Exercising Dominion
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Object:
The lectionary psalm selection for Trinity Sunday (Psalm 8) provides plenty of fodder for those on both sides of the environmental stewardship debate. On the one hand, we are told that God has given human beings “dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet.” This has led many to conclude that the world and its natural resources have been explicitly placed under our control, and that God intends for us to exploit them for human consumption. Yet on the other hand, the psalmist extols the mindfulness and care of God for humanity -- and in this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Chris Keating suggests that a vital part of our “dominion” is exhibiting the same level of mindfulness and care for God’s creation that God does for us. So how can we demonstrate our stewardship for the environment when faced with the uncomfortable evidence of rising global temperatures? Is it by engaging in the cognitive dissonance of denying humanity’s responsibility for climate change? Or is it by readjusting the perspective we bring to looking at the world and our place in it? Chris points out that if we think more as God does when considering ourselves and our place in his creation, we might be more likely to perceive the root causes of our actions -- and perhaps have the courage to engage in the serious work of our role as overseers of our environment.
Team member Mary Austin shares some additional thoughts on the provenance of wisdom discussed in this week’s Proverbs passage. Wisdom, we are told, was with God before the beginning of the earth -- and yet in this season of commencement speeches that offer newly minted graduates all manner of hints about where to find wisdom as they make their way into the world, we rarely hear about this biblical connection. But, Mary reminds us, this text points out that Wisdom is a partner with God -- and if we truly seek it, we can ignore all the siren voices of our world that call us to abandon wisdom... and thereby discover inspiration and a renewed connection with God.
Exercising Dominion
by Chris Keating
Psalm 8
Staring straight into the inky dark sky, the awestruck psalmist becomes giddy with delight. Ecstatic praise gushes forth as stars twinkle and planets watch like silent shepherds tending the constellation of God’s galactic pasture. Overcome by emotion, the psalmist reflects on the beauty of all creation -- a beauty that can silence enemies, fend off avengers, and provide deep assurance of God’s never-failing protection.
But the night also stirs questions within the psalmist -- questions of vocation, mortality, and eternal consequence. The bright sky pales in comparison to the glory of God, and this mystery prompts deeper questions.
Exactly what are human beings? The nocturnal reflection is not mere theological speculation, but rather a reminder of our human vocation. We’re not bystanders in this parade of creation, notes the psalmist. Instead, we’re given a critical role. “You have given them dominion over the works of your hands,” the psalmist declares. The next stanza underscores that point: God has put “all things” under humanity’s control.
All things -- including the 587 species of animals impacted by the Fort McMurray wildfire in northern Alberta. All things -- including birds of the air such as Siberian-bred red knot birds, whose bills are growing shorter due to climate change, making it increasingly difficult to feed their young. All things -- including whatever passes along the paths of seas rising in response to warming temperatures. All things -- including the responsibility to feed a crowded planet.
Praising God leads the psalmist to ponder human vocation. Faced with increasingly complex questions of stewardship and sustainability, perhaps now is the time for God’s people to step into the night sky with the psalmist and contemplate what it means to exercise dominion.
In the News
David’s stargazing led to more than mere astronomical delight. Rather, David is moved to poetry and praise. His communion with God becomes as deep as the galaxy. His is an act of ecological contemplation, an experience of beholding which writer Andrew Zolli describes as a breath-taking exploration which can result in discovering “that the dynamism of the world does not end at the water’s edge of our senses. It continues inward. We contain, and are contained within, a great multitude of systems and processes -- flickering into being, growing, ebbing, and renewing.”
Or, as poet Gerard Manley Hopkins suggested, a moment of learning that the whole world is “charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; it gathers to greatness, like the ooze of oil crushed.”
Look at the stars, look at the world. What changes do you see?
While the psalm looks out at the skies, NASA provides another an opportunity to look back at Earth from the vantage point of satellites orbiting our planet. Its “Eyes on the Earth” website allows visitors a chance to monitor Earth’s vital signs, as well as offering a glance at the impact of algae blooms in oceans or prairie wildfires.
An interesting graphic provides a fascinating view of how the Earth’s temperatures have risen since 1850. The spiral broadens outward, showing the impact of greenhouse gases in trapping heat within the atmosphere. Even accounting for naturally occurring variables, the rise in temperatures is stunning -- particularly the measurements showing how every month since August 2015 has been the hottest on record.
The stunning pictures include understanding the impact of the Fort McMurray wildfire in Canada.
Aside from visuals, there are gigabytes of data worth examining. For example, a new United Nations report shows increased pollution around the world’s largest cities, along with indications that warmer ocean temperatures have caused widespread coral bleaching. Large portions of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have suffered some sort of bleaching, partially due to El Niño but predominantly caused by a changing climate.
But even overwhelming evidence and a scientific consensus leaves many unconvinced. While most U.S. voters -- including more than half of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump’s supporters -- believe that climate change is happening, only around 38% of conservative voters believe it is occurring. In many cases, it appears that ignoring the facts is part of a culture that distrusts the government and/or experts, perhaps not unlike those who once agreed with the tobacco industry that smoking was not linked to cancer. We appear to want, as one observer said, “information that supports our beliefs.”
There’s a sense that the accompanying cognitive dissonance which climate-change deniers may experience only causes their beliefs to become more deeply entrenched. As one blogger has noted, those discomforted when confronted by scientific evidence tend to “seek refuge in finding the obscure to support belief over reason.”
Which, come to think of it, is a frequently heard argument against faith. Yet David’s observation of the facts at hand -- his overwhelming encounter with God’s glory -- leads him back toward a renewed understanding of the human vocation. It is this aspect of our stewardship which can be awakened after becoming alert to both the delight and plight of our home planet. Scripture makes it clear, says Carol Johnston, that human beings (as well as all of God’s creatures) either flourish or suffer together (see Johnston, And the Leaves of the Tree are for the Healing of the Nations [Office of Environmental Justice, Presbyterian Church (USA), 1997], p. 2).
It’s this notion of environmental stewardship that informs our understanding of dominion. That notion is shared by others outside of the church as well. Ecologists for the National Park Service are currently developing plans to help the gems of our nation survive climate change. Park superintendents are being called to look at the incredible assets of their parks -- the magnificent glaciers, swamps, and deserts -- and begin planning for the impact of irreversible climate change.
In some cases, it will mean triage resources. Sadly, it will also mean letting go. Begin to imagine a treeless Joshua Tree monument, or a glacier-less Glacier National Park. “Parks altered by climate change will still protect wide swaths of wild land, harbor a variety of wildlife species, and protect valuable cultural sites. But the loss of familiar or namesake resources, such as Glacier’s glaciers, [in the words of ecologist Gregor Schuurman] ‘will provide a teachable moment.’ ”
In response to the glory of creation, David rejoices at the promise of human vocation. “You have given [human beings] dominion over the works of your hands.” All things are under human control -- but does that control lead us to abdicate ultimate responsibility?
As the awareness of creation grows within us, Andrew Zolli notes, so does a renewed planetary awareness that can foster joy and wonder over what he calls Earth’s strangeness. We can form an abiding solidarity with its suffering. Beholding the grandeur of creation leads the psalmist to ponder the role of humans as caretakers -- something which could arguably be called the greatest pressing need of contemporary life.
Beholding creation can lead us toward a better stewardship.
