Earth Day: The Ark

Sunday Service, 19 April 2026

Led by Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv0N-SOio3g

Musical Prelude: Jigs - The Rolling Wave / Out on the Ocean (performed by Tara McCarthy, Jess Collins, and Iona Reid)      

Opening Words: ‘We Gather’ by Gary Kowalski

We gather here to worship:

to seek the truth, to grow in love, to join in service;

to celebrate life's beauty and find healing for its pain;

to honour our kinship with each other and with the earth;

to create a more compassionate world,

beginning with ourselves;

to wonder at the mystery that gave us birth;

to find courage for the journey's end;

and to listen for the wisdom that guides us

in the quietness of this moment. (pause)

Words of Welcome and Introduction: 

These words from Gary Kowalski welcome all who have gathered this morning for our Sunday service. Welcome to those who have gathered in-person at Essex Church, to all who are joining via Zoom, and anyone tuning in at a later date via YouTube or listening to the podcast stream.  For anyone who doesn’t know me, I’m Jane Blackall, and I’m minister with Kensington Unitarians.  

This morning our service is marking Earth Day (technically it’s next Wednesday, 22^nd April). This is a day intended to raise awareness and understanding of environmental issues and to galvanise people into taking positive action for the sake of our planet and all the creatures we share it with. This morning, we’re going to focus on biodiversity in particular, so I’ve titled our service ‘The Ark’. Through readings and hymns, music and prayers, we’ll focus on the interdependent web of life.

The title was actually inspired by this little book, ‘We Are the ARK’, by Mary Reynolds. I’ve not ended up choosing a full-length reading from it today, as I couldn’t find a stand-alone bit to pull out, but I wanted to share a paragraph to set the scene. She writes: ‘Biodiversity is defined as the variety of all living things, and the systems that connect them. This includes all the planet’s different plants, animals, and microorganisms, plus the genetic information they contain and the ecosystems of which they are a part… The web of life is being pushed to the edge, and we are unquestionably and indivisibly (if often unknowingly) tethered to that web. All creatures play a vital role in the circle of life. When a gap appears in that circle or a strand of that web disappears, the system gets weaker and closer to collapse. We rely on every creature’s presence for our clean air and water, healthy foods, and beautiful environments… Each moment of our lives is dependent on this web of life remaining intact.’

Just a little bit of context: Mary Reynolds describes herself as a ‘reformed landscape designer’ – she won a gold award for her ‘Celtic Sanctuary’ garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in back in 2002 and at the time she was the youngest person ever to do so – but since then she’s radically changed her focus to environmental concerns. She was inspired to begin a grassroots movement called ‘We Are the ARK’ (ARK standing for ‘Acts of Restorative Kindness’ to the earth) which is kind-of a rewilding campaign which asks people to give as much land back to nature as they can spare. She follows eminent biologist E.O. Wilson – we will hear from him later – and his ‘Half-Earth’ project which proposes that ‘we give half the earth back to our wild kin… and return it to its true nature’. So all that is in the background of all our reflections this morning; not all of us are lucky enough to have stewardship of a patch of land, especially here in London, though some are; but let’s all ask ourselves what we can do to be part of ‘the Ark’.

Chalice Lighting: ‘Our Guiding Principles’ by Jane Blackall

Let’s light our chalice flame now, as we do each week. It’s a moment for us to stop and take a breath, settle ourselves down, put aside any preoccupations we came in carrying. This simple ritual connects us in solidarity with Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists the world over, and reminds us of the proud and historic progressive religious tradition of which this gathering is part.

(light chalice) 

May the light of this chalice be a reminder of the

shared values and principles around which we gather:

upholding the inherent worth and dignity of every person;

cherishing all those diverse creatures and habitats

with whom we share this Earth, our home;

seeking human liberation and flourishing;

serving the common good of all.

May this little light, and all it represents, make a home in our hearts;

where it will ever guide us back to our highest aspirations,

and help us be responsive, creative, just, and loving,

in this complex and ever-changing world.

