Readings: Isaiah 61:1-6, Matthew 25:31-46, Thomas Berry, Eco-Theologian:

`If the dynamics of the universe from the beginning shaped the course of the heavens, lighted the sun, and formed the Earth . . . if this same dynamism brought forth the continents and seas and atmosphere . . . if it awakened life in the primordial cell and then brought into being the unnumbered variety of living beings . . . and finally brought us into being and guided us safely through the turbulent centuries . . . there is reason to believe that this same guiding process is precisely what has awakened in us our present understanding of ourselves and our relationship to this stupendous process. Sensitized to such guidance from the very structure and functioning of the universe, we can have confidence in the future that awaits the human venture.`


This is the final of three services loosely entitled `Greening Wembley Downs`. So far we have travelled down a path of ecological awareness, from where we have come from to where we are now. As I said at the end of the last service, we are suffering a huge ecological crisis, whereby we are destroying the very environment that keeps us alive. I don`t apologise for the graphic nature of that service, because increased awareness can be scary. But a cartoon can sometimes say it all.

(CARTOON 1)

Thomas Berry has suggested that ecological restoration is the great work of our time, so we have now come to the point where this awareness should give rise to action, personally, as a church and as a government both here and in other places. This is the subject of today`s service.

But firstly we should ask ourselves again why an increased awareness of the environment and its problems is essential to action. Why do we need to become more aware?

Awareness of the natural world influences how we worship and relate to the non human world, yet many people just don�t see it. Many of us live in cities, where the closest we come to the natural world is the local park. Many of us see humans as somehow unique and separate and the natural world something to be used and abused. Encouraging people to see the natural wonder as an extension of ourselves enables all of us to better understand our relationship and connection to it. This is why people like Carl Sagan, Paul Davies and even Richard Dawkins are essential. They remind us of what years of religious tradition and technological advancement has removed. We are smart animals, but animals none the less and the product of an ongoing, incredible and remarkable evolutionary tale. We need to be constantly reminded of that fact, even if it is by looking up at the stars every night. We might then make an effort to look after the environment and the multitude of species which rely on it.

In addition we live in a post modern world where truth can sometimes become distorted. Truth is a flexible commodity, often traded to the highest bidder. It can be manipulated by those with power and money so that they keep it and withheld by governments and businesses to avoid confrontation with those in society affected by their decisions. We can think of many situations where half truths and omissions have lead to greater suffering and hardship. The Iraq war and the refugee situation are classic examples. The ecological crisis is another. Just have a look at these cartoons.

WHERE AIR POLLUTANTS COME FROM, ACCORDING TO INDUSTRY:
Sulfur dioxide
From too many people with too many tummy troubles eating too many eggs.

Lead
From overly burdensome taxes on the rich, which have lessened their ability to buy fine lead crystal, the preferred method of lead sequestration.

Methane
From the butts of left-wing cows chewing commie alfalfa they got from a pinko farm co-op.

Mercury
From a series of secret space probes that were sent to planet Mercury by the Johnson, Carter, and Clinton administrations that have kicked up clouds of `mercury dust`, which have now drifted back
to earth.

Carbon Dioxide
From living, green plants, of course, which exhale CO2. (Anybody who couldn`t come up with that one obviously hasn`t spent enough time learning how to misrepresent scientific fact!)

IS OUR WATER CLEAN ENOUGH?
The Environmentalists` Position:
`It`s definitely not clean enough. We think industrial CEOs should replace their bottled water with water taken directly from their effluent streams. But we suspect that `Dioxin Tea with a Twist of Lemon` will not become a favorite.

The Polluters` Position:
`Yes, it`s clean enough. There are no longer any rivers that are actually on fire, and Deep Purple proved that a little `Smoke on the Water` can be a good thing.`

The Water`s Position:
`You`d think I would be very upset about all the toxic industrial waste, the endocrine disrupting chemicals, the pesticide and fertilizer runoff from lawns and farms, the untreated sewage, and all the rest of the pollution that finds its way into me. But, hey, I`m inanimate. So if you bio-reactive water-drinkers don`t care about all that contamination, why should I?`

We are surrounded by many who want to down play the seriousness of the state of the environment, who reject the idea of global warning, who suggest we have enough water for many future generations and it doesn`t matter that industry is allowed to pollute and by how much. Or who do not see the connection between the poverty in the developing world and the consumption in the first and continue to drain resources with impunity from them. The reality, however, is often a lot different. So we have two choices, we can ignore the fact that there are many people or groups who would rather leave us falsely comforted, and accept what they say without question, or we can ourselves find out the real details. This, of course, takes effort and some detective work. But we live in a global technological age, and we do have access to a wide range of resources that we can use to determine the truth. And we have a community surrounding us, who together can help inform us, if it is open and engaged with the world. We are blessed with Neville Watson in this church, but in the wider world people like Tim Flannagan, David Suzuki and various scientific societies and groups where people do not have vested interests. One such web site is called Sceptical Science but there are many others that give us the information we need.