In the Scriptures
Psalm 8 could justifiably be called the first praise song in the Hebrew psalter. Yet unlike most frothy praise songs, Psalm 8 is deeply rooted in theological motifs, including its declaration of God’s sovereignty over all things. Framed by two verses of declarative praise (vv. 1 and 9), the psalm proclaims the majesty of God while also upholding the unique role human beings play within God’s dominion. Yet, as Clint McCann aptly notes, humanity’s unique status must be firmly understood with the larger context of God’s sovereignty (see “Psalm 8:1-9,” in Psalms [The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Vol. IV], p. 711).
The cosmic expression of God’s glory is not withheld from any sentient life. Even newborns cry out in praise to God, which may or may not bring comfort to sleep-deprived parents of infants. But as McCann suggests, there exists here a reminder of how even the most vulnerable of the world are more powerful than any who would oppose the power of God. Such knowledge is too amazing -- but what’s to come is even more surprising.
As the psalmist gazes across the immense skyline of God’s handiwork, there grows a deeper awareness. How is it that the God of such infinite possibilities could come into relationship with human beings? This is the primary theological theme of both the psalm and of Trinity Sunday -- that God exists to be in relationship. God is “mindful” of human beings, and offers “care” to them. God even grants human beings a status reserved for royalty.
Yet that royal status is not something to be exploited. “Dominion” can be translated differently, but the clear thrust of Psalm 8 is that human beings are entrusted with a royal responsibility. There is more to the job of a royal than cutting ribbons at factories and smashing bottles of bubbly against the hulls of warships. God has shared divine power and responsibility with the human, as in Genesis. The implication is clear: human beings are called to be resident managers of Earth, whose care, kindness, and stewardship of the planet are to reflect the character and personhood of God.
And there is the human vocation, the answer to the psalmist’s deepest question. What are humans? God’s appointed agents, crowned with glory and clothed with a gardening apron.
In the Sermon
Environmentally-centered preaching is not an easy task. As one colleague once expressed when looking at issues of environmental stewardship, how do we preach to the Republicans? What do we say to those whose firm conviction is that human beings are given a divine charter to use the Earth any way we please?
Some of those folks may even come to church on Trinity Sunday, which poses a risk for the preacher. Yet the politicization of environmentalism should not be a reason to withhold exploring the richness of this psalm and its accompanying call to the care of creation. The dialogue of the psalm -- a movement from awe to wonder, from contemplation to action -- provides a framework for encouraging God’s people to take deeper and more responsible environmental actions.
The truth is that we cannot save what we do not cherish. The psalmist’s gushing praise of creation provides an entry point for cherishing our environment. The beauty of spring provides a place to begin. From there, a glance at the horrendous wildfire in Canada, or any other recent disasters, provides a place to ponder our vocation. Where are we called to cherish and protect?
Some miles from my church there is a landfill in suburban St. Louis where an underground fire has been burning for six years. It’s precariously close to more than 9,000 tons of buried nuclear waste. The landfill’s owners claim it is a managed site -- but local school districts have been told to prepare evacuation plans just to be safe. In this context, the role of one charged with dominion over the Earth becomes complex.
Genesis reminds us that the task of stewards is to tend and heal. Reflecting on his experience of visiting Alaska’s Prince William Sound shortly before the pristine area was despoiled by the Exxon Valdez disaster, Darron Aronofsky, director of the movie Noah, notes the scriptural connotations of “dominion” and “stewardship.” Aronofsky says:
The earth and sea that inspired my moment of childhood awe have been corrupted, the sanctuary despoiled. The quarter-century anniversary of that tragic event comes as my film Noah is about to be released in theaters around the world, and I cannot help but reflect upon the relationship between that terrible spill and the story from Genesis about how God nearly annihilated the human race because our behavior in this world grieved him to his heart....
If we look around us, we cannot deny that we do indeed possess that dominion. Where once Prince William Sound was essentially untouched, now, with our understanding of man’s influence on climate, we can truly say that there is nowhere on our planet that is not influenced by mankind and our activities. Like it or not, we do preside over this world. The question is simply how we will choose to exercise that power.
When you step out and look at the night sky, when you see the stars and the planets, the moon and all that gives God praise, it seems hardly impossible to not join in praise, while also recalling the serious nature of what humans are called to do.
SECOND THOUGHTS
by Mary Austin
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
In a recent graduation speech, Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg said: “A commencement address is meant to be a dance between youth and wisdom. You have the youth. Someone comes in to be the voice of wisdom -- that’s supposed to be me. I stand up here and tell you all the things I have learned in life, you throw your cap in the air, you let your family take a million photos -- don’t forget to post them on Instagram -- and everyone goes home happy.”
Traditionally, speakers advise things like “Follow your dreams”; “Think big”; “See your own potential and don’t settle for smallness”; “Make the world better.”
Sandberg’s wisdom came in a different form. She went on to say, “I am not here to tell you all the things I’ve learned in life. Today I will try to tell you what I learned in death.” Talking about the death of her husband Dave just a year ago, she said: “It is the greatest irony of my life that losing my husband helped me learn deeper gratitude.” Sandberg said, “Dave's death changed me in very profound ways. I learned about the depths of sadness and the brutality of loss. But I also learned that when life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface, and breathe again.”
It’s graduation season, and graduates around the country will soon be hearing (or have already heard) from speakers who, like Sandberg, hope to impart some of their own wisdom to the graduates. Wisdom -- and the search for it -- is as old as creation. As the figure of Wisdom speaks in Proverbs, we see that this dimension of God’s presence goes back to the beginning of the world. “The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,” Wisdom proclaims, “the first of his acts of long ago.” Wisdom was a partner in creation, and when God, like a master builder, “marked out the foundations of the earth,” Wisdom was there “beside him, like a master worker.”
Why then, if this figure of Wisdom is so integral to creation, is wisdom in such short supply in our world? How have we let go of this deep wisdom, which is part of our heritage from God? We have traded wisdom for spectacle, with a presidential candidate who says we should “let other U.S. allies, such as Japan and South Korea, have nuclear weapons, since ‘it’s going to happen anyway.’ ‘It’s only a question of time,’ Trump shrugged, listing China, Russia, Pakistan, and North Korea as countries that possess the world-ending weapons, and fatalistically suggesting Iran would have one soon too. To combat this, Trump argued, more countries should arm themselves as well, so the U.S. wouldn’t have to waste so much money protecting them. ‘Now, wouldn’t you rather in a certain sense have Japan have nuclear weapons when North Korea has nuclear weapons?’ he asked.”
Saying stupid things may be a smart political move, argues political scientist Jason Brennan: “In an election, what every smart politician is trying to do is behave in ways that he or she hopes will appeal to the typical voter.... If voters were well-informed, dispassionate policy-wonks, then political campaigns would resemble peer-reviewed economics journals. But few voters or potential voters are like that... most voters are poorly informed, passionate, biased, overconfident, and tribalistic.” Politicians seem to lack wisdom because we, the voters, lack it too. As Ilya Somin notes in the Washington Post, “smart politicians who want to win have strong incentives to manipulate political ignorance to their advantage. Those who value truth above getting power are unlikely to win office or to stay there very long if they do.”
