In his Lenten message to the Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has challenged Episcopalians to take a pledge to do more to love God’s creation. This is a major action on the part of the church, and a powerful reminder that Bishop Curry has set creation care as one of the three major priorities for his time in office.
The pledge begins in Lent, but continues for a lifetime. You can take the pledge on the official Episcopal Church website here.
Here is a video as well as text of the Presiding Bishop’s Lenten message on creation:
https://fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/w7tz75qppo“John 3:16 records Jesus saying, ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to the end that all that believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’
“God so loved the world that he gave his only sons Jesus. God loves this world. God created this world. God created this world, and everything that lives upon it. God created this world, and the far-flung reaches of this universe. God created this world, this cosmos, and everything that dwells within it and is a part of it, and that includes us…
“As the old song says, ‘his eyes on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.’ God so loves the world that he gave his son Jesus.
“We who follow the way of Jesus follow in his spirit and in his teaching, and at the heart of his teaching is the Way of Love: The love of God that we know in Jesus, the love of God that loves the world.
“And maybe, maybe this season of Lent is an opportunity for us to actually express that love of God for this world in some tangible and practical ways. The Episcopal Church is ready to stand with you and help and guide us all in doing that.
“So how do you love the world? Well, Lent’s coming. And every Lent, I decide to give up something, or maybe take on something. When I was a kid, I gave up Hershey bars. I loved Hershey bars as a kid. I love Hershey bars as a 65-year-old man! But every Lent, in addition to whatever else I’m doing, I give up Hershey bars.
“But what might happen if this Lent, if Michael Curry decides to take a pledge of loving God’s creation, just as God loves the world, as one of my steps in following the way of Jesus?
“On this website, you will find that pledge to lvoe the world as God loves the world, and somev ery practical and specific ways that you can live that pledge out and actually love the world that God loves the way that God loves. So I invite you to explore the resources here.
“And in addition to giving up your Hershey bar, with almonds or without, I invite you to do some things that help to love the earth, that help to preserve the world, to do some things that actually love the world that God loves.
“As our Prayer Book says, ‘I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.’
“May this Lent be the first day of the rest of your life, and new life for the world. God so loved the world that he gave his only son. Help God love God’s world. Amen.”
Learn more about the Episcopal Church’s creation-care resources, and take the pledge with Presiding Bishop Curry, here: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/creation-care
Episcopal Climate News 
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