On Wednesday, I had to go out, but I had the privilege of deciding when I went.

So when I looked out, and it was raining, I decided to wait for the rain to pass. While I waited, I was thinking about the fact that not everyone has the privilege of making that choice. Those who are without shelter have limited choices. Those who use public transportation and are unprotected from the elements may not have this privilege.

God created all that exists – including the weather and in our intelligence and our arrogance, we have created the means by which to ignore God’s parameters. We created lights so we could stay awake at night, but then we decided that since we could stay awake, people should work during the night hours. And we created cars because they were more convenient than carriages, and they work in all temperatures and all weather. So we have to go to work in the rain and the snow in the frigid cold and brutal heat.

I just wonder if we have not done ourselves a disservice. And I wonder if we do a disservice to others by expecting others to work all sorts of hours to make our lives more…complete? So we can have what we want whenever we may want it? So we have the emergency care we need – yes. But have we bought the lie that we have to work on all days – in all conditions to make money for others?

As an older person, these are the things I’m beginning to think about. Who am I trying to please with my life?

Our scripture from Isaiah 40 is part of a poem of exilic hope written to the people of Judah during the Babylonian exile – People who felt hopeless and forgotten by God.

Here, the writer asserts that God is both creator and ruler of the world, who promised them a joyous return to their homeland & reminded them that they are not alone. God has not abandoned them, even if they were told this happened as a consequence of not following God’s laws. God was still active in the world and was with them – even if they don’t notice or feel God’s presence. Just as God is still active and present with us – even if we don’t notice or feel God’s presence.

In Matthew’s Gospel, John is criticizing those who are exploitative and self-serving. When the institution loses sight of the higher and greater good of all, we are in jeopardy. When we make money by causing another’s suffering, we have lost our way, and Matthew is very clear that there is a type of “hell” waiting for us whether it is described as “an unquenchable fire” or where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew uses that line six times in his gospel as he is clearly using fear and intimidation to encourage faithfulness. Personally, I am not fan!

BUT – When do we stop and consider how our living affects others? What have I done through my words? What have I done through my silence?

If I asked you right now to name a few people whom you see as exploitative and self-serving, you could at least give me your top three – if not many more! But as Matthew also says, “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? – Matthew 7:3

I don’t know about you, but those at the top of my list for exploitation and self-serving actions are hurting many more people than I think I do; however, this is a good reminder that I may not realize who all I affect by buying the cheapest items made in sweatshops by forced child labor. The reality is that we are terrified of not having enough power or enough money.

White Christian nationalism is about these trying to preserve these two things, and it will fail because God is about diversity.

Look at all that we have considered this summer there is diversity in everything God created!

So why do we think that only white men with money have the answers, especially while they try to hide their own sins! We are part of an ecosystem – and it only works when we all play by the rules.

And Jesus laid out the rules very simply: Love God – Love one another. Care about people other than yourself and your group!

When everything is shared, there is less poverty and crime because when everyone has what they need, there is less need to cheat and steal. We honor the natural and social world by caring for others and making sure others have what they need.

So, what do you want to be grain or chaff?

May it be so. Amen.
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In yesterday’s Come Sunday, I invited you to think of times when you experienced awe.

So I’m wondering what your thoughts are. What gave you a moment of awe? Psychologist Dacher Keltner writes. “Awe makes us curious rather than judgmental. It makes us collaborative. It makes us humble, sharing and altruistic. It quiets the ego so that you’re not thinking about yourself as much.” Keltner also names what he calls “The Eight Wonders of Life” which invoke awe:

• Moral beauty: Witnessing extraordinary kindness, courage, strength, or people overcoming great obstacles.
• Nature: Experiencing vast landscapes, towering trees, animals, or natural elements.
• Collective effervescence (collective movement): Feeling deep unity and shared rhythm with groups through dance, sports, or concerts.
• Music: Being moved by a favorite song, a live concert, or harmonious sounds.
• Visual design: Feeling stirred by human art, architecture, and creative structures like sculptures or vast buildings.
• Spirituality and religion: Encountering the sacred, mystical, or divine through meditation or faith.
• Life and death: Reflecting on the profound cycle of existence, from childbirth and new life to aging and loss.
• Epiphanies (big ideas): Having sudden intellectual breakthroughs, scientific realizations, or deep insights into life’s truths.