Hymn 31 (purple): ‘Earth is Gift of God’s Creation’

Let us sing together now. Our first hymn is number 31 in your purple books: ‘Earth is Gift of God’s Creation’. For those joining on zoom the words will be up on screen. We haven’t got Benjie to help us with singing today so let’s do our best without him! Feel free to stand or sit as you prefer.

Earth is gift of God’s creation,

ours to nurture or neglect.

We are called to witness boldly

that all life deserves respect.

We are kin to every being,

sharing space on earth, our home.

Yet we squander vast resources,

seek to save ourselves alone.

When our lifestyle lessens others

we become a measure less.

When we choose to live more simply

we confirm what we profess.

Can we lose our tunnel vision,

see those who are cast aside,

sense the hurt of broken pledges,

hear the planet’s silent cries?

Tending space within earth’s garden,

honouring the future here,

we can serve with God as partners,

a community of care.

Strengthened by the rainbow’s promise,

sign of God’s enduring grace,

let us dare to live our calling

in our time and in our place!

Candles of Joy and Concern: 

Each week when we gather together, we share a simple ritual of candles of joy and concern, an opportunity to light a candle and share something that is in our heart with the community. So we’ve an opportunity now, for anyone who would like to do so, to light a candle and say a few words about what it represents. We’ll go to the people in the building first, then to Zoom.

So I invite some of you here in person to come and light a candle and then if you wish to tell us who or what you light your candle for – please keep it brief – be considerate of others. I’m going to ask you to come to the lectern to speak, as we want people to be able to hear you. 

(in person candles)

And if that’s everyone in the room we’ll go over to the people on Zoom next – you might like to switch to gallery view at this stage – just unmute yourselves when you are ready and speak out – and we should be able to hear you and see you up on the big screen here in the church.

(zoom candles)

And I’m going to light one more candle, as we often do, to represent all those joys and concerns that we hold in our hearts this day, but which we don’t feel able to speak out loud. (light candle)

Time of Prayer & Reflection: based on words by Laura Horton-Ludwig  

Let’s take those joys and concerns into an extended time of prayer. This prayer is based on words by Laura Horton-Ludwig. You might want to adjust your position for comfort, close your eyes, or soften your gaze. There might be a posture that helps you feel more prayerful. Whatever helps you get into the right state of body and mind for us to pray together – to be fully present – with ourselves, with each other, and with that which is both within us and beyond us. (pause)

Spirit of Life, God of All Love, in whom we live and move and have our being,

   we turn our full attention to you, the light within and without,

      as we tune in to the depths of this life, and the greater wisdom

         to which – and through which – we are all intimately connected.

      Be with us now as we allow ourselves to drop into the

         silence and stillness at the very centre of our being. (pause)

Spirit of Life, Spirit of Earth,

Spirit of all that breathes

and all that is: We love you.

We love this planet and its people and its beings.

We love this interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.

We love it all and we want it all to be well and blessed and healthy.

But we are human, and as a people, our hearts are still small.

So often our love and our sincere desire for the well-being of all

is not yet enough to restrain our collective desire for more for ourselves—

more money, more power, more things.

So often we act in the service of that desire for more

in ways that harm our fellow humans,

and the countless beings with whom we share this earth.

And so often, even when we would do otherwise,

we feel powerless. The problems are so big, the scale so enormous.

What can one person or one small group really do?

But, today, let our prayer be for hope,

and commitment to stay in the struggle,

to do what is right as best we can, each day,

and to love you, spirit of earth and ocean, stars and rocks,

beings of every kind, not least our human neighbours—

to love this glorious whole as we love ourselves—

for we are you and you are us. (pause)

And in a few minutes of quietness now, let us seek a higher perspective, a longer view;

starting right where we are, let us shift our awareness ever outward, in circles of concern.

Let us bring to mind those we know to be struggling this day – perhaps including ourselves –

those friends and family we hold dearest – our neighbours in community –

others around the globe we may only have heard about on the news.