Still, graduation speakers hope to impart knowledge to new graduates. Apart from some digs at Donald Trump, President Obama told graduates at Rutgers University not to “lose hope if sometimes you hit a roadblock. Don’t lose hope in the face of naysayers. And certainly don’t let resistance make you cynical. Cynicism is so easy, and cynics don’t accomplish much.” Michelle Obama, speaking at historically black Jackson State University, said: “The shadows of our past have not completely disappeared. Despite the progress we’ve made, I know so many of you still see these shadows every single day.” She also asked graduates how they would live up to the sacrifices made for them. “You can hashtag all over Instagram and Twitter, but those social media movements will disappear faster than a Snapchat if you’re not also registered to vote,” said Obama, noting that fewer than 50 percent of African-American youths voted in the 2014 election in Mississippi. “We have to stand side-by-side with all of our neighbors... the march for civil rights isn’t just about African-Americans; it is about all Americans.” The first lady’s 29-minute speech included a challenge to graduates: How will you respond to issues of prejudice? She asked them to follow the lead of her husband: “He says, ‘When they go low, I go high.’ That’s the choice Barack and I have made, and it has kept us sane over the years. We do not allow space in our hearts, minds, and souls for darkness. We choose faith.”
Wisdom is another choice.
The figure of Wisdom calls out, but people still have to answer. Wisdom and God work together, rejoicing in the world and “delighting in the human race.” Wisdom is an energetic figure, working alongside God. She inspires us to live with energy and wisdom too, in the same way that an eloquent graduation speaker can inspire with both words and example. As Sheryl Sandberg concluded in her commencement speech: “We find our humanity -- our will to live and our ability to love -- in our connections to one another.” Wisdom calls -- from graduation speeches, and our own hard-won life lessons -- and renews our connection to God.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Robin Lostetter:
Psalm 8
Environmentalists Under Fire
Despite their good efforts in protesting, “the lingering impact of last weekend’s March Point protests in Skagit County is not what activists planned on. They staged multiple demonstrations against fossil fuels. Despite their environmental message, some in the community are accusing them of leaving behind more than a ton of trash at the Burlington Northern railroad tracks near Farm to Market Road.”
However, the demonstrators tell a different story. Having been forced to leave quickly, they were barred from returning to retrieve their belongings. So... are they litterbugs or victims? It will play out in the media, depending upon whether or not you’re in favor of earth care and stewardship or you want to find an excuse to mar the image of those who are. The headline favors the latter.
*****
Psalm 8
What Do Our Food Choices Have to Do with Stewardship of the Environment?
Here is an excerpt from a wonderful article in the United Church Observer, by a father who gave his daughter’s vegan diet a 6-month try:
[I]f you press vegans in the spirit of genuine interest and curiosity and not in the spirit of what-about-leather-shoes-then, they will tell you that, yes, they believe that morally, ethically, environmentally, socially, economically, and in terms of their own health, veganism is the best option.
Is there any proof of this? Well may you ask -- perhaps with a forkful of rare tournedos Bordelaise poised skeptically in front of your doubtful frown. And actually, there is. Vegans can be very convincing about what proof they believe they have at hand.
Should they start by raising the subject of the clear-cutting of the Amazon rainforest to grow grain to feed livestock? Unless you actually are a Koch brother, this is not an activity that can be enthusiastically defended. Or should vegans jump directly to the fact that the United States could feed 800 million people with the grain used currently to raise livestock? Yes, I know. It is surprising, isn’t it? You may also be unaware that livestock and its attendant industry create 51 percent of greenhouse gases. Or that it takes 660 gallons of water to produce a single hamburger? Oh, and if you happen to be a non-smoking male you might be interested to know that vegans have a 16 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer than non-vegans.
The list goes on. And yet it’s Caroline’s and Adam’s dietary lifestyle that is thought to be eccentric.
*****
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Unusual Graduation Speech
An address at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s commencement may top the list of unusual graduation speeches: “A graduating college student called to the commencement stage in Maine congratulated his peers, then stunned them. Physical education major Timothy Babine announced he had something important to do, then left the stage to propose to his girlfriend in the audience.” Both the college president and the young man’s family had prior knowledge of what was to take place. And the young woman?... She said yes.
***************
From team member Ron Love:
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
With a single sentence, Kevin Durant of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder forever changed the life of his mother Wanda Pratt. After receiving his 2014 award as the league’s Most Valuable Player on Mother’s Day, he simply said to his mother before all those gathered, “You the real MVP.” Those now-famous words went viral on social media, as during his acceptance remarks Kevin shared the sacrifices his mother made for the family as they grew up in Washington, D.C. Interest in Wanda Pratt’s story has remained high, to the point that the Lifetime television channel has recently made an original movie of her story called The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story.
Application: The wisdom of others can guide us.
*****
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
In a Family Circus newspaper comic, little P.J. is showing his older brother Jeffrey something he has drawn. Jeffrey does not seem to be too impressed, so P.J. says: “Well, that shows how much you know! It’s not a SCRIBBLE, it’s a DOODLE!” (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this cartoon.)
Application: Wisdom will allow us to make the distinction between a scribble and a doodle.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
Lonnie Franklin was recently convicted of ten counts of murder. The former Los Angeles trash collector, who murdered poor young black women over two decades, was known as the “Grim Sleeper Killer” because several years would often pass between his murders. Porter Alexander, whose 18-year-old daughter Alicia was one of Franklin’s victims, said, “We got him. It took a long time. By the grace of God it happened. It’s such a relief.”
Application: Our lesson tells us that though we know suffering, in time it will be resolved to our relief.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
In a Peanuts comic strip, Snoopy is sitting on top of his doghouse when Linus comes up to speak with him. Linus tells Snoopy that it is “Be Kind to Animals Week.” Then Linus wonders if that means animals are to be treated a little bit nicer than people this week. Snoopy, lying on his stomach, smiles in agreement. Then Linus, knowing that Snoopy does not like the cat who lives next door, throws this zinger at Snoopy: “Well, does this mean in that you, in turn, are also going to make an extra effort to be more kind to that cat who lives next door?” Snoopy suddenly flips over onto his back, and his smile is replaced by a frown as he says to himself, “I hate questions like that.” (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this cartoon.)
Application: Character means we are able to answer questions like that with acceptance and affirmation.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
In the Ziggy newspaper comics, Ziggy is a small, bald, barefoot, and almost featureless character -- except for his large nose -- who seems to have no friends, hobbies, or romantic partner... just a menagerie of pets. Ziggy also is an individual who seems to encounter an endless stream of misfortunes. In one episode, Ziggy is standing in an office building carrying his briefcase. There is a look of dismay on his face when he sees to his left a ladder with the sign “corporate ladder” while in front of him is an elevator labeled “nepotism elevator.” And of course those elevator doors to easy success will not open for Ziggy. Instead, Ziggy must climb that difficult ladder in order to succeed. (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this cartoon.)
Application: Character does not come from taking an elevator but from climbing the ladder.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
May 9 is the anniversary of one of the most important political cartoons in the history of our nation. It was drawn by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 for the Pennsylvanian Gazette, but was soon reproduced in newspapers across the country. The cartoon was then made into a flag. The cartoon depicted a snake cut into pieces, with each piece representing one of the 13 colonies. Each piece had the colony’s state abbreviation above it. Below the snake were these words: “JOIN or DIE.” The message was clear -- only if the colonies joined together in unity would they survive against England. (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this image.)
Application: There are always suffering and trauma, problems and hardships; but if we work together, there is always hope.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
Nyquist, a bay colt without any distinctive markings, recently won the Kentucky Derby by 1-¼ lengths. Nyquist’s racing record is now 8-0, and he was the eighth unbeaten winner in the race’s 142-year history. After the race, jockey Mario Gutierrez said, “We got a beautiful trip from the start to the end.” (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you might want to display a picture of Nyquist racing... but it is probably not necessary to do so.)
