A PLACE TO STAND IN OUR NEW WORLD

A PLACE TO STAND

IN OUR NEW WORLD

NATALIE DUCHESNE | North Island Camps Facilitator, SUNZ

BREATHE... THIS IS WHAT OUR EARTH WAS DOING IN THE COUPLE OF MONTHS DURING LOCKDOWN; AS WE STOPPED DRIVING, AS THE OFFICES SHUT DOWN, AND AS THE FLIGHT PATHS OF PLANES WERE REDUCED. OUR EARTH COULD FINALLY BREATHE.

And how we marvelled at the difference! The smog of congested cities lifted to be able to simply see the radiant blue sky, or better yet the majestic Himalayan Mountains that had disappeared in the skyline for decades. Economy aside, our country post-lockdown is operating very similarly to what we recognise as ‘normal’. But there is an opportunity now (and, yes, it’s a challenge) to take our lockdown learnings to reframe our comfortable lifestyles. So why should we commit to change? Quite simply, we’re called by our Triune God to conserve Creation. This sentiment echoes throughout Scripture: from the clear instruction of stewardship in Genesis to more subtle nods to it in the New Testament as the Word comes to earth in the form of Jesus, inaugurating a new creation. Jesus is both gardener and teacher, bringing about the garden’s renewal and life into the dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14)… breathing life as intended from the beginning (Genesis 2:7). Made in His image, surely we have a part to play in working towards the new creation too. These are somewhat-abstract notions of environmental ethics and theology that we are mulling over in our camps ministry. But we’re also consistently seeing the significance of this conversation through the youth with whom we engage in a very real sense. By way of example, one of our North Island summer camp teams is exploring how they manage food and whether they should introduce more solely-vegetarian meals into the week’s meal plan. The number of vegetarian/vegan campers is noticeably increasing and the campers’ articulation of why they’re doing so (in reverence for Creation and its sustainability) is becoming more compelling. This is an encouraging example of intergenerational learning that prompts us to consider just how pivotal churches could be in fostering and incorporating, in a holistic sense, such learnings into the operation of church life. The Barna Group (a leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture) comments in a 2019 research paper that there has been a shift in young people’s thinking that we need to acknowledge. Many youth and young adults do not necessarily need to see Christianity as true anymore as much as they want to understand Christianity as good. This extends perhaps most pertinently to the social justice narrative of Scripture— the theological link between faithful stewardship of the earth’s resources is an ever-growing passion point for the younger generation. What are some practical out-workings of this theology though? There are many things we can do: reduce our plastic use (try a plasticfree month – it’s eye-opening!); write out our own theology of environmental impact to help collect our thoughts; support local businesses; encourage waste-free solutions; perhaps commit to a more intentional recycling system and go from there. It is the time to be proactive, and there are many resources out there to help. At the end of the day we can all do better, and it is good and right to desire to do so. My encouragement to you is not to be overwhelmed by where we need to get to, but delight in the journey of learning more, trialling new innovatively sustainable measures in your home and church settings, and picking up this conversation with those in your community… to delight in being a tool for God to bring about His new creation.

Natalie Duchesne is the SUNZ North Island Camps Facilitator and Team Leader of Sustain, a SUNZ & A Rocha NZ youth camp in October exploring how to contribute sustainably to the world around us, as well as how to sustain our relationship with God.

28SEP01OCT 2020 CAMP COLUMBA PUKERAU / SOUTHLAND

LACE UP YOUR BOOTS, PACK YOUR SUPPLIES AND SHARPEN YOUR SENSES TO JOIN US FOR AN EPIC ADVENTURE LIKE NO OTHER.

MATTHEW OUR TOUR GUIDE, WILL LEAD US THROUGH A MOUNTAIN OF OBSTACLES AND TALES FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS TO A SUMMIT VIEW THAT WILL ASTOUND. FOOD, FRIENDS AND FABULOUSLY FUN ADVENTURE FOR ALL ABILITIES.

WHO

KIDS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS YEARS 4 - 6

COST

$145 OR $125 EARLYBIRD IF PAID BEFORE 18 SEPTEMBER

CONTACT:

NIGEL WINDER 03 214 1834

REGISTER NOW AT PLEASE SUPAKIDZCAMPS.ORG.NZ