Care for Creation

1. What impact has the pandemic had on how we sustain our earth?

One of the families’ initial reaction was about the conversations they had around supply chain during the height of COVID-19 when store supplies were low and it was difficult to get the boys’ favorite foods, so they were more careful about rationing and the boys were more aware about not having leftovers and talked about growing their own supply of vegetables, etc. So, for them, that was a lesson in sustainability and how, even in the current world of convenience, being self-sustainable can be a blessing.

‘We have good friends of ours who are growing lots of fruit and veg and they have chickens for eggs so they as a family are quite self-sufficient and our boys acknowledged the benefits of that during COVID-19.’

‘I think COVID-19 has changed the boys’ outlook in that they used to be quite wasteful (particularly with food) but now have changed and only take what they will eat and have become far less wasteful generally and are more aware of the impact of supply and demand.’

2. What plans can we put in place to care for creation during September 2020?

‘At our recent Families Connect in the ‘real’, we took photos of the children’s drawing the fruit of the plant they were going to plant - strawberries and tomatoes. This was a lesson about how we could promote the sustaining part of sustaining creation in September, by watching the growth and production of these plants we have sown, into a plant that would provide some sustenance.

Comments from the children: That they ‘prefer being back in the ‘real’ at the Cathedral, rather than Zooming, as it heightened their participation and being with other people.‘

As COVID-19 has changed our priorities, a verse from I Thessalonians 5:11, ‘Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing’, reminds us of the importance of keeping our connection with each other, especially during this Sustainable September!