Creation Matters is the Redeemer’s eco-spirituality group. Meeting monthly, we centre ourselves in creation, learn about and reflect on the state of the world in which we live, and bring more awareness of creation into the life of the church. All are welcome!
Creation Matters and Me by Audrey Danaher
Once in a while something catches your attention, and you know you want to be involved in some way. Such was my response when I heard about Creation Matters @ Redeemer. Having participated in numerous committees and work groups over the years, I decided to take a sabbatical for a while, but Creation Matters piqued my interest. My decision to join the group was the right one for me.
I am drawn to the belief- the fact- that we are all connected and interdependent. Everything that happens impacts everything else. The global pandemic made this essential truth glaringly obvious and shone a light on both the resilience and fragility of our planet. What drew me to Creation Matters was the opportunity to explore and reflect on our place in this wondrous world and how we can be good stewards in working together to protect and sustain our common home- a home many of us have taken for granted and ignored.
It is easy to get swept up in our personal issues and have an inflated sense of their importance. I know I do. To see ourselves as part of an incredible eco system, ever expanding universe is humbling. What I love about Creation Matters is the opportunity to engage in heartfelt conversation with others who are thinking about questions related to creation that have no easy answers- questions that centre on our day to day living habits and global decisions.
The sense of cohesion in the group and acceptance of a wide range of viewpoints prompt me to ask even more questions- if only to myself- that expand my limited understanding and help me confront my own responsibility in caring for creation. The discussions are a foundation for action in caring for our beautiful world.
I am a recent grandparent of twins. As I look at their little faces, I wonder what the world will look like for them as they grow up. None of us can change or do anything alone. We are all connected whether we realize it or not. Creation Matters is a small step forward for me in working together to address some difficult issues with a sense of hope that change is possible.
Season of Creation 2021
Original art for the Season of Creation by Dawn Lee
In Earth’s Life We Live
Our worship space sits at one of the busiest intersections in Toronto. Surrounded by concrete and asphalt, tall buildings and never-ending traffic, it is difficult to see and feel our connection to Mother Earth.
Yet just a few steps away from Redeemer’s front door we are reminded of our connection with some of our most important non-human relations. South and west of the church, just a half block away, is the entrance to Philosopher’s Walk. There, along the bed of what was Taddle Creek, an ancient waterway used by the Indigenous caretakers of Turtle Island, we may enjoy the breezes of a summer day, the trees, grasses and other plants. This nearby area reminds us of the essential elements for sustaining all of life: water, earth and air.
This year, Season of Creation at The Redeemer will focus our worship and special events on our dependency on these elements for every aspect of our being. From our street corner we need not look far for evidence of our fragile dependency: an hour’s walk takes us to the shore of Lake Ontario, susceptible to habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species and a changing climate; an hour’s drive, north, east or west, reveals the ongoing destruction of the richest farmland in Canada and source of sustainable local food; a short subway ride takes us to any of several hospitals where medical staff continue to battle a pandemic spread by an airborne pathogen.
In Earth’s Life We Live will challenge us to grasp more deeply that all life is interconnected, that we live because everything else does. We seek to imagine ways our society and our own daily habits can be reconfigured to sustain the flourishing of all life and to find our collective voice as we work together to protect our common home.
A Repository of Links to Resources on Ecological Justice
Season of Creation – Globally & Close to Home
Season of Creation is an annual, global and ecumenical time of focus on our relationship with the Creator and with all of creation. Globally, it runs from September 1 to October 4. At Redeemer, we celebrate the Season of Creation after school and the fall activities have begun again in order to maximize awareness and participation.
The Church of England on Season of Creation
A Season of Creation like no other this year
Season of Creation 2020 @ The Redeemer
Redeemer’s 30-Day Challenge: An Invitation to Reflect and Act
Season of Creation 2019 @ The Redeemer
Communications from The Diocese of Toronto on Ecological Justice
Diocese of Toronto Policy Paper on Environmental Issues
For the Love of Creation Faith-in-Action Campaign
Pray
We pray for the life of the world
Learn/Read
A curated reading list on Creation Care
If you are interested in growing your awareness of creation, and how the church can navigate the environmental challenges our world is facing, please get in touch below.