This is also the point of the Tikkun Olam story and our scriptures today.

They invite us to consider nature and all its beauty, but also the mystical nature of the universe. Consider what you know about the moon. As we have been to it, we know that it cannot easily sustain life on it.

Our scripture reminds us that the Jewish feast days are based on the lunar calendar, as is our Easter. We know the effect of the moon on the tides, and if you’ve ever been in the ER on a full moon, you know how much it affects people. Teachers can also attest to the effect of a full moon on the children.

This being said, have you ever taken time to look for the moon – to notice the different colors it can be or the size of it. The ancient people were just in awe of these things. They did not know what we do about the atmosphere. And the stars – they did not have the light pollution we have – so they could see so much more of them.

As the psalmist wrote, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – 121:1-2. They knew that sometimes you had to look higher and further to see the works of God.

And at the root of the Tikkun Olam story is the idea that God broke God’s self to create the world and we are called to be healing the world by recognizing the sacredness of all.

But we want a world that is predictable and ordered. We don’t like chaos, even though it is through chaos that everything was made. But we want control to prevent the chaos which we perceive as evil. When in reality, by resisting the chaos, we also limit our vulnerability. And by limiting our vulnerability, we also limit our joy.

Do you know what to do if a riptide takes you? Surrender – surrender and let it take its course and it will bring you back to the shore. So right now, I invite you to risk a bit of vulnerability with me and take off your shoes to feel the floor.

The energy of creation – of the earth – can come through the flooring. So give yourself some time to become grounded and listen to a story about awe. Imagine being at the beach. Imagine the feel of the cool, damp sand under your feet. See in your mind’s eye, the ocean with the tide coming roaring in and then quietly leaving again. Ahead of you on the beach, where the water has just been, is a toddler with very unsteady legs and a wet, sagging diaper, looking at the ocean, waiting for it to come back. The child’s parent is sitting some distance away, watching but trying not to interfere with the child’s experience.

As the next wave comes, the child runs towards the water but only deep enough to be above their knees. From the child’s perspective, these small waves are big things. The child knows they are with something VERY BIG. He turns and walks out of the water while it disappears back from where it came. And then he turns and runs again as if to meet the next wave. Notice how the child is feeling.

 Finally, the child flings their arms out and shouts at the ocean; an unintelligible but eloquent speech to the water, to the gulls, to the sand, to the world. Can you feel the nature of his awe? Can you join child in their pleasure? Can you live as wholehearted as the child?

May it be so. Amen.
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As we begin today, let’s start with a bit of Bible study, as some of you may have been surprised by the scripture choice of Sirach 42:15-22.

This book is part of what is called the Apocrypha, which, if included, comes between the Old & New Testaments and is viewed as an extension of the Hebrew Bible. Sirach, also known as The Wisdom of Ben Sira (meaning Son of Sirach), is known as wisdom literature like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and is written as a teacher’s guide to students.

It is known for encouraging “Fear of the Lord,” meaning observance of these teachings and the laws of Moses, because to the writer, keeping the laws guarantees God’s blessings. This is a poem of praise to God as the creator. What is striking to me is the level at which we are known to God according to this scripture.

“God explores both the Abyss and the human heart, and is intimate with them to their depths; God knows all things, and watches over the signs of the times. God declares the past and future and discloses the traces of things held in secret. Not a single thought is unnoticed by God, and not a word is hidden from God.“

Take a moment to consider that. Not a single thought is unnoticed by God.

As a teenager, I remember being told to never be in a position that would be embarrassing if Jesus showed up. Obviously, that was meant to put the “fear of God” in me!

But do you believe these statements? Do you believe that God knows everything? Omniscience? Since I believe that God is with all and in all, I do believe that God knows everything.

Do you believe that God declares the past and future?

