Midhurst church hosts creation care service

Dozens of Anglicans from across the diocese converged at St. Paul, Midhurst on Sept. 20 for the diocese’s second annual Season of Creation service. While the congregation came largely from the local Nottawasaga Deanery, others came from as far afield as Unionville, Peterborough and Toronto. Clergy from the South Georgian Bay regional ministry and members of the Bishop’s Committee on Creation Care took part in the service.

The service was put together by St. Paul’s incumbent, the Rev. Andrew Kuhl, in consultation with members of the bishop’s committee. The liturgy drew on diverse sources from around the Anglican Communion. There was a litany for the preservation of the environment from the Anglican Church of Kenya, a prayer of confession from The Episcopal Church, an absolution from Alongside Hope’s Season of Creation liturgy, and a Eucharistic prayer from the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil.

Continuing with the Communion-wide theme, Mr. Kuhl’s sermon was organized around the three mission statements of the Communion Forest initiative: “To plant is to hope; to restore is to heal; to protect is to love.” For each statement, he gave examples of forest regeneration, restoration and ecosystem protection in Ontario, some of which were within the parish itself. One of these examples was the work of the local Copeland Forest Friends Association, which helps to manage the largest tract of forest in Ontario south of Algonquin Park, removing invasive species, restoring the natural flow of streams, and clearing debris from this spring’s devastating ice storm. Members of the association were in the congregation

“A forest is not just a collection of trees in a certain geographical space, but a complex web of interdependent relationships for mutual flourishing – a web which includes us,” Mr. Kuhl remarked. He noted that the Bible recognizes the agency of the non-human creation. Not only do we care for forests and other ecosystems, but they also care for us in their turn, providing fresh air, clean water, food, medicine, shelter, and, not least, places of recreation and contemplation.

In Isaiah 32:14-18, this year’s text for the global Season of Creation, the judgement that comes upon Israel is a “re-wilding”: the palace is forsaken, the populous city deserted, and the hill and watchtower become dens for wildlife, the joy of wild asses and a pasture for flocks. When God’s spirit is poured out, “the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest” where justice and righteousness dwell.

“Through the Spirit of God, people learn to live in right relationship with all creation,” observed Mr. Kuhl, recalling that God’s love and salvation in Christ is for the entire cosmos. Challenging us to take up the call of the Communion Forest initiative, he noted that “hope begins here and now with the actions of our lives. What is God calling you and your parish to do, to participate in God’s great love for the world?”

The theme of a “forest web” was illustrated in the service as participants brought leaves, branches, flowers and acorns from forested areas near their homes and hung them on a large fishnet suspended on the wall of the church. The fishnet also evoked the imagery of our diocese’s Cast the Net vision. Just like an ecosystem, our diocese itself is a complex web of relationships for mutual flourishing, and care for creation, along with spiritual renewal and reimagining ministry, is part of that vision for our Church’s flourishing.

The image of a web, rather than a wheel with spokes emanating from a central hub, also reminds us of how churches in the various parts of our diocese have much to offer and learn from each other in many respects, including in terms of creation care.

“Last year we were invited by some clergy to consider celebrating the Season of Creation outside downtown Toronto,” said the Rev. Paige Souter, co-chair of the Bishop’s Committee on Creation Care. “While we wanted to have our inaugural service at St. James’ Cathedral, we wanted to invite other parishes to host the diocesan celebration going forward. It was a delight to have Fr. Andrew Kuhl welcome us to Midhurst for this year’s celebration.”

The service concluded with announcements about other deanery events and the diocesan outreach conference, which included a workshop on the Communion Forest initiative. Participants also had an opportunity to enjoy refreshments and conversation in the hall after the service.