Creation Care Course Week 5
Let the waters teem with living creatures and let the birds fly
This week we discuss how we can respond to some big issues facing us linked to the depletion of our wildlife, especially sea creatures and birds. God created and loves animals. Do we always care for them as we should?
Optional preparation reading
‘Saying Yes to Life’ book, Chapter 5
Welcome back to week 1 – opening questions
How has the series opened discussions at home with our children or among younger friends and family?
How are we doing taking our reusable coffee cups to church and when we meet friends for coffee in town?
Bible reading selected from
Genesis 1: 20-25
Jeremiah 4: 23-25
Isaiah 40: 28-31
Matthew 23: 37
Optional video viewing
Your group may watch these in advance of meeting to allow more discussion time:
Saying Yes to Life Resources – Ruth Valerio in conversation with Professor Meric Srokosz from the National Oceanography Centre
Film four: What we can do as a church - Tearfund – Katharine Heyhoe
Blue Planet II Plastic Pollution Awareness 2018 - short version – David Attenborough
Video discussion and questions
Our discussion this week will take us into how human action is impacting sea life and we consider how we can respond to this. We also think about how we can encourage more members to act in community to talk more about climate change and to take action to tackle climate change.
Your leader may also email you some specific questions to consider in advance of the session.
Reflection and prayer
Close by reflecting on how we can support our youth teams and the younger members of our families and church to learn more about caring for God’s creatures in the sky and the seas.
“There is no question that climate change is happening; the only arguable point is what part humans are playing in it.”
– David Attenborough
Actions and ambitions planner – How can I support the teeming of living creatures in the sea and sky?
Short Term – ‘To Do’ List
Pray and ask God to fill you with compassion and vision for your personal life changes
Find the home waste audit you did a couple of weeks ago – how much was single use plastic? List items that create plastic waste and rethink purchasing decisions to reduce or avoid them in future e.g. eliminating plastic dispensers, switching to soap from handwash
Set up an inter-generational conversation between friends and family who lived on wartime rations and before plastic was relied upon to understand ‘how they created much less waste’?
Sign the Rubbish Campaign petition - Tearfund
Talk to the wider family about how to have a single use plastic (SUP) free Christmas
Is the fish and seafood that you purchase responsibly sourced? Look for fish that has the Marine Stewardship Councils blue fish label, to certify sustainable fisheries
Medium Term – ‘To Do Later’ List
Join or set up a beach clean-up? West Wight –a regular event as part of the worship activities?
Ask your supermarket about stocking more responsibly sourced fish with the MSC blue label
Buy less single use plastic – check on the package for recycling options before you purchase
Invest in reusable beeswax food covers to replace cling film
In case you missed this in Week 4; check out Terracycle for local or free return schemes
Look at ways to make your garden more bird friendly!
Find projects to track and protect endangered plants and bird species. Maybe set up the Zooniverse app on your smartphone
Longer Term – ‘To think about’ List
Pray and ask God to fill you with vision and prophetic words for ways for Kerith as community to get more deeply involved in the care for creation
Enhance your knowledge of climate change and justice or poverty reduction, e.g. sign up to The Guardian newspaper’s weekly environment email or to regular newsletters from A Rocha or the World Bank website for up to date information