Preaching Advent hope in a climate emergency.

In August this year, Fe’iloakitau Kaho Tevi, Advisor to the current Bishop of the Diocese of Polynesia, challenged the church. He called for the ocean to be “front and centre” in our prayers and preaching.  What might it mean to sing “Away in a Manger” as rising sea levels impact the daily lives of our neighbours in Oceania?

A few months later, in October, the Consultation on Transforming Discipleship and Creation called for a “global ecological conversion.” Hosted jointly by Te Rūnanga Whakawhanaungatanga i ngā Haahi o Aotearoa and the World Council of Churches, the consultation called for honest accounts as expressions of solidarity.

Christian World Service is responding to these challenges. The annual Christmas appeal includes worship outlines and preaching resources that read the Advent and Christmas Bible texts ecologically.

Over five weeks, the Gospel of Luke and “Away in a Manger” are brought into conversation with restless seas, soil habitats and Oceanic wisdoms of restraint. Koru patterns made from locally sourced flowers and leaves replace traditional Advent wreaths.

Listening to honest accounts from our neighbours in Oceania generates fresh wisdom. In the Solomon Islands, some church leaders now mix daily prayer with collecting weather information. To build solidarity, we in Aotearoa are invited to make our own rain gauge this Advent. This provides ways to compare local rainfall with the cyclones that lashed the Solomon Islands during Advent 2023.

The worship outlines and preaching resources from CWS come highly commended. The Right Rev Rose Luxford, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand says, “The effects of climate change are very real for our neighbours living in the Pacific Islands. This CWS Christmas Appeal talks of hope and provides a way in which we can give tangible support. I commend it to you.'

The worship outlines and preaching resources are an Advent gift for congregations here in Aotearoa. They provide one way for the ocean to be “front and centre” in our prayers and preaching this Christmas.

Resources are available on the Christian World Services website at  https://cws.org.nz/get-involved/give/christmas-appeal/