Application: Paul tries to tell us that if we follow his outline of suffering, endurance, character, and hope we will have a beautiful trip from start to finish.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
A book has recently been published detailing one of the deadliest days in American firefighting. There are only 107 elite “hotshot” crews in the United States -- firefighting crews especially trained for battling the worst wildfires imaginable. The 20 men of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, based in Prescott, Arizona, were summoned in 2013 to fight a wildfire sparked by lightning on Yarnell Hill in Arizona. One of them stood as a lookout while the other 19 battled the blaze. But then the wind suddenly changed and the crew’s exit was blocked. They got under their protective fireproof blankets, but the protective gear was not enough for the fire’s 2,000-degree heat... and all 19 men perished.
Application: We always like to think that things will end without disaster. But even though we have hope, this will not always happen. This is why Paul talks about our hope being in the end times -- that even in death we will not be separated from God.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
In the Korean War more soldiers froze to death than died in battle. During the day they would exert a tremendous amount of energy performing their duties of marching and fighting. As they wore heavy winter clothes to protect them from the cold, that clothing would cause them to sweat profusely. Then at night as they slept their sweat would freeze, encasing their bodies in ice and causing them to freeze to death.
Application: The soldiers knew suffering. The soldiers had endurance and were men of character. And the soldiers had the hope that their sacrifice would bring victory.
*****
John 16:12-15
In a Lockhorns comic, Leroy is about to begin a round of golf. He has a distant look on his face as the golf pro who will accompany him says, “The nice thing is I’m also a professional anger management counselor.” (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this cartoon.)
Application: The Holy Spirit is with us, like a golf pro who instructs us and is also an anger management counselor to comfort us.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: O God, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
People: You have set your glory above the heavens.
Leader: When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
People: The moon and the stars that you have established;
Leader: What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
People: Or mortals that you care for them?
Leader: Yet you have made them a little lower than God.
People: You have crowned them with glory and honor.
OR
Leader: Wisdom calls us into worship with our God.
People: With joy we raise our voices in adoration to God.
Leader: God’s Spirit greets us and offers us wisdom.
People: We open our hearts and lives to God’s wisdom.
Leader: God gives us the task of sharing wisdom with others.
People: As we have received, so we shall share this gift.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“All Creatures of Our God and King”
found in:
UMH: 62
H82: 400
PH: 455
AAHH: 147
NNBH: 33
NCH: 17
CH: 22
LBW: 527
ELA: 835
W&P: 23
AMEC: 50
STLT: 203
Renew: 47
“Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones”
found in:
UMH: 90
H82: 618
PH: 75
LBW: 175
ELA: 424
“For the Beauty of the Earth”
found in:
UMH: 92
H82: 416
PH: 473
NNBH: 8
NCH: 28
CH: 56
LBW: 561
ELA: 879
W&P: 40
AMEC: 578
STLT: 21
“This Is My Father’s World”
found in:
UMH: 144
H82: 651
PH: 293
AAHH: 149
NNBH: 41
CH: 59
LBW: 554
ELA: 824
W&P: 21
AMEC: 47
“Be Thou My Vision”
found in:
UMH: 451
H82: 488
PH: 339
NCH: 451
CH: 595
ELA: 793
W&P: 502
AMEC: 281
STLT: 20
Renew: 151
“God of Grace and God of Glory”
found in:
UMH: 577
H82: 594, 595
PH: 420
NCH: 436
CH: 464
LBW: 415
ELA: 705
W&P: 569
AMEC: 62
STLT: 115
Renew: 301
“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”
found in:
UMH: 64, 65
H82: 362
PH: 138
AAHH: 329
NNBH: 1
NCH: 277
CH: 4
LBW: 165
ELA: 413
W&P: 136
AMEC: 25
STLT: 26
“Hymn of Promise”
found in:
UMH: 707
NCH: 433
CH: 638
W&P: 515
“As the Deer”
found in:
CCB: 83
Renew: 9
“For the Gift of Creation”
found in:
CCB: 67
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who ordained Wisdom to create all that is: Grant us your grace to always seek your wisdom, so that we might live as your joyful children honoring your creative works in all the world; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We offer to you, O God, our praise and worship, for you are the one who called for Wisdom. In your love for us, you have given us of your own Spirit and offered us your wisdom. Help us to be open to your wisdom, that we might live joyfully in your presence and in harmony with all your children. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our failure to seek God’s wisdom for our lives.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have given us your Spirit and you have offered us your wisdom. Far too often we ignore the promptings of your Spirit and fail to seek your wisdom. We think knowledge is enough for us to live by. When we do seek wisdom and direction for our lives, it is often from sources other than you. We listen to many voices and fail to hear yours. We turn back to you today, asking for a word of wisdom that we might live fully as your children. Amen.
Leader: Receive God’s love and forgiveness. Hear God speaking words of wisdom and love to your heart. Share that message with others.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
Praise and glory are yours, O God of all creation. Through wisdom you created all that is, and we are in awe of you.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have given us your Spirit and you have offered us your wisdom. Far too often we ignore the promptings of your Spirit and fail to seek your wisdom. We think knowledge is enough for us to live by. When we do seek wisdom and direction for our lives, it is often from sources other than you. We listen to many voices and fail to hear yours. We turn back to you today, asking for a word of wisdom that we might live fully as your children.
We give you thanks for all the blessings you have given to us. We thank you for the wonder of creation, and for your wisdom that allows us to live and not merely exist.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our need. We pray that we may all listen more intently to your wisdom, so that we can live together in joyful harmony and love.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Knowledge is about facts. Wisdom is about what to do with the facts. We all know that we can get hurt very badly if we are hit by a car. That is a fact. Wisdom tells us to look both ways before crossing the street so that we don’t experience that fact to be true. We know we can say something mean to our mothers. Wisdom tells us to not say it.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Talk to the Marigolds
by Dean Feldmeyer
Psalm 8
You will need: a small potted plant or flower.
Good morning. (Hold up potted plant.) I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine. His name is Marvin... Marvin the Marigold. He lives with me, and he makes my yard pretty if I take good care of him and give him plant food and water.
(To plant) Marvin, say hello to the boys and girls. (Pause) Marvin, please don’t embarrass me here. Just say hello to the boys and girls. (Silence... then put your ear up to the plant.) How’s that? Shy? You’re too shy just to say hello? That’s absurd. No, I really must insist that you...
(To children) Okay, enough of that. This is silly, isn’t it? Plants can’t talk, can they? Of course not.
BUT, you can talk to them. In fact, for some reason we don’t really fully understand, plants tend to do better when you talk to them. Here’s what I think: when we humans breathe we suck in air, and our bodies take the oxygen out of that air and use it, and then we exhale and put carbon dioxide into the air. Breathe in, oxygen. Breathe out, carbon dioxide.
Well, plants breathe too. Did you know that? Yes, they do. And do you know what they breathe when they breathe in? They breathe in carbon dioxide, and when they breathe out they breathe out oxygen.
So we breathe out the thing that plants need, and they breathe out the thing that we need. Pretty cool, huh? Plants and humans help each other out that way.
But there are so many humans in the world that we need lots and lots of plants to make enough oxygen for us. In fact, little Marvin here can’t make enough oxygen for me to breathe. It takes trees to make enough oxygen for us to breathe. Do you want to know how many trees it takes to make enough oxygen for me, just me? It takes about 22 trees, depending on how big they are. And it takes about 22 trees for you, and 22 for you, and 22 for you, and 22 for every person in this church. Twenty-two trees per person. And then, when you think that there are 6 billion people in the world who all need oxygen to breathe, why that’s... uh... a WHOLE BUNCH of trees. Billions of them!
The psalm that we read this morning is a song about how fortunate we are that God created the all the animals and plants in the world -- and then do you know what God did with them after God created them?