As God knows everything, God knows the past. As for the future, I believe God knows infinite possibilities for the future. If you believe that God knows the future, then you believe in predestination, which follows the premise that God has already planned out everything that is to happen.

I don’t believe that God would plan for good people to suffer or plan for us to hurt each other in the horrible ways we do.

Do you believe God discloses what is held in secret? This question leads me to another: If so, to whom does God disclose the secret? The adage of “We are only as sick as our secrets” comes out of self-help programs and is repeated because of its truth.

I do believe that God has our best interests in mind, so encouraging us to be honest about our secrets with God and those who can be trusted not to hurt us with this information is helpful to us.

And it is at this point that I saw the connection to the work I have been doing with the Gestalt Pastoral Counseling.

Our bodies hold our shame and guilt as well as our minds and hearts. And our shame and guilt skew our perception as well as increasing our overall suffering.

But God is also able to heal us when we engage with God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit or whatever name you wish to use for the Divine. Unlike the government wanting to listen in on our private conversations, God listens and knows in order to bring healing, wholeness, and love.

So another question is: Do we trust God enough to be open to God’s healing?

Or do we gain something from our secrets or suffering? Yes, welcome down the “rabbit holes” of my thinking. In addition to reminding us of all that God did in creation, I think this scripture is another reminder that we are not God.

I believe the Jewish theory that there is a space within us where a sliver of God resides and our call as God’s creation is helping to mend the brokenness of the world. Our gospel reading invites us to consider what we do with the most precious thing we have–which, by the way, is meant to be the love of God that we know best through the life and teachings of Christ Jesus.

This begs the question: Do you consider the love of God to be your most precious thing?

If not, what then is more important to you? If so, what are you doing with it? How are you showing and sharing it?

The point of this scripture is that we are not to hide our faith or the love that we are so grateful to know. It is to be on the “lampstand” – obvious in the way we live our life – written on our faces by the way we encounter others. This has been taken by some to mean that one makes a show of it – asking others if they are “saved” or “if they know Jesus.”

I think God is looking for how we treat our neighbor, the stranger, the one in need. Are we willing to use our resources to make sure others have what they need?

This is at the heart of the Good Samaritan story. What does the love of God ask of us? Are we diligent in growing our faith through study, prayer and action?

May it be so. Amen.
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This season we looked at six stories of creation in the Bible and considered what we are to learn from each.

What I saw in these stories were these reminders:

1. We are not God – The sun does not rise or set on our command.
2. All of creation is sacred – every piece is worthy of our respect.
3. We are to care for the people and natural world as God would.

And if you’re thinking that we knew this, might I remind us that we haven’t always acted this way. And a scripture passage we may need to be reminded of is: “Pride comes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18.

Our Psalm for today is believed to be an Entrance Liturgy both for what it says and a larger pattern with the Psalms beginning with Psalm 15, which is also an entrance liturgy.

When we look at the structure of this psalm, we see three-parts:

V 1-2 – Declaring God as the Creator
V 3-6 – Liturgy for humanity to enter God’s holy space
V 7-10 Liturgy for God to meet us there

Of particular interest is that this psalm, although it calls for being “clean” and “pure,” is looking for moral cleanliness and purity to come before God rather than physical – which was the norm in the ancient world. It was issues with blood or disease that made one “unclean” and therefore, unable to enter the Temple.

The “pure heart” is not referring to emotions but to one’s state of will. Is one coming with the best intentions? Pause for a moment and consider why you came today. Because in my experience of church over my lifetime, people have come for many reasons that had nothing to do with God, including me in my younger years.

Our scripture from Genesis is near the end of the story, where we hear God remind us of all that God has done, and God’s proclamation that it was all very good! I hear this as God inviting us to be grateful for all God has given us.

And yet, as we discussed last week, in Genesis Ch. 3 we weren’t grateful –  we wanted more – we wanted what we felt we were denied.

Could this be pointing to our tendency to play the victim? Is this why some of us needed a Savior, different from God? Well, I must confess that I tend to feel like a victim. I learned it well growing up, and I have lived through some situations where it felt justified. However, I can’t get stuck there because then I am surviving rather than thriving. Rather than focus on what we don’t have or get, God wants us to consider all that we do – AND be grateful to God for it all!

