Thought for the Week, by Rev Martin Russell
Isn't it a glorious time to be out of doors?
In my garden the rhododendrons are in flower and out in the country lanes the hawthorn is full of white blossom.
I recently had a short break near Ilkley and was so aware of the beauty of nature all around. Birds were singing, the gardens full of colour, the fields full of sheep with lambs.
It was so uplifting you could only praise God for the gifts of creation. Yet today we are more aware than ever that nature is in danger.
Our consumer culture makes us focus on ourselves, our wealth and pleasure. Yet we know that all kinds of creatures are diminishing, seas and rivers suffer pollution.
Walking our streets I find myself picking up plastic bottles and drink cans. Sometimes I see fly-tipping down a quiet lane.
In the Bible the earth is God's gift to us. It is good and we are stewards, with responsibility to care for creation rather than to exploit it.
Today churches are encouraged to be eco-friendly, using green energy, making church yards a place for diverse plants and insects.
The earth is a great blessing to us. Together let us care for it.
Rev Martin Russell