Water

Seven Weeks for Water

Seven Weeks for Water 2019

Picture courtesy of water.oikoumene.org

The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network has created a campaign “Seven Weeks for Water” to provide weekly reflections and other resources on water for the seven weeks of Lent. Each reflection starts with a scripture and then the author’s reflection. There are also reflection questions for the reader and possible actions to take.

The first reflection, “Challenging gendered water: an important step towards women’s empowerment” is by Renemsongla Ozukum, a theologian and a member of the Baptist Church Council, Nagaland India. The reflection is focused on John 4: 4-26: And Jesus said to her, “I am the Living Water”..…everyone who drinks the water will never be thirsty again. 

The second reflection, “Pilgrimage of water justice in the context of India” is by Dr.Geevarghese Mor Coorilos, Bishop of Niranam diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in India. He also serves the World Council of Churches as Moderator of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism. His reflection comes from John 4:1-30: Samaritan Woman at the Well.

 The third reflection, “God’s Gift of Water” is by Grace Ji-Sun Kim. She is an ordained minister of PC (USA) and works as an Associate Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion. She is also part of the World Council of Churches working group on climate change. Her reflection comes from Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground…

The fourth reflection, “Stigma and discrimination: an impediment to human right to water, with specific reference to Casteism in India” is by Rev. Dr Raj Bharat Patta. He is an ordained minister of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church in India and served the Student Christian Movement of India as its national General Secretary. He has also worked for the National Council of Churches in India as one of its Executive Secretaries. His reflection narrates the story of Hagar through her voice, when she was left in the desert to fend for herself without an adequate supply of water to survive with and to keep her son Ishmael alive. Patta, draws similarities between the Dalit communities in India and that of Hagar, when it comes to access to water.

The last three reflections are as follows: “Secure water for food security and climate adaptation”, “Leaving no one behind: the crux of water for all in the context of SDG 6”, and “Privatisation of water: an onslaught to human right to water in Asia”. These  will be available at the beginning of each of the coming weeks. To read more about the Seven Weeks of Water, click here.

 

The Unthinkable Undrinkable: A Fight for Clean Water

The United Methodist Women logo taken from http://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org

The Unthinkable Undrinkable: A Fight for Clean Water is an article from United Methodist Women about four young women who began working towards ending climate injustice, starting with water in the United States. Their hope was “to show people that water quality issues are not only global problems, seen in third-world countries, but that they happen in our backyard as well.” To read more on the research they did in three regions of the United States, click here.

Microplastics: A Big Problem

Picture courtesy of creationcare.org

Evangelical Environmental Network has stated that, “God’s creation simply does not know what to do with plastic.” In this article on microplastics, EEN offers facts about plastic and the outcomes of the amount of plastic being produced. They also describe the negative impacts plastic is having on creation, especially on God’s oceans. To read more about microplastics and creation, click here.

Ethics of Eating Cards

dignity II

Picture courtesy of catholicrurallife.org

Catholic Rural Life has seven Ethics of Eating Cards that talk about different food and farm issues. The cards are meant for personal or parish uses. The seven cards cover topics such as water, nutritious and safe food, animal welfare, human rights, and a sustainable food system. To read more on the seven Ethics of Eating Cards, or to purchase the set, click here.

Agricultural Ethics for a Global Generation

Picture courtesy
catholicrurallife.org

Agricultural Ethics for a Global Generation is a series of one-page sheets discussing different agricultural topics. They were created by Catholic Rural Life for the purpose of being used as bulletin inserts, handouts, or even letters to elected officials. They cover topics such as stewardship of the land, the churches role in agriculture, food security for the poor and vulnerable, and more. To read more or download the sheets, click here.

God’s Gift of Water

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Picture courtesy of creationjustice.org.

Creation Justice Ministries encourages Christian communities to consider water as a sacred gift from God that connects and sustains all life. They have created a free Christian education resource on water that includes liturgical resources, sermon starters, and ideas to take action. To read more about God’s Gift of Water or download the resource, click here.

When Water Comes to Life

Bringing water and life to the Turkana people at Nakururum and Lokwamur in Kenya. #WorldWaterDay Photo: ALWS / H. Wikstrom

Picture courtesy of lutheranworld.org

Australian Lutheran World Service Community Action Manager Jonathan Krause reflects on the importance of providing clean water. Krause describes the importance of clean water in communities like Nakururum in Kenya where the lack of clean, safe water can be life threatening. The Lutheran World Federation states that across the world, three children die from impacts of dirty water every sixty seconds, and that is why they work to provide water in places like South Sudan, Cambodia and Nakururum. To read more or watch a video about the work that LWF does to provide clean water, click here.

Season of Creation Week 3: Celebrating with Sister Water

Picture courtesy of seasonofcreation.org

The third week of the Season of Creation is focused on water. This week contains a call to prayer, a hymn, and a song. It also recommends water sounds to be played in the background and seven candles to be lit and placed in water. To read more, click here.

God’s Gift of Water

Picture courtesy of creationjustice.org.

Creation Justice Ministries has created a free Christian education resource on water that includes liturgical resources, sermon starters, and ideas to take action. They believe that God provides all of creation with clean water for good reason and that this gift is to be rightly shared among all peoples and all creation. To read more or download the educational resource, click here.

I Love God’s Green Earth by Michael and Caroline Carroll

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I Love God’s Green Earth is a three-month devotional for kids who want to connect their Christian faith to learning more about the world and how to care for it. The devotional offers ninety days of exploration of the creation and faith. Each day begins with a Bible verse and short devotional on the topic of the day. Daily connections link the devotional to personal faith and “What can I do?” gives examples of easy actions to take care of God’s creation. “Crazy facts” and jokes sprinkled throughout the devotion break up the serious topics.

A wide range of topics are covered including energy production, endangered animals, and creative solutions to recycling. In the first ten days, I was disappointed that many of the “What can I do?” sections recommended reflecting and “relaying” thoughts to God instead of specific actions that can be taken. However, after the early days, the book managed to find a balance of action and reflection in its recommendations. It also offered many websites for readers to learn more about topics they were of interest and take their own initiative in creating change. This section of the devotional also gives space for children to reflect and engage big conversations around creation care from nuclear power to endangered animals.

While it does not take as strong a stance on global warming as I would have liked, it recognizes the changing climate and acknowledges human influence on the changing climate. I was impressed by the range of topics it covered and pleased with the action suggestions. Though it was published in 2010, this book’s introductory approach to faith and care for creation has prevented it from becoming outdated. This is a wonderful resource for families and Sunday school leaders across Christian denominations. It can be purchased through most major retail sellers as well as the publisher’s website directly, which offers discounts for single and bulk purchases.

To visit the publisher’s website click here. For a 25 page excerpt of the devotional including the table of contents click here. A brief bio on author Caroline can be found here and one on Michael can be found here.