We also tend to think that we have earned it, and give ourselves credit rather than God! This leaves us with inflated egos. There are always contemporary examples of this behavior!

So we are going to take a few minutes in silence to reflect on what we are truly grateful for. Try to think more deeply than we did during the Children’s Time. For what are you grateful in the deepest parts of your being?

I will begin by reading Psalm 46:10: “Be still – and know – that I am – God. Be still – and know – that I am. Be still – and know. Be still.”

So what are the things for which we are grateful? Anything different than before?

But what is even more challenging is to be grateful in challenging or even terrible circumstances.

For this, I leave you with the wisdom of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “I’ve had a remarkable life. I seem to be in such good places at the right time. You know, if you were to ask me to sum my life up in one word, gratitude.”

May it be so. Amen.
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I just finished reading a book called “The Night Watchman” by Louise Erdrich

Which is a historical fiction piece about the congressional 1953 “Termination Resolution” that made American Indians subject to the same laws and entitled them to the same privileges and responsibilities as other citizens. This all sounds very good; however, they already had citizenship, and what it did was take away their protections and their land. So these people who were already living in poverty, were now expected to move into the towns and cities and become assimilated. It took away their land and tried to take away their culture.

And why did we do this? Because they were not considered worth the cost of our support. We viewed them as “others” or “things” rather than people just as we have done with African-Americans and all of the non-white immigrant populations that have come to our country.

On this, the 250^th anniversary of our country, we need to admit that we have both a beautiful story to tell and many times failed to be our best selves. We brag about being a “melting pot,” but what we want is for everyone to conform to White Anglo-Saxon European Christian ways. And just to be clear, making someone out to be our enemy who we have the right to ‘rule’ is not new! It has been going on since the beginning of time. It is even described in our Holy Scriptures.                      

Today, as we consider these scriptures from Genesis and Proverbs, we are called to consider how we can become even slightly better rather than relenting that it is a helpless cause that others will just have to endure. Where, my friends, is the humility in that?

Now if you received the Come Sunday and read it, you are aware that there is a challenge in our scripture too. In Genesis 1, the pronouns used for God are plural – “Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness.” (v. 26, NRSV) This has been a point of contention for scholars over the centuries with no clear answer.

Please do not misinterpret what I am about to say; this does not provide a clear answer; however, it is interesting when read beside Proverbs 8. The plural pronouns could refer to God & Wisdom – another theory is that they refer to the Trinity – Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

Historically speaking, Genesis is believed to have been written and compiled between the tenth and sixth centuries before the Common Era, whereas Proverbs is believed to have been written in the sixth or later centuries BCE. Some scholars believe that the female characters described in Proverbs are remnants of ancient goddess worship within Israelite society. But what may be even more profound is that over the millennia God has not tired of us and our foolish, destructive ways.

Or as the writer of Hebrews says, “What are humans that you are mindful of them or mortals that you care for them? You have made them for a little while lower than the angels.” – Hebrews 2:6-7

If we include at this point what we know of the Genesis Ch. 2-3 stories, we will remember that God made a couple, but the couple was not able to follow the rules. They already showed their defiance by eating from the tree that was off-limits. They had everything, and yet, it was not enough!

This same truth applies today! Most of us have what we need and more, and yet we are SO afraid of losing it or not having enough that we demonize others and deport them out of our fear.

Our fear of losing something – Our fear of losing our power as the majority – Our fear of losing the ability to set the rules. And yet, we were created as part of God’s abundant creation with the ability to reproduce and prosper.

And in that scripture, what did we focus on? In the Revised Standard Version that some of you may have grown up with and the New Revised Standard Version, the word is “dominion.” The Inclusive Version used the word “responsible.” The Hebrew word means “to subdue,” so we realized God gave us authority over everything else – we were “King of the Mountain” and everything else had to submit to us.

But with this, we have forgotten that we did not create ourselves. We are all subject to God, the Divine, the Holy – or whatever name you wish to use – who created life. We were created to support and care for the rest of life with a respect for it.

