“Our greatest intergenerational obligation, then, is to sustain love, for so we prepare future generations to judge us and, we hope, to forgive us.” –
“More science and technology are not going to get us out of the present ecological crisis until we find a new religion, or rethink our old one.”
“The Earth is sufficient for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.”
I don’t fly much, but I recently took a quick trip to California to visit my son who is out there for the summer. A highlight of the visit was going to Muir Woods to see redwoods. What powerful, gorgeous trees and what a sacred place! There was a cut cross-section of one tree that showed time as tree rings. The tree was born in 909 A.D. There were rings when the cliff dwellings were built, the Aztecs began construction of Tenochitlan in Mexico, Columbus sailed to America, when Jamestown VA was established by English colonists, the Declaration of Independence was signed, the CA gold rush began, and the Muir Woods park was established in 1908. Such ancient beings evoke awe.
In some spots, there were rings of redwoods. This is because a mother tree would have saplings sprouting around her trunk, and when she died the saplings would find the sun and start growing up in a ring- circles of new beings emerging from and carrying on new life. With redwoods this process takes centuries but these circles sustain life in nature, as small circles of people can sustain love in human spiritual communities.
As some of you know, last spring I invited folks to respond to a survey about their concerns, experiences, “theological” language, preferred rituals or services, habits, hobbies, and practices regarding nature, caring for the earth or eco-justice efforts. Many thanks to all who answered! Reading through your answers this summer and interviewing some of you has confirmed for me that we are such a diverse, caring, thoughtful, engaged group of UUs. In some ways, I believe we are rethinking- and perhaps creating- a new religion together- one the world needs, a religion concerned with sustaining love and figuring out how to live in ways so our earth is enough for everyone’s needs, for all beings… even redwood trees.
Yours in faith,
Rev. Lee