- rainbow, a sign of God’s promise, a sign of God’s love, a sign of God’s everlasting grace… I felt blessed.

As anyone knows who has travelled in torrential rain, it is not an easy journey. The rain bounces, the vision becomes obscured and the driving rain forces us to stop our journey for a while until we get our bearings. We become disorientated, unaware of our surroundings.

- • second recollection is in the same location, the • second recollection is in the same location, the small slate front porch on this 18th-century cottage. As I looked up I saw a swallow’s nest, now vacant, but it had obviously been a haven for the swallows when they brought their family this year. As I thought about where they were flying, over seas and continents to South Africa, I reflected that these small birds were protected by God, as they undertook this journey. We too are protected as we take our journey, knowing the direction we need to take, but requiring God’s guidance in sunshine and moonlight…… I felt loved.

In many ways we, as humanity, have become disoriented and unaware of our surroundings, unaware of the abuse we have all contributed to over the years. Yet although the creative clock is nearly at the stroke of midnight, there is still time to halt the way we have neglected our planet.

One of the most memorable quotes I have ever heard over the years is… Tread gently on the earth.

Tread gently on the earth, gently on the earth, means to be careful how we place our bodies, how we use our hands, how we travel, to be aware of sustainable energy, be aware of polluting the earth with plastic, be aware of the abuse of fossil fuels, of disturbing the habitants of animals who have lived on this earth far longer than we have.

- • third recollection was after the storm, when the • third recollection was after the storm, when the fruits of the damson tree had fallen to the ground, and Mathias asked if we could go out to pick the fallen fruit. As he stood collecting the damsons from the ground, I wondered how many times the old damson tree had given its fruit to the earth and its inhabitants. As we collected the damsons, marvelling at their ripeness, I thanked God that we were part of a long line of people collecting the fruit from the earth…. I felt grateful.

Tread gently on the earth gently on the earth means adhering to the call of Jesus, listening to earth’s call of partnership, of justice when we see others tread loudly and abusively on the earth. It means listening to what the earth is saying, its groaning, its energy, and listening to its heartbeat.

The Bubbles of Peace that emerged last week - the rainbow, the journey and the fruits, all reminded me that we are part of God’s world, the planet, the seasons, and part of nature, and together we enable this planet to function. However, if one piece of the jigsaw of creation is out of place, then chaos prevails. If it rained constantly, and the rain was polluted through neglect of our planet, the earth and the seas would suffer, the crops would fail, and there would be difficulty in ever seeing a Rainbow. Nature and humanity would bear the brunt of such neglect. Crops and fruit would suffer, and indeed the earth would groan under the weight of abandonment and disaster.

Tread gently on the earth gently on the earth means listening to the Spirit that breathes through all creation, the spirit who created life, and now watching the same life be extinguished. The Spirit’s wingbeats attempting to touch each individual and to awaken their senses.

At this start of Creation Time, I invite you to look within yourself, and ask are you treading gently upon this earth? To look at the community and ask how can I assist the community to tread gently upon this earth? To look at the world and ask how can I assist organizations to tread gently on this earth?