SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING Churches turn their attention to the earthiy TODAY, Environment Sunday is being celebrated in a number of locai churches. It is only recently that national Environment Week has created any stir whatsoever in the Chris- tian church, which, like many other societal institutions, is undergoing a ‘‘greening’’ of its philoscphy and operations. The Church has been accused by prominent theologians, especially Roman Catholic pries*. Matthew Fox, of having been too dualistic in nature — separating the earthly from the heavenly, and considering only the latter to be sacred. Even Prince Philip has embark- ed upon 2 mission to change es- tablished religious viewpoints that do not regard nature as ‘‘a manifestation of the divine,’ and worthy of our care and steward- ship. “There are some marvellous things in Job, but if you look through the rest of (the Bible), there is nothing about respect for nature, or respect for the natural environment as a manifestation of the divine,’’ he said in an inter- view with the Observer. Prince Philip says this outlook probably resulted from the fact that many ‘‘heathen’’ dcliefs revolved around natural phenom- ena such as rivers or the sun. “As a result of that, certainly in the Christian churches, there has been a tendency to view anything that has to dco with nature as faintly heathen.*’ While most people aren't able to discuss the matter with the Pope, as did Prince Philip, there are steps being taken on the local front to imbue churches with a deeper sense of responsibility as caretakers — not dominators — of the environment. Most notable is the recent de- velopment of the EarthCare toolkit, a project of Vancouver's Anawim Community: Centre for By Peggy Trendei!-Whittaker News Reporter Justice and Peace. Available to churches and indi- viduais for $30, the kit includes a section of worship materials, in- formation on forming an Ear- thCare Covenant group within the church, environmental resources, and notes on the inter-relation- ships of justice, peace and the in- tegrity of creation. Three North Shore churches — Mt. Seymour United, St. Catherine’s Anglican and St. Francis-in-the-Woods Anglican — are all commemorating Environ- ment Sunday by getting their Sunday school children iavolved in the coolkit’s Green Agents In- vestigation. Using the toolkit’s resources and checkEst, the children set off to investigate and report on the environmental impact of five zones within the church building, such as the kitchen or office. According to ‘the Centre for Justice and Peace, the toolkit, which has been available for about three months, has had lots of “really positive feectback’’ from the churches. “God is committed to the ongo- ing renewal of creation, to its healing and completion, and so offers us the opportunity to con- sider entering into a mutually beneficia) covenanting process,’’ reads the toolkit. However, ‘‘Our species is trap- ped in a faithlessness and a lack of responsiveness to God’s cove- nant invitation. We have failed to live as though the world belongs to and is loved by God.”’ For more information on the toolkit, call the Centre for Justice and Peace at 433-6749. eS WEEK ONLY! _ oi) "Ean You Believe This F Beautiful Spa & Gazebo a 3 & (GE-S) Spa with XL70C if Gazebo mM Psckage OVER 200,000 SATISFIED , CAL SPAS CUSTOMERS § 22 Redwood Planters Package is "#39 9500H TOO FRI NCHS AVARASEE WATE COW KIOHTHRY PAYMENTS [OAC] a: _ This Unbelievable Price includes: Si oy Complzte Portable Sea : © Beautiful Redwood Cabinet * GV or 220V Equipment © 56 Sq. Ft. Filtration System Rw @4 Therapy Jets + 1 Cet Swirt Jet Bg ¢ Skievier & Drain Fut $uam Insulation B® Underwater Light (Complete Redwood Gazebo f © Bar & 3 Bar Stools © 30" Entry Steps 938-4006 Store Hours __ 9:30-7:00 9:30-9:00 10:00-6:00 FIND OUT about North America's fastest growing ree- reational activity — birding — in an introductory workshop at Crippen Regional Park on Bowen Island. The program begins at the Union Steamship Corapany Store in Snug Cove. An in- structor will lead participants through forest trails and into open meadows flocking for y IWGOURMET CHIN Lunch or Sunday, June 2, 1991 - North Shore News - 49 Sign up for bird watching Rufous-sided Towhees, Hum- mingbirds, Eagles, Winter Wrens, and Spring Warblers. Spring is nesting time, and the group muy hear male birds singing and defending their ter- ritories, say organizers. The workshop is a good way fo increase your walking en- joyment in parks by acquiring basic identification skills. The program runs from 8:30 now at Everyday 11:30-2:00 pm and 5 flair. :30-9:00 pm children under {0 years half price All you can eat! More than | 16 item buffet including soup, saiad, seafood, pasta, y and dessert with a Chinese p/p dinner to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, june 6. 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