It seems like the wisdom here is to have the humility to recognize our place in the grand order of things. But I wonder if wisdom has been replaced by our longing for power and control.

So I leave you with this question to reflect on: “Does what I do, or give, or offer, make any difference? Does it mean anything?” And a quote from distinguished environmentalist and academic, best known for his work in ecological design and sustainability education, Davis Orr: “The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind.”

May it be so. Amen.
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Last week I preached about the ground and humility and I felt that I got a dose of humility as that sermon did not flow like it normally does.

So I had to sit with why that was true, and maybe the reason is that I, too, have a difficult time believing that the ground we walk is sacred all the time, rather than just when a miracle occurs. Even though I look for God’s mysteries and graces in nature, I also take much of it for granted.

I wonder if this is why there are more creation stories in the Bible than the first two chapters of Genesis. Just as we needed four gospels to begin to understand who Jesus was, what he taught, and the difference he made to the world, we need multiple creation stories to remind us that this world is not just about us and what we want.

They remind us that we are a piece in the web of life that is God’s creation.

Psalm 104 reminds us to be grateful to God for all that is created, and to recognize that God is also the one who sustain us through it.

“All creatures depend on you to feed them at the proper time.” v.27 “Take away your breath – they die and return to dust.” V.29b

And how does God feed us at the proper time? By creating a system that creates more life, sustains it, and then, as it dies, creates new life in its place. Every plant and animal can reproduce not for itself but for the benefit of creation. The oak tree produces acorns, which can create other oak trees to supply needed shade on hot days as well as cleaning the air, but they also supply food for the rabbits and squirrels which supply food for larger creatures, including us.

The Genesis scripture gives a bit more detail on this process as we hear God command the Earth to produce vegetation – “Plants that scatter their own seeds and every kind of fruit tree that bears fruit.” In this, we see the abundant potential of God’s creation. The Earth’s vegetation will produce enough food for all its creatures – including us. And God saw that it was good!

But, we have always had a mindset of scarcity and never believed in the abundance of God. So, we have hoarded resources and are still trying to deny folks of food, water, shelter and safety. We are told that groups of people – Black, Brown, and Indigenous people, and the LGBTQ community are to blame for our pain rather than realizing that all people – regardless of who they are, where they live or how they live are created by the same God and are entitled to the same gifts of creation that we are. And for those who are struggling, we say their lack of hard work puts them there rather than acknowledging that we have created systems to protect the white, straight people out of our fear.

Metaphorically speaking, we too are God’s seeds with abundant potential to care for creation and all its creatures.

We were created to reproduce, care for each other, and the rest of creation. So I’m wondering what seeds within you do you nurture through your relationship with God? What are the “seeds” you plant with those around you? Within each of us is a call from God. That call wants to help us be the best version of ourselves. If we are struggling or hurting, God wants to heal us. If we are unsure of our way, God hopes we will listen for God’s guidance Which will lead us to abundant life now and for eternity.

Hear this quote from former President Jimmy Carter – “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. I’m free to choose what that something is, and the something I’ve chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands—this is not optional—my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”

This means the types of “seeds” he tried to plant with others – Seeds of patience, kindness, generosity, and faithfulness – Come to my mind when I think of him.

Yesterday we had our first booth at the Lancaster Pride festival, and we were planting seeds.

We were planting seeds with people who did not know us and were unsure what kind of church we were. The booth directly next to us reminded us that there are a lot of people with religious trauma, they were a counseling service that offered services for religious trauma.

In our booth, we had this beautiful mural that was designed and painted by Deklan, Monica, and Monica’s brother, which had the tree of life on it, but just the branches. We invited attendees to put something on the tree, and they did! Once this mural is finished, I hope you’ll take time to really read what people wrote. Because we asked them to share the ways they’ve been hurt, and some people did. We also asked them to write their hopes for the whole community, LGBTQIA+ and beyond.

