
- Praise & Adoration
- Jesus, the heart of it all
I hope you will find these notes, prayers, hymns and meditations helpful and that you will feel you want to call in on the site each day. You will be very welcome and as many of the items reflect the biggest challenge of our times (notwithstanding Covid 19), I hope you might encourage other like-minded people to join us on this 34 day pilgrimage.
As Mighty Glaciers Recede (Poem or hymn which can be sung to any 8.8.8.8 tune: suggested tune Grenoble (Awake, Awake, Fling off The Night))
As mighty glaciers recede
and leave great scars which cause alarm;
Be sure it is the rising heat
Of greenhouse gasses causing harm.
When coastal glaciers discharge
Their rapid melt, to chilly seas:
We know, that ocean levels will
Rise swiftly and inexorably.
By contrast, mountain glaciers
cause havoc through reduced cascades,
so downstream waters can’t suffice
to turn hydraulic turbine blades.
We need to switch from fossil fuels
To wind and wave and solar power:
Renewables already can
make all these risks a little lower.
For everyone who loves the earth
Clean energy must be the aim,
To strengthen hope the planet can
Be saved through this essential change.
The evidence of shrinking ice
invites all those who love the Lord -
Be stewards wise – and build up hope
of justice for the coastal poor.
For as such massive change takes place
The least resourced will bear the toll
Of harshness in the furious wake
Of worsening weather through the world.
* I would like to thank Professor Chris Stokes in the Geography Department at Durham University for his help in inspiring the idea of writing about glaciers and ensuring the accuracy of the scientific aspects of this poem/hymn: composed during my stay at St John’s College as Visiting Fellow for the term.
Other Care of The Planet poems, hymns and songs can be found on this blog HERE
You might also like to reflect on the internationality of the potential contribution towards the stewardship of the earth from the Christian church globally by spending ten minutes listening to one of the many versions of ’The Blessing’ which have been published during Lockdown times. Today’s choice comes from The Middle East