God gave them to us to take care of.
God gave them to us to take care of not just because they’re pretty, though they are pretty, aren’t they?
God gave them to us to take care of not just because they’re nice, though they are nice, aren’t they?
No, God gave them to us to take care of because they take care of us. They provide us with the oxygen that we breathe, and we need them. We really need them. They are our friends, and we should treat them like we treat our friends.
Even though they can’t talk.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, May 22, 2016, issue.
Copyright 2016 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Team member Mary Austin shares some additional thoughts on the provenance of wisdom discussed in this week’s Proverbs passage. Wisdom, we are told, was with God before the beginning of the earth -- and yet in this season of commencement speeches that offer newly minted graduates all manner of hints about where to find wisdom as they make their way into the world, we rarely hear about this biblical connection. But, Mary reminds us, this text points out that Wisdom is a partner with God -- and if we truly seek it, we can ignore all the siren voices of our world that call us to abandon wisdom... and thereby discover inspiration and a renewed connection with God.
Exercising Dominion
by Chris Keating
Psalm 8
Staring straight into the inky dark sky, the awestruck psalmist becomes giddy with delight. Ecstatic praise gushes forth as stars twinkle and planets watch like silent shepherds tending the constellation of God’s galactic pasture. Overcome by emotion, the psalmist reflects on the beauty of all creation -- a beauty that can silence enemies, fend off avengers, and provide deep assurance of God’s never-failing protection.
But the night also stirs questions within the psalmist -- questions of vocation, mortality, and eternal consequence. The bright sky pales in comparison to the glory of God, and this mystery prompts deeper questions.
Exactly what are human beings? The nocturnal reflection is not mere theological speculation, but rather a reminder of our human vocation. We’re not bystanders in this parade of creation, notes the psalmist. Instead, we’re given a critical role. “You have given them dominion over the works of your hands,” the psalmist declares. The next stanza underscores that point: God has put “all things” under humanity’s control.
All things -- including the 587 species of animals impacted by the Fort McMurray wildfire in northern Alberta. All things -- including birds of the air such as Siberian-bred red knot birds, whose bills are growing shorter due to climate change, making it increasingly difficult to feed their young. All things -- including whatever passes along the paths of seas rising in response to warming temperatures. All things -- including the responsibility to feed a crowded planet.
Praising God leads the psalmist to ponder human vocation. Faced with increasingly complex questions of stewardship and sustainability, perhaps now is the time for God’s people to step into the night sky with the psalmist and contemplate what it means to exercise dominion.
In the News
David’s stargazing led to more than mere astronomical delight. Rather, David is moved to poetry and praise. His communion with God becomes as deep as the galaxy. His is an act of ecological contemplation, an experience of beholding which writer Andrew Zolli describes as a breath-taking exploration which can result in discovering “that the dynamism of the world does not end at the water’s edge of our senses. It continues inward. We contain, and are contained within, a great multitude of systems and processes -- flickering into being, growing, ebbing, and renewing.”
Or, as poet Gerard Manley Hopkins suggested, a moment of learning that the whole world is “charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; it gathers to greatness, like the ooze of oil crushed.”
Look at the stars, look at the world. What changes do you see?
While the psalm looks out at the skies, NASA provides another an opportunity to look back at Earth from the vantage point of satellites orbiting our planet. Its “Eyes on the Earth” website allows visitors a chance to monitor Earth’s vital signs, as well as offering a glance at the impact of algae blooms in oceans or prairie wildfires.
An interesting graphic provides a fascinating view of how the Earth’s temperatures have risen since 1850. The spiral broadens outward, showing the impact of greenhouse gases in trapping heat within the atmosphere. Even accounting for naturally occurring variables, the rise in temperatures is stunning -- particularly the measurements showing how every month since August 2015 has been the hottest on record.
The stunning pictures include understanding the impact of the Fort McMurray wildfire in Canada.
Aside from visuals, there are gigabytes of data worth examining. For example, a new United Nations report shows increased pollution around the world’s largest cities, along with indications that warmer ocean temperatures have caused widespread coral bleaching. Large portions of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have suffered some sort of bleaching, partially due to El Niño but predominantly caused by a changing climate.
But even overwhelming evidence and a scientific consensus leaves many unconvinced. While most U.S. voters -- including more than half of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump’s supporters -- believe that climate change is happening, only around 38% of conservative voters believe it is occurring. In many cases, it appears that ignoring the facts is part of a culture that distrusts the government and/or experts, perhaps not unlike those who once agreed with the tobacco industry that smoking was not linked to cancer. We appear to want, as one observer said, “information that supports our beliefs.”
There’s a sense that the accompanying cognitive dissonance which climate-change deniers may experience only causes their beliefs to become more deeply entrenched. As one blogger has noted, those discomforted when confronted by scientific evidence tend to “seek refuge in finding the obscure to support belief over reason.”
Which, come to think of it, is a frequently heard argument against faith. Yet David’s observation of the facts at hand -- his overwhelming encounter with God’s glory -- leads him back toward a renewed understanding of the human vocation. It is this aspect of our stewardship which can be awakened after becoming alert to both the delight and plight of our home planet. Scripture makes it clear, says Carol Johnston, that human beings (as well as all of God’s creatures) either flourish or suffer together (see Johnston, And the Leaves of the Tree are for the Healing of the Nations [Office of Environmental Justice, Presbyterian Church (USA), 1997], p. 2).
It’s this notion of environmental stewardship that informs our understanding of dominion. That notion is shared by others outside of the church as well. Ecologists for the National Park Service are currently developing plans to help the gems of our nation survive climate change. Park superintendents are being called to look at the incredible assets of their parks -- the magnificent glaciers, swamps, and deserts -- and begin planning for the impact of irreversible climate change.
In some cases, it will mean triage resources. Sadly, it will also mean letting go. Begin to imagine a treeless Joshua Tree monument, or a glacier-less Glacier National Park. “Parks altered by climate change will still protect wide swaths of wild land, harbor a variety of wildlife species, and protect valuable cultural sites. But the loss of familiar or namesake resources, such as Glacier’s glaciers, [in the words of ecologist Gregor Schuurman] ‘will provide a teachable moment.’ ”
In response to the glory of creation, David rejoices at the promise of human vocation. “You have given [human beings] dominion over the works of your hands.” All things are under human control -- but does that control lead us to abdicate ultimate responsibility?
As the awareness of creation grows within us, Andrew Zolli notes, so does a renewed planetary awareness that can foster joy and wonder over what he calls Earth’s strangeness. We can form an abiding solidarity with its suffering. Beholding the grandeur of creation leads the psalmist to ponder the role of humans as caretakers -- something which could arguably be called the greatest pressing need of contemporary life.
Beholding creation can lead us toward a better stewardship.
In the Scriptures
Psalm 8 could justifiably be called the first praise song in the Hebrew psalter. Yet unlike most frothy praise songs, Psalm 8 is deeply rooted in theological motifs, including its declaration of God’s sovereignty over all things. Framed by two verses of declarative praise (vv. 1 and 9), the psalm proclaims the majesty of God while also upholding the unique role human beings play within God’s dominion. Yet, as Clint McCann aptly notes, humanity’s unique status must be firmly understood with the larger context of God’s sovereignty (see “Psalm 8:1-9,” in Psalms [The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Vol. IV], p. 711).
The cosmic expression of God’s glory is not withheld from any sentient life. Even newborns cry out in praise to God, which may or may not bring comfort to sleep-deprived parents of infants. But as McCann suggests, there exists here a reminder of how even the most vulnerable of the world are more powerful than any who would oppose the power of God. Such knowledge is too amazing -- but what’s to come is even more surprising.