I want to share with you just one interaction I had while I was there. A woman and her young child came up, and her child had just the biggest smile, so I said, “What a beautiful smile you have.” The mom then asked what our booth was doing, and I explained. She looked at me, a little concerned, and asked if her child could just color on one. I said, of course, so I handed him a flower, and he used his markers to decorate it. When he was done, I asked if I could put it up on the board for him. He ripped up his flower, and the mom looked scared. I just put out my hand and asked, “Would you like me to take the pieces?” To ease the mom’s mind, I said, “It’s okay, this is what this is about. It’s about making space for everyone, however they need to be here and express themselves.” I think she was afraid I would be angry that the child didn’t do it right. She thanked me because I knew they just needed some grace. So what if the child didn’t do it the way we planned? It’s about knowing that her child was accepted and that she was accepted and cared for.

That’s what PRIDE is about. That no matter who you are, you are a child of God. You are loved and worthy of God’s love and grace just as you are. We had a chance to make a difference in that mother and son’s lives, just in that short interaction. But hopefully, they got a different sense of the church. There was a different sense of the church in the parking lot, telling attendees they were going to hell for going to Pride and bringing their children to Pride. But inside, there were people, like us, who just offered them grace.

That’s who we are called to be, people who offer love and grace.

May it be so. Amen.
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Last weekend I graduated from the Foundations Training Course for Gestalt Pastoral Care that I have been taking this past year, and as part of that work we looked at our ancestry.

Many of my ancestors, both Celtic and German, were farmers. So, I shouldn’t be surprised that working the land, getting my fingers in the dirt and watching things grow, is “in my blood.” I know that both sets of my grandparents always had gardens and fresh produce was a normal part of life with them.

Today, I want to focus on the soil and what it means to work with it. Our scriptures for today reminded us that God created the earth.

This means it is sacred! It is holy! And when I work the earth, particularly when my hands are in the soil, I recognize that I am just a small piece in the ongoing story of God, the land, and humanity.

The Bible is rich with agricultural stories as the first peoples relied on the ground for all their food. Even in Jesus’ time, he used so many agricultural metaphors because that was what the people knew –that was what made sense to them.

When I work the land, I am also often barefoot. Yes, it means my feet get dirty – but there is something about being that close – that close to what is real and that close to what touches the inner parts of my being. You see, I am a panentheist, which is a big word that means that I believe God is in or with everything.

The land is not God, and God is not the land, but God is with the land, and the land is with God.

So when we work with the land, when we touch the ground with any part of our body, we are connecting with God through our bodies and the land.

A farmer, Forrest Pritchard, in his book Gaining Ground¹, described it this way: The soil…was soft and dark. I slid my fingers into the dirt, cupping a handful of earth to my nose. The aroma of the broken ground was profoundly rich, at once mysterious and inviting. In the depths of winter – with the pastures grazed low, the sycamores stark and leafless, the creek banks rimmed with ice, and the sky a gray blanket spread from mountaintop to mountaintop – here the earth abided. The soft warmth spoke to me saying, “I’m waiting now, but I will be ready. We are mutual participants, you and I, intertwined.” Indeed, the ground was waiting and now it is beginning to share it bounty.

The definition of soil is: the loose, dynamic layer of Earth’s surface consisting of a living, complex mixture of minerals, organic matter, gases, water, and microorganisms.

The living matter is a combination of worms and bacteria decaying plant and animal matter or humus – “of the ground or lowly.” Humus is where we get our spiritual discipline of humility – not thinking more highly of ourselves – recognizing that we are a small part in God’s great creation.

Humility is also a trait exhibited and valued by Jesus, who was known to lift up those considered to be “lowly” – who said, “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” (Mark 10:31) He also said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

Humility is not self-deprecation, but rather it is acknowledging what is real and true – as human beings, we are selfish and make many mistakes. In Paul’s words, “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15) So we acknowledge this and ask for God to remove our failings. Because the reality is: “It’s not about me!”

In April, the Board invited the Rev. Dr. Matt Lenahan to speak with us from The Wittel Farm Project in Elizabethtown which is part of The Lutheran Camping Corporation.

In his presentation, he encouraged us to create a land management program for Rader Park and the area around the main building. He also asked us a profound question: What does the land need? Which changes the conversation.

