"This beautiful natural world is a loving gift from God, the Creator of all things seen and unseen. God has entrusted its care to all of us, but we have turned our backs on God and on our responsibilities. Our neglect, selfishness, and pride have fostered:
+ pandemic poverty and disease;
+ environmental degradation, and
+ the proliferation of weapons and violence.
Despite these interconnected threats to life and hope, God's creative work continues. Despite the ways we all contribute to these problems, God still invites each one of us to participate in the work of renewal. We must begin the work of renewing creation by being renewed in our own hearts and minds. We cannot help the world until we change our way of being in it."
Earlier in November, the council of bishops of the UMC produced a pastoral letter called "God's Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action." The bishops issued the letter as a challenge to all Methodists (w/ hearts "strangely warmed"?), and "all ecumenical and inter-religious partners and people of goodwill around the world." Theirs was an invitation calling all people to renew our hope and take action to transform the world.
The English version of the letter can be found at God's Renewed Creation, along with versions in Korean, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and German.
The bishops hope that congregations will read this letter and incorporate its challenge into liturgical worship during Advent. Check out more information here.
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