Monday, July 29, 2024
The Rev. AaroN B. Jenkyn
Will you invest in Love?
Building Hope: A Vision for Sustainability, Accessibility, and Inclusion for the Future
The wisest theologians I know are the children in my life. Children are by nature inquisitive, curious and true, and their days are spent seeking out love in the world around them. What better way to see how God moves in this world than to ask a child how they experience love. If you listen carefully, the answers you hear will sound something like this: "I feel love when I am at home with my family," "cuddling with my pets," "playing outside in nature," "helping someone else," "given a second chance," or "being included.”
Their answers reflect the way that love is experienced in relationship, in communion with eachother, and with God. What children are naming when they respond to this question is the ways they feel God drawing close. I don’t know about you, but these are the same ways I experience love in the world, even though I am not always able to articulate it in this way.
I have come to learn that when the littlest amongst us speak about love, we must pay attention.
And the littlest in our community have spoken. The children and youth of St. John’s have been clear that they feel God’s love in nature; by a stream, in a tree, playing outdoors with friends. And they have also been clear about the ways they feel called to care for the earth, and for all of God’s creation. Here at St. John’s we have heard calls from our children to take small steps for greening our homes, and we have also heard them talk about taking bigger steps towards greening our church buildings. St. John’s youth, in their witness and wisdom, are asking us to care for each other, and for the environment by transforming our church buildings into sustainable, accessible and inclusive spaces to gather, worship, learn and love.
I am moved by the commitment of our children and youth to issues of creation care, but I can’t say that I am surprised by it. With the renovations to our buildings that have helped make this space more accessible and safe for all, and the ongoing greening initiatives, including the exciting prospect of putting solar panels on the church, the youth of St. John’s have watched us live out the gospel, watched us taking care of each other and the earth in very real and tangible ways. They have come to know love by being part of this community.
The work of loving and caring for eachother and the earth is well under way at St. John’s, and now the opportunity has come for us to put love into action once again. This Fall St. John’s will install solar panels on the roof of Thaxter Hall. These panels will provide for more than three-quarters of St. John’’s electrical needs, trim our utility costs and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. A major step towards “greening” St. John’s. The cost of the panels and installation is more than $60,000, and will come from three sources – a Federal tax credit, a grant from the NH Diocese and donations from the parishioners of St. John’s and members of the wider Portsmouth community.
“Project Building Hope”, as we have named this fundraising effort, seeks to raise the remaining $20,000 to fund the solar panel installation, as well as other initiatives that will help us to care for the earth, our buildings and our community for generations to come. Any excess amount collected will go towards furthering our vision of a sustainable, accessible and inclusive community.
Will you invest in love? Will you invest in the building of hope for generations to come? I know I will.
If you are someone who already knows that you are committed to this work, and would like to donate, you can do so by clicking here or sending a check to St. John’s Church with “Building Hope” in the memo line.
And if you are someone who would like to learn more about this project, watch your post for additional information about this campaign, and check back here every Monday in August to hear from members of St. John’s who are passionate about these issues.
Click here to learn more about The Building Hope Project, and make your donation today!