Once we have this information, however, it leaves us with nowhere to hide and with no excuses and should lead us to act for the environment. It should lead to a greater sense of responsibility and a desire to change things. But we still need to remember that awareness comes first. We won`t act unless we feel connected to the natural world and we can`t act unless we know what is really happening. And of course there is a danger that this increased awareness of the environmental crisis will backfire � that it may lead people to become completely despondent about the situation, feeling as though there is no hope for a turn around. Or alternatively it may lead people to disregard the evidence of the crisis altogether and return to a pre knowledge state, fearful of any change to their lifestyles. We see many people taking one of these positions in our society. But this is not what is expected of us or how our faith works. For us awareness and action are intimately linked.

The Isaiah reading from today is about the servant of God who has come to bring good news, comfort and restoration to the poor. And those who follow on are to do likewise. Jesus uses this passage when announcing the aim of his mission, recorded in the gospels, and the role of the disciples. They are to take up their cross and follow him, acting for the poor and marginalised. We are followers of Jesus, and the message to the disciples is a message to us. In the reading from Matthew it is clear. He is asking, `What have you been doing?` not `What do you believe?`. He was calling for a transformation in how people saw and responded to each other, promoting relationships rather than right religious thinking. His was a message of action.

As Karen Armstrong attests, religion is a practical discipline, and its insights are not derived from abstract speculation but from spiritual exercise and a dedicated lifestyle. Religious teaching is a programme for action, and when we act we transcend our world to God�s world, where justice, compassion and love reign. This is the kingdom of God Jesus preached, of a new way of thinking and a new reality and resembles the earliest stands of the Jesus tradition and his original followers. It is the dream that people like Suzuki have, of a re-imagined world where the natural world is included.

Our call to act for people and for the environment is a call from the God found within creation to work towards a transformed earth. This is what gives our lives meaning and richness and a sacredness, even if we fail in the end. Action for us is not an option, it is essential to our faith. And by changing ourselves and those around us, we may just change the world.

So what can we do? How can we act to change things?

Personally there are many practical things we can do, anything from making sure we don`t use plastic bags when we shop, to starting our own vegie patch, to recycling material and water, to examining our consumption and consumerism and attempting to live a simpler life. We can look at supporting overseas projects that help people in developing countries, particularly women and particularly those involved in micro finance so families are fed and hope is restored. Then the cry of the environment might be heard. We can also become activists, even at our age, by writing letters to the government, local, state and federal, about environmental policies or the lack of them, and supporting other agencies that are working for sustainability. Research has shown that children of mildly active parents grow up to become more socially aware, and that applies to grandchildren. We can influence things, at any age.

As a Church we need to be seen as a voice for the natural world and a voice for sustainability by developing an environmental policy. This policy would demonstrate to the community that we are committed to the environment. I would like to be involved in a community garden on our grounds and more projects adopted that encouraged those around us to see the environment as something to be nurtured and protected. Again supporting development projects in third world countries that help people break the poverty cycle are positive and achievable.

Our government should be encouraged to start developing policies that correctly cost the environmental damage that large industries cause. This is why it is very important that a carbon tax or an emissions trading tax is introduced. We need policies to reduce properly our emissions, particularly of CO2, and that develop a sustainable plan for our water and for our energy resources. Renewable energy is clearly the way to go and research focussed on developing it should be financially supported. Governments respond to the people and we as the people need to be more active in having our voices heard.

So there is a lot we can do, both as individuals and as a community to support and nurture the environment around us. While these are just some examples of the type of action possible there are many more I have not mentioned. Perhaps we can develop a document to guide us more about what we can do rather than what we cannot. Not a bad place to start.

Awareness and action, these are the things that make for change. And this is where our journey over the last three weeks has led us. In the end we are called to embrace the natural world in its sacredness and acknowledge our futures are inextricably linked. We are called to become aware of the issues and real facts related to the environmental crisis which is happening now. And we are called to act in ways that will reduce our personal ecological footprint, while trying to influence governments to reduce our country`s.

I know it is huge task and one that may not successful, for as David Suzuki says, we are already at the 59th minute and the test tube is rapidly filling. But as people of faith we also know God is present in the evolving process of life, driving it on even through the darkest moments. And who knows, nature is sometimes surprising and forgiving. When you think something is gone for good, it somehow bounces back. David Suzuki talks about a species of trout which was almost decimated in Canada, but this year returned in numbers greater than that seen for 30 years, for no apparent reason. And often humanity is equally surprising. Who would have thought only a few years ago, that the Berlin wall would be no more or that the Australian government would say sorry to the stolen generation, or that apartheid would be consigned to the history books? Anything is possible to those who imagine it, so don`t give up.