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This year, Hamilton Mennonite Church added a line to our budget that expresses our desire to care for God's creation, as well as our concern about the current climate crisis that is harming the earth that sustains us and many of our most vulnerable neighbours. We joined many others in our Mennonite Church Canada family of faith in pledging toward 7 Calls to Climate Action. It is time for big actions by large parts of society, and we hope that the Mennonite Church can be part of that.

This Winter, 4 members of HMC participated in the Creator's call in a Climate Emergency community learning series with Mennonite Church Canada. Some of those sessions can be watch on YouTube like this one. Listen to 3 HMC sermons here that name some of the learnings from that series, or watch last year's Earth Day sermon below.

A bus rider’s prayer in a climate emergency

Creating One,
You are always on the move.
You designed the speed of the Lightning 
and the small stride of the Ant.
Teach us the pace of humankind, the pace of living in your likeness.
Slow us down sometimes, 
from our need for speed or our spinning fears,
Slow us down like the city bus slows me down.
As I leave behind the car, so may we leave behind the privileges we presume and the conveniences that come between us.
As I walk, then ride, then walk, so may we be as attentive to our journey as to our destination.
As I watch each step on slippery ground, so may we watch each effect our actions have on the earth.
As I pass the same corners day after day, so may we become intimately aware of our neighbourhoods, our watersheds, our Mother trees.
As I wait at the bus stop, so may we pause and take a breath and trust that the way forward is just around the corner.
As I greet the driver, so may we acknowledge those who have been in this work the longest, and as I move for those behind me, so may we create space for each one entering the work.
As I share the ride with neighbours and strangers, so may we travel slowly enough to look into the faces of others on this journey, wondering at their wisdom, objecting to their oppression, learning from their longings and their leadership.
Teach us the pace of humankind, the pace of living in your likeness.
Made as we are in your image,
Held as we are in your love,
Move with us into your beloved earth’s beautiful possibilities.
Amen