As the psalmist gazes across the immense skyline of God’s handiwork, there grows a deeper awareness. How is it that the God of such infinite possibilities could come into relationship with human beings? This is the primary theological theme of both the psalm and of Trinity Sunday -- that God exists to be in relationship. God is “mindful” of human beings, and offers “care” to them. God even grants human beings a status reserved for royalty.
Yet that royal status is not something to be exploited. “Dominion” can be translated differently, but the clear thrust of Psalm 8 is that human beings are entrusted with a royal responsibility. There is more to the job of a royal than cutting ribbons at factories and smashing bottles of bubbly against the hulls of warships. God has shared divine power and responsibility with the human, as in Genesis. The implication is clear: human beings are called to be resident managers of Earth, whose care, kindness, and stewardship of the planet are to reflect the character and personhood of God.
And there is the human vocation, the answer to the psalmist’s deepest question. What are humans? God’s appointed agents, crowned with glory and clothed with a gardening apron.
In the Sermon
Environmentally-centered preaching is not an easy task. As one colleague once expressed when looking at issues of environmental stewardship, how do we preach to the Republicans? What do we say to those whose firm conviction is that human beings are given a divine charter to use the Earth any way we please?
Some of those folks may even come to church on Trinity Sunday, which poses a risk for the preacher. Yet the politicization of environmentalism should not be a reason to withhold exploring the richness of this psalm and its accompanying call to the care of creation. The dialogue of the psalm -- a movement from awe to wonder, from contemplation to action -- provides a framework for encouraging God’s people to take deeper and more responsible environmental actions.
The truth is that we cannot save what we do not cherish. The psalmist’s gushing praise of creation provides an entry point for cherishing our environment. The beauty of spring provides a place to begin. From there, a glance at the horrendous wildfire in Canada, or any other recent disasters, provides a place to ponder our vocation. Where are we called to cherish and protect?
Some miles from my church there is a landfill in suburban St. Louis where an underground fire has been burning for six years. It’s precariously close to more than 9,000 tons of buried nuclear waste. The landfill’s owners claim it is a managed site -- but local school districts have been told to prepare evacuation plans just to be safe. In this context, the role of one charged with dominion over the Earth becomes complex.
Genesis reminds us that the task of stewards is to tend and heal. Reflecting on his experience of visiting Alaska’s Prince William Sound shortly before the pristine area was despoiled by the Exxon Valdez disaster, Darron Aronofsky, director of the movie Noah, notes the scriptural connotations of “dominion” and “stewardship.” Aronofsky says:
The earth and sea that inspired my moment of childhood awe have been corrupted, the sanctuary despoiled. The quarter-century anniversary of that tragic event comes as my film Noah is about to be released in theaters around the world, and I cannot help but reflect upon the relationship between that terrible spill and the story from Genesis about how God nearly annihilated the human race because our behavior in this world grieved him to his heart....
If we look around us, we cannot deny that we do indeed possess that dominion. Where once Prince William Sound was essentially untouched, now, with our understanding of man’s influence on climate, we can truly say that there is nowhere on our planet that is not influenced by mankind and our activities. Like it or not, we do preside over this world. The question is simply how we will choose to exercise that power.
When you step out and look at the night sky, when you see the stars and the planets, the moon and all that gives God praise, it seems hardly impossible to not join in praise, while also recalling the serious nature of what humans are called to do.
SECOND THOUGHTS
by Mary Austin
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
In a recent graduation speech, Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg said: “A commencement address is meant to be a dance between youth and wisdom. You have the youth. Someone comes in to be the voice of wisdom -- that’s supposed to be me. I stand up here and tell you all the things I have learned in life, you throw your cap in the air, you let your family take a million photos -- don’t forget to post them on Instagram -- and everyone goes home happy.”
Traditionally, speakers advise things like “Follow your dreams”; “Think big”; “See your own potential and don’t settle for smallness”; “Make the world better.”
Sandberg’s wisdom came in a different form. She went on to say, “I am not here to tell you all the things I’ve learned in life. Today I will try to tell you what I learned in death.” Talking about the death of her husband Dave just a year ago, she said: “It is the greatest irony of my life that losing my husband helped me learn deeper gratitude.” Sandberg said, “Dave's death changed me in very profound ways. I learned about the depths of sadness and the brutality of loss. But I also learned that when life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface, and breathe again.”
It’s graduation season, and graduates around the country will soon be hearing (or have already heard) from speakers who, like Sandberg, hope to impart some of their own wisdom to the graduates. Wisdom -- and the search for it -- is as old as creation. As the figure of Wisdom speaks in Proverbs, we see that this dimension of God’s presence goes back to the beginning of the world. “The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,” Wisdom proclaims, “the first of his acts of long ago.” Wisdom was a partner in creation, and when God, like a master builder, “marked out the foundations of the earth,” Wisdom was there “beside him, like a master worker.”
Why then, if this figure of Wisdom is so integral to creation, is wisdom in such short supply in our world? How have we let go of this deep wisdom, which is part of our heritage from God? We have traded wisdom for spectacle, with a presidential candidate who says we should “let other U.S. allies, such as Japan and South Korea, have nuclear weapons, since ‘it’s going to happen anyway.’ ‘It’s only a question of time,’ Trump shrugged, listing China, Russia, Pakistan, and North Korea as countries that possess the world-ending weapons, and fatalistically suggesting Iran would have one soon too. To combat this, Trump argued, more countries should arm themselves as well, so the U.S. wouldn’t have to waste so much money protecting them. ‘Now, wouldn’t you rather in a certain sense have Japan have nuclear weapons when North Korea has nuclear weapons?’ he asked.”
Saying stupid things may be a smart political move, argues political scientist Jason Brennan: “In an election, what every smart politician is trying to do is behave in ways that he or she hopes will appeal to the typical voter.... If voters were well-informed, dispassionate policy-wonks, then political campaigns would resemble peer-reviewed economics journals. But few voters or potential voters are like that... most voters are poorly informed, passionate, biased, overconfident, and tribalistic.” Politicians seem to lack wisdom because we, the voters, lack it too. As Ilya Somin notes in the Washington Post, “smart politicians who want to win have strong incentives to manipulate political ignorance to their advantage. Those who value truth above getting power are unlikely to win office or to stay there very long if they do.”
Still, graduation speakers hope to impart knowledge to new graduates. Apart from some digs at Donald Trump, President Obama told graduates at Rutgers University not to “lose hope if sometimes you hit a roadblock. Don’t lose hope in the face of naysayers. And certainly don’t let resistance make you cynical. Cynicism is so easy, and cynics don’t accomplish much.” Michelle Obama, speaking at historically black Jackson State University, said: “The shadows of our past have not completely disappeared. Despite the progress we’ve made, I know so many of you still see these shadows every single day.” She also asked graduates how they would live up to the sacrifices made for them. “You can hashtag all over Instagram and Twitter, but those social media movements will disappear faster than a Snapchat if you’re not also registered to vote,” said Obama, noting that fewer than 50 percent of African-American youths voted in the 2014 election in Mississippi. “We have to stand side-by-side with all of our neighbors... the march for civil rights isn’t just about African-Americans; it is about all Americans.” The first lady’s 29-minute speech included a challenge to graduates: How will you respond to issues of prejudice? She asked them to follow the lead of her husband: “He says, ‘When they go low, I go high.’ That’s the choice Barack and I have made, and it has kept us sane over the years. We do not allow space in our hearts, minds, and souls for darkness. We choose faith.”
