Live With Respect in Creation

North Channel, Georgian Bay


At 5:30 this morning I went out on the veranda to pick up my Globe and Mail. It was so balmy I had to check the temperature. Eight degrees. January 5th. 5:30 in the morning.

Front page headline: PM Charts a Greener Course. This refers to Stephen Harper's decision to "shoot the messenger," environment minister Rona Ambrose, and replace her with John Baird. For me this is a shuffle, not a change, at least until I see some substantive, practical u-turns in the government's approach to urgent environmental issues. It is a start, and a response to polls showing that the environment is the number-one issue for Canadians at the moment.

I'm glad that the environment is "heating up" on the agendas of all the political parties. During the last three federal elections I have encouraged parishioners to look at the environmental platform for the different parties and vote accordingly. That's what I have chosen to do.

In our United Church statement of faith there are the phrases "We believe in God: who has created and is creating" and "We are called...to live with respect in Creation."

This is the time.