And let us take time to send prayers of loving kindness to all who suffer this day. (long pause)

Let us take stock of our own lives – the challenges we face – and our part in those difficulties –

perhaps we are all too aware of mistakes we have made, or missed opportunities –

times in this week where things didn’t turn out how we intended or had hoped.

And let us take time to ask for what we need to transform our pain and sufferings. (long pause)

Let us look back over the last week, taking time to notice what was good, to count our blessings –

all the ways in which others helped or encouraged us, inspired or delighted us –

all the goodness and beauty we have known even in the midst of pain and struggle.

And let us take time to give prayers of thanks for all we have been given. (long pause)

Spirit of Life – God of all Love – as this time of prayer comes to a close, we offer up

   our joys and concerns, our hopes and fears, our beauty and brokenness,

      and we call on you for insight, healing, and renewal.

As we look forward now to the coming week,

     help us to live well each day and be our best selves;

     using our unique gifts in the service of love, justice and peace. Amen.

Hymn (on sheet): ‘Who Is My Neighbour?’

Let’s sing again now – our second hymn is on your hymn sheet – ‘Who is My Neighbour?’

Who is my neighbour? Every soul who lives upon the earth.

I have been called to treat each one with dignity and worth,

Working for justice, seeking peace and cultivating care,

Offering hope to those whose lives are laden with despair.

When I can ease another’s pain, I know I’ll do my part.

When I can bring another joy, I’ll open up my heart.

When I have more than someone else, I’ll share the things I can.

When I am tempted to be cruel, I’ll strive to understand.

Who is my neighbour? Earth itself and all the beings there:

Flora and fauna, fish and fowl, the trees that graze the air.

River and prairie, sea and sky I honour and respect.

These are my neighbours. These I vow to cherish and protect.

Oh, may we build a world where all have everything they need.

May we be free from hate and fear, from violence and from greed.

May our lives be tributes to compassion, love, and trust

Till we are kin to all the world and all are kin to us.

Reading: ‘The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth’ by E.O. Wilson (excerpt, adapted) (David to read)

The philosophy of exemptionalism supposes that the special status on Earth of humanity lifts us above the laws of Nature. Exemptionalism takes one or the other of two forms. The first is secular: don’t change course now, human genius will provide. The second is religious: don’t change course now, we are in the hands of God, or the gods, or Earth’s karma, whatever.

A cheerful faith in human destiny dismisses the rest of life through successive denials. The first says ‘why worry? Extinction is natural. Life forms have been dying out over billions of years of history without any clear harm to the biosphere.’ All this is true as far as it goes, but with a terrible twist. Except for giant meteorite strikes or other catastrophes every 100 million years or so, Earth has never experienced anything like the contemporary human juggernaut. The number of species is plummeting. The original level of biodiversity is not likely to be regained in any period of time that has meaning for the human mind.

The second stage of denial takes form in a question, ‘Why do we need so many species anyway? Why care, especially when the vast majority are bugs, weeds, and fungi?’ In time, people will more widely share the knowledge acquired by biologists that these often obscure life forms run Earth completely free for us. Each is a masterpiece of evolution, exquisitely well adapted to the niches of the natural environment in which it occurs. The surviving species around us are thousands to millions of years old. Their genes, having been tested each generation in the crucible of natural selection, are codes written by countless episodes of birth and death. Their careless erasure is a tragedy that will haunt human memory forever.

All the zoos in the world can sustain breeding populations of a maximum of only two thousand mammal species, out of about five thousand known to exist. Botanical gardens are more capacious, but would be over-whelmed by the tens of thousands of plant species needing protection. A lot of good can be accomplished, but at considerable expense per species, and it can only make a dent in the problem. And how are we even to think of such an emergency measure for the millions of species of insects and other invertebrates, most still unknown to science—and still more, the tens of millions of microorganisms?

There is no solution available, I assure you, to save Earth’s biodiversity other than the preservation of natural environments in reserves large enough to maintain wild populations sustainably. Only Nature can serve as the planetary ark.

Save the Creation, save all of it! No lesser goal is defensible. However biodiversity arose, it was not put on this planet to be erased by any