Wisdom is another choice.
The figure of Wisdom calls out, but people still have to answer. Wisdom and God work together, rejoicing in the world and “delighting in the human race.” Wisdom is an energetic figure, working alongside God. She inspires us to live with energy and wisdom too, in the same way that an eloquent graduation speaker can inspire with both words and example. As Sheryl Sandberg concluded in her commencement speech: “We find our humanity -- our will to live and our ability to love -- in our connections to one another.” Wisdom calls -- from graduation speeches, and our own hard-won life lessons -- and renews our connection to God.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Robin Lostetter:
Psalm 8
Environmentalists Under Fire
Despite their good efforts in protesting, “the lingering impact of last weekend’s March Point protests in Skagit County is not what activists planned on. They staged multiple demonstrations against fossil fuels. Despite their environmental message, some in the community are accusing them of leaving behind more than a ton of trash at the Burlington Northern railroad tracks near Farm to Market Road.”
However, the demonstrators tell a different story. Having been forced to leave quickly, they were barred from returning to retrieve their belongings. So... are they litterbugs or victims? It will play out in the media, depending upon whether or not you’re in favor of earth care and stewardship or you want to find an excuse to mar the image of those who are. The headline favors the latter.
*****
Psalm 8
What Do Our Food Choices Have to Do with Stewardship of the Environment?
Here is an excerpt from a wonderful article in the United Church Observer, by a father who gave his daughter’s vegan diet a 6-month try:
[I]f you press vegans in the spirit of genuine interest and curiosity and not in the spirit of what-about-leather-shoes-then, they will tell you that, yes, they believe that morally, ethically, environmentally, socially, economically, and in terms of their own health, veganism is the best option.
Is there any proof of this? Well may you ask -- perhaps with a forkful of rare tournedos Bordelaise poised skeptically in front of your doubtful frown. And actually, there is. Vegans can be very convincing about what proof they believe they have at hand.
Should they start by raising the subject of the clear-cutting of the Amazon rainforest to grow grain to feed livestock? Unless you actually are a Koch brother, this is not an activity that can be enthusiastically defended. Or should vegans jump directly to the fact that the United States could feed 800 million people with the grain used currently to raise livestock? Yes, I know. It is surprising, isn’t it? You may also be unaware that livestock and its attendant industry create 51 percent of greenhouse gases. Or that it takes 660 gallons of water to produce a single hamburger? Oh, and if you happen to be a non-smoking male you might be interested to know that vegans have a 16 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer than non-vegans.
The list goes on. And yet it’s Caroline’s and Adam’s dietary lifestyle that is thought to be eccentric.
*****
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Unusual Graduation Speech
An address at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s commencement may top the list of unusual graduation speeches: “A graduating college student called to the commencement stage in Maine congratulated his peers, then stunned them. Physical education major Timothy Babine announced he had something important to do, then left the stage to propose to his girlfriend in the audience.” Both the college president and the young man’s family had prior knowledge of what was to take place. And the young woman?... She said yes.
***************
From team member Ron Love:
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
With a single sentence, Kevin Durant of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder forever changed the life of his mother Wanda Pratt. After receiving his 2014 award as the league’s Most Valuable Player on Mother’s Day, he simply said to his mother before all those gathered, “You the real MVP.” Those now-famous words went viral on social media, as during his acceptance remarks Kevin shared the sacrifices his mother made for the family as they grew up in Washington, D.C. Interest in Wanda Pratt’s story has remained high, to the point that the Lifetime television channel has recently made an original movie of her story called The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story.
Application: The wisdom of others can guide us.
*****
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
In a Family Circus newspaper comic, little P.J. is showing his older brother Jeffrey something he has drawn. Jeffrey does not seem to be too impressed, so P.J. says: “Well, that shows how much you know! It’s not a SCRIBBLE, it’s a DOODLE!” (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this cartoon.)
Application: Wisdom will allow us to make the distinction between a scribble and a doodle.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
Lonnie Franklin was recently convicted of ten counts of murder. The former Los Angeles trash collector, who murdered poor young black women over two decades, was known as the “Grim Sleeper Killer” because several years would often pass between his murders. Porter Alexander, whose 18-year-old daughter Alicia was one of Franklin’s victims, said, “We got him. It took a long time. By the grace of God it happened. It’s such a relief.”
Application: Our lesson tells us that though we know suffering, in time it will be resolved to our relief.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
In a Peanuts comic strip, Snoopy is sitting on top of his doghouse when Linus comes up to speak with him. Linus tells Snoopy that it is “Be Kind to Animals Week.” Then Linus wonders if that means animals are to be treated a little bit nicer than people this week. Snoopy, lying on his stomach, smiles in agreement. Then Linus, knowing that Snoopy does not like the cat who lives next door, throws this zinger at Snoopy: “Well, does this mean in that you, in turn, are also going to make an extra effort to be more kind to that cat who lives next door?” Snoopy suddenly flips over onto his back, and his smile is replaced by a frown as he says to himself, “I hate questions like that.” (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this cartoon.)
Application: Character means we are able to answer questions like that with acceptance and affirmation.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
In the Ziggy newspaper comics, Ziggy is a small, bald, barefoot, and almost featureless character -- except for his large nose -- who seems to have no friends, hobbies, or romantic partner... just a menagerie of pets. Ziggy also is an individual who seems to encounter an endless stream of misfortunes. In one episode, Ziggy is standing in an office building carrying his briefcase. There is a look of dismay on his face when he sees to his left a ladder with the sign “corporate ladder” while in front of him is an elevator labeled “nepotism elevator.” And of course those elevator doors to easy success will not open for Ziggy. Instead, Ziggy must climb that difficult ladder in order to succeed. (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this cartoon.)
Application: Character does not come from taking an elevator but from climbing the ladder.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
May 9 is the anniversary of one of the most important political cartoons in the history of our nation. It was drawn by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 for the Pennsylvanian Gazette, but was soon reproduced in newspapers across the country. The cartoon was then made into a flag. The cartoon depicted a snake cut into pieces, with each piece representing one of the 13 colonies. Each piece had the colony’s state abbreviation above it. Below the snake were these words: “JOIN or DIE.” The message was clear -- only if the colonies joined together in unity would they survive against England. (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this image.)
Application: There are always suffering and trauma, problems and hardships; but if we work together, there is always hope.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
Nyquist, a bay colt without any distinctive markings, recently won the Kentucky Derby by 1-¼ lengths. Nyquist’s racing record is now 8-0, and he was the eighth unbeaten winner in the race’s 142-year history. After the race, jockey Mario Gutierrez said, “We got a beautiful trip from the start to the end.” (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you might want to display a picture of Nyquist racing... but it is probably not necessary to do so.)
Application: Paul tries to tell us that if we follow his outline of suffering, endurance, character, and hope we will have a beautiful trip from start to finish.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
A book has recently been published detailing one of the deadliest days in American firefighting. There are only 107 elite “hotshot” crews in the United States -- firefighting crews especially trained for battling the worst wildfires imaginable. The 20 men of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, based in Prescott, Arizona, were summoned in 2013 to fight a wildfire sparked by lightning on Yarnell Hill in Arizona. One of them stood as a lookout while the other 19 battled the blaze. But then the wind suddenly changed and the crew’s exit was blocked. They got under their protective fireproof blankets, but the protective gear was not enough for the fire’s 2,000-degree heat... and all 19 men perished.
Application: We always like to think that things will end without disaster. But even though we have hope, this will not always happen. This is why Paul talks about our hope being in the end times -- that even in death we will not be separated from God.
