April 2015
ALDERSGATE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Inside this issue:
Birthdays 2 WNL Menus 2 Parents Night Out 3 Family Prayer Brunch 3 Women’s Circle 3 Children’s Sunday School 4 Vacation Bible School 4 Adult Classes 5 Sunday Worship 6 Back Pack Program 7 Stop Hunger Now 7 Drive Thru Prayer 8 Food Pantry 8 Music Ministry 9 Worship Wonderings 10 Guatemala Sewing Mission 11 Lay Servant Ministries 12 Children’s Chrismon Project 12 Thank you 13 Meals on Wheels 13 Nursery/Acolyte/ Altar Guild/Trustees 14 Multiplying Our Gifts 15 On Line Giving 15 Lay Assistants 16
Experience “TAKE CHARGE! BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY LIVING THING…” As many of you know, I have recently returned from a trip to Costa Rica with students and staff from Carrington Middle School. The focus of the trip was environmental sustainability, which is something I knew very little about. Truth be told, I went because I thought it would be great to share an adventure with my daughter Olivia on a school sponsored trip. We were blessed to have a wonderful time together. Costa Rica is a beautiful country with amazing beaches and mountains, and abundant flora and fauna. Although Costa Rica only takes up 0.3% of the land area of the earth, it has 5% of the biodiversity. Costa Rica recognizes its unique place on our planet and has tried to preserve its natural beauty. 25% of the country is in a protected national park and the country hopes to be carbon neutral by the year 2020. During the trip we heard a speech by world-renowned conservationist Jane Goodall, who is most famous for her study of chimpanzees in Africa. We were then split into teams to try and work on problems that would lead to solutions for some of the problems that plague our environment. (My team created an app for your smartphone that would help you make the “greenest” choices at
the grocery store. Olivia’s team created a trash can with a sensor that would automatically sort out the recyclables from the rest of your garbage when you go to throw your tray away at a fast food restaurant.) Much of the week was spent exploring different ecosystems and enjoying the beauty of Costa Rica. The week concluded with the planting of 294 mangrove trees along a river close to the Pacific Ocean. Apparently, mangroves take more carbon dioxide out of the air than other plants and produce more oxygen than other plants. They are really helpful plants. Who knew? Sounds like a great trip, right? But what does any of this have to do with the church? I’m so glad you asked that question! The trip wasn’t a mission trip; but it sure did feel like it. As a Christian, I see things through a different lens than the rest of the world sees things. No one on the trip invoked the creation story from Genesis or used one of the Psalms to speak about the magnificent creative powers of God. But I saw God in everything that we did. I also believed we were carrying out a God-given commandment. In fact, this com-
mandment is a biggie; but I’m not sure the church sees it that way. We’ve nearly ignored it. I’m talking about Genesis 1:28. It is the very first commandment that God gives to people after telling us to ‘Be fruitful and multiply.” God then says, “replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” That’s from the King James Version. The Message puts it like this, “Take charge! Be responsible for every living thing…” I think some people see those words “subdue” and “dominion” and think we are supposed to use up these resources that God gave us. That’s not what these words mean at all. If I were to give you dominion over my car I would not want you to be reckless with it. I would want you to take good care of it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be showing me much respect. I don’t want you to dominate my things. I would want you to care for them as if they were part of your dominion, part of your kingdom. What it really means is that we are supposed to care for the natural resources in the world. The words “replenish” and “responsible” above speak to this.