We have been looking at the ground, the land, and what could happen here as if it were ours. And yes, from a political position, we own the deed to it. But this is bigger than that conversation. This is about remembering that the land is God’s – it always has been and always will be – it is just ours to care for during this time. Before us the Brubaker family tended it. Before them, Native Americans tended it. And someone will tend it after us as those of us in the room will not be here forever.

So what does the “long view” look like? Remembering what it has been over the last centuries and what it could be over the next century. What does the land need so that it not only meets our needs but will meet the needs of generations to come?

May it be so. Amen.
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Today, we began with a scripture reading from Genesis 1, as I think this is the creation story most people know, and we will continue to use it as we also read other creation stories in the Bible.

But in this, we are reminded that water was an element in God’s creation, right after light, according to Genesis 1. We have already recognized the importance of water to life for us, other creatures, and the natural world. Knowing that water is a creation of God, how do we then consider water? Is it holy? How do we steward it – or care for it?

In 2014, we realized the importance of clean water with the water crisis in Flint, MI. But we have our own water issues in Lancaster County. In 2021, Penn State researchers found that 50% of our streams are impaired, primarily from agricultural runoff (fertilizers, sediment, and animal waste) as well as legacy contaminants from heavy industry along urban waterways. Brubaker Run, which travels through Rader Park, is on this list as is the Conestoga River, both of which eventually feed into the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.

This is one of the reasons we are connected to the Interfaith Partnership for the Chesapeake. On their website is a kit called “Faithful Lawn Care,” which includes a prayer that states: May the waters from this land flow clean and healthy to sustain all life downstream from me.

Although the stream, as we have encountered it in Rader Park, is healthy because it is home to many aquatic critters, we need to consider what chemicals we may be putting into it, even inadvertently, through what is used on the gardens and what we put on our grass to make sure it is “weed-free.”

Where should our priority be as a congregation that espouses being environmental stewards? Do we want to do anything differently? Do we want to encourage any of our neighbors to be mindful of what runs off their properties and into the stream?

Water is also an important component of my spiritual health. There is something about moving water that soothes me.

It can be the ocean, a babbling brook, or a flowing stream. Maybe the sound is similar to being in my mother’s womb before birth. I don’t know why, but I know it brings a peace that few other things are able to do. When I hear Jesus speak of “living water” in our gospel reading, I equate it with moving water. Water that moves is able to sustain life in and around it. Whereas stagnant water can become poisonous if it doesn’t change. Water without enough oxygen in it prohibits life.

Like Deklan’s sermon last week, I want to say that nothing good grows in stagnant water, except the lotus. But as much as living water helps us, we also try to control it. Raging water scares us, which is why we get a thrill kayaking through rapids. But if the water is a tidal surge from the ocean, we are truly terrified.

If we are honest, we have done things like create dams to provide both control and energy, without considering the effect on the rest of creation. We prefer to be in control of things, including water, and for far too long, we have understood some of the latter verses of Genesis 1 to mean that we can do whatever we want with the water, as it was taught that we have “dominion” over the water and everything else.

And we have let our selfishness and greed decide what we do with the water. We didn’t care who put what into the water until the 1970’s when we realized we were starting to poison ourselves.

Personally, I’m concerned that as the climate continues to change, there will be a shortage of water. It will become an element for which we attack one another. And we can begin to change that future by taking steps now to value the water and the Holy Spirit, which is present in the water too.

I just realized that I’m focused on the water because that is easier to talk about than the Holy Spirit – that which makes it “living water” in Jesus’ words.

But the Spirit is in the water just as it “blows where it will.” It is not to be controlled by any of us. It is here to be helpful to us – to encourage us – to remind us that we do not have to prove our worthiness – and to remind us to think of more than ourselves.

God’s creation is not all about us! God’s creation was made for the benefit of all – without exception!

So, how do we shift to be more aware of creation? In what ways is God calling us to be advocates for creation in our area? Jesus’ “living water” offers us new life. What are we willing to do in return?

May it be so. Amen.
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