*****
Romans 5:1-5
In the Korean War more soldiers froze to death than died in battle. During the day they would exert a tremendous amount of energy performing their duties of marching and fighting. As they wore heavy winter clothes to protect them from the cold, that clothing would cause them to sweat profusely. Then at night as they slept their sweat would freeze, encasing their bodies in ice and causing them to freeze to death.
Application: The soldiers knew suffering. The soldiers had endurance and were men of character. And the soldiers had the hope that their sacrifice would bring victory.
*****
John 16:12-15
In a Lockhorns comic, Leroy is about to begin a round of golf. He has a distant look on his face as the golf pro who will accompany him says, “The nice thing is I’m also a professional anger management counselor.” (Note: If you have a projection screen in your sanctuary, you may want to display this cartoon.)
Application: The Holy Spirit is with us, like a golf pro who instructs us and is also an anger management counselor to comfort us.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: O God, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
People: You have set your glory above the heavens.
Leader: When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
People: The moon and the stars that you have established;
Leader: What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
People: Or mortals that you care for them?
Leader: Yet you have made them a little lower than God.
People: You have crowned them with glory and honor.
OR
Leader: Wisdom calls us into worship with our God.
People: With joy we raise our voices in adoration to God.
Leader: God’s Spirit greets us and offers us wisdom.
People: We open our hearts and lives to God’s wisdom.
Leader: God gives us the task of sharing wisdom with others.
People: As we have received, so we shall share this gift.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“All Creatures of Our God and King”
found in:
UMH: 62
H82: 400
PH: 455
AAHH: 147
NNBH: 33
NCH: 17
CH: 22
LBW: 527
ELA: 835
W&P: 23
AMEC: 50
STLT: 203
Renew: 47
“Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones”
found in:
UMH: 90
H82: 618
PH: 75
LBW: 175
ELA: 424
“For the Beauty of the Earth”
found in:
UMH: 92
H82: 416
PH: 473
NNBH: 8
NCH: 28
CH: 56
LBW: 561
ELA: 879
W&P: 40
AMEC: 578
STLT: 21
“This Is My Father’s World”
found in:
UMH: 144
H82: 651
PH: 293
AAHH: 149
NNBH: 41
CH: 59
LBW: 554
ELA: 824
W&P: 21
AMEC: 47
“Be Thou My Vision”
found in:
UMH: 451
H82: 488
PH: 339
NCH: 451
CH: 595
ELA: 793
W&P: 502
AMEC: 281
STLT: 20
Renew: 151
“God of Grace and God of Glory”
found in:
UMH: 577
H82: 594, 595
PH: 420
NCH: 436
CH: 464
LBW: 415
ELA: 705
W&P: 569
AMEC: 62
STLT: 115
Renew: 301
“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”
found in:
UMH: 64, 65
H82: 362
PH: 138
AAHH: 329
NNBH: 1
NCH: 277
CH: 4
LBW: 165
ELA: 413
W&P: 136
AMEC: 25
STLT: 26
“Hymn of Promise”
found in:
UMH: 707
NCH: 433
CH: 638
W&P: 515
“As the Deer”
found in:
CCB: 83
Renew: 9
“For the Gift of Creation”
found in:
CCB: 67
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who ordained Wisdom to create all that is: Grant us your grace to always seek your wisdom, so that we might live as your joyful children honoring your creative works in all the world; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We offer to you, O God, our praise and worship, for you are the one who called for Wisdom. In your love for us, you have given us of your own Spirit and offered us your wisdom. Help us to be open to your wisdom, that we might live joyfully in your presence and in harmony with all your children. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our failure to seek God’s wisdom for our lives.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have given us your Spirit and you have offered us your wisdom. Far too often we ignore the promptings of your Spirit and fail to seek your wisdom. We think knowledge is enough for us to live by. When we do seek wisdom and direction for our lives, it is often from sources other than you. We listen to many voices and fail to hear yours. We turn back to you today, asking for a word of wisdom that we might live fully as your children. Amen.
Leader: Receive God’s love and forgiveness. Hear God speaking words of wisdom and love to your heart. Share that message with others.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
Praise and glory are yours, O God of all creation. Through wisdom you created all that is, and we are in awe of you.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have given us your Spirit and you have offered us your wisdom. Far too often we ignore the promptings of your Spirit and fail to seek your wisdom. We think knowledge is enough for us to live by. When we do seek wisdom and direction for our lives, it is often from sources other than you. We listen to many voices and fail to hear yours. We turn back to you today, asking for a word of wisdom that we might live fully as your children.
We give you thanks for all the blessings you have given to us. We thank you for the wonder of creation, and for your wisdom that allows us to live and not merely exist.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our need. We pray that we may all listen more intently to your wisdom, so that we can live together in joyful harmony and love.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Knowledge is about facts. Wisdom is about what to do with the facts. We all know that we can get hurt very badly if we are hit by a car. That is a fact. Wisdom tells us to look both ways before crossing the street so that we don’t experience that fact to be true. We know we can say something mean to our mothers. Wisdom tells us to not say it.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Talk to the Marigolds
by Dean Feldmeyer
Psalm 8
You will need: a small potted plant or flower.
Good morning. (Hold up potted plant.) I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine. His name is Marvin... Marvin the Marigold. He lives with me, and he makes my yard pretty if I take good care of him and give him plant food and water.
(To plant) Marvin, say hello to the boys and girls. (Pause) Marvin, please don’t embarrass me here. Just say hello to the boys and girls. (Silence... then put your ear up to the plant.) How’s that? Shy? You’re too shy just to say hello? That’s absurd. No, I really must insist that you...
(To children) Okay, enough of that. This is silly, isn’t it? Plants can’t talk, can they? Of course not.
BUT, you can talk to them. In fact, for some reason we don’t really fully understand, plants tend to do better when you talk to them. Here’s what I think: when we humans breathe we suck in air, and our bodies take the oxygen out of that air and use it, and then we exhale and put carbon dioxide into the air. Breathe in, oxygen. Breathe out, carbon dioxide.
Well, plants breathe too. Did you know that? Yes, they do. And do you know what they breathe when they breathe in? They breathe in carbon dioxide, and when they breathe out they breathe out oxygen.
So we breathe out the thing that plants need, and they breathe out the thing that we need. Pretty cool, huh? Plants and humans help each other out that way.
But there are so many humans in the world that we need lots and lots of plants to make enough oxygen for us. In fact, little Marvin here can’t make enough oxygen for me to breathe. It takes trees to make enough oxygen for us to breathe. Do you want to know how many trees it takes to make enough oxygen for me, just me? It takes about 22 trees, depending on how big they are. And it takes about 22 trees for you, and 22 for you, and 22 for you, and 22 for every person in this church. Twenty-two trees per person. And then, when you think that there are 6 billion people in the world who all need oxygen to breathe, why that’s... uh... a WHOLE BUNCH of trees. Billions of them!
The psalm that we read this morning is a song about how fortunate we are that God created the all the animals and plants in the world -- and then do you know what God did with them after God created them?
God gave them to us to take care of.
God gave them to us to take care of not just because they’re pretty, though they are pretty, aren’t they?
God gave them to us to take care of not just because they’re nice, though they are nice, aren’t they?
No, God gave them to us to take care of because they take care of us. They provide us with the oxygen that we breathe, and we need them. We really need them. They are our friends, and we should treat them like we treat our friends.
Even though they can’t talk.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, May 22, 2016, issue.
Copyright 2016 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
