Hope
Welcome to this final session. This week we are going to ask where and how we can find hope amidst the challenge and devastation of the climate emergency. Hope is central to our Christian faith, we believe, and frequently declare, that
“the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”
(John 1:5)
Consciously, intentionally, living as a people of hope can be understood as a key aspect of the Church’s mission in the life of the world today.
Tom Wright, in his book “Surprised by Hope” says:
“...left to ourselves we lapse into a kind of collusion with entrophy, acquiescing in the general belief that things may be getting worse but that there's nothing much we can do about them. And we are wrong. Our task in the present...is to live as resurrection people in between Easter and the final day, with our Christian life, corporate and individual, in both worship and mission, as a sign of the first and a foretaste of the second.”
You might like to keep this in mind during our discussions today.
We’re going to start this session with a prayer from John Birch:
We are born in hope
Raised in hope
Nurtured in hope
Loved in hope
Comforted in hope
Suffer in hope
Endure in hope
Overcome in hope
Hope in the One who has endured all things that we might know freedom.
Hope in the One who has given us his Spirit that we might have power.
Hope in the One who has loved us beyond death that we might have life.
Hope in the One who prepares a place for us that we might share eternity with him.
For hope that endures, we thank you Lord.
The burden I carry always seem lighter when I’m holding your hand.
Amen.
Last time we thought about the actions that we might take, in spite of the scale of the problems, and the response they require seeming to be beyond us. Hope helps us to keep going with these actions, and encourages us to take new action, even when the changes we’re working for seem incredibly slow to come to fruition.
We’re going to watch this short video of Katharine Hayhoe, a Christian climate scientist in which she shares what gives her hope in the context of the climate emergency.
Question 1: Katharine shared these survey results, which of these do you also have hope in and why? Do you take hope from anything else that isn’t in the list?
We’re going to look at two Bible readings:
Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 (NRSV)
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
Luke 10:25-28 (NRSV)
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
“The one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere. So instead of looking for hope, look for action. Then, and only then, hope will come.”
Greta Thunberg
Question 2: What are the actions (of other people) at a local, national or global level, that give you hope?
We’re now going to watch a short video from Christian Aid.
Question 3: What actions are you taking, or might take, that give others hope about the climate emergency?
Now watch this video, which may be familiar:
Spend a short time in silence now to reflect on where our hope lies and how that influences what we do …
… and then listen to this song:
A final prayer to end this session and this series of sessions:
May each day be a day of hope, of expectation, and relishing each moment as a gift from you.
May each day be a day of joy, of breaking free and loosening the shackles that are binding us.
May each day be a day of peace, and healing, knowing our lives are always in your hand.
May each day be a day of love and blessing, living as children of a living God.
God of the journey,
the light by which we see,
the comfort when we stumble,
the word that lifts our hearts,
the footsteps we shall follow,
be our companion through this day and all the days ahead.
Grant us, Loving God, listening ears, eyes that see, willing hands, humble hearts, words that speak, faith that stands.
Help us, Gracious God, to be all that you created us to be. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
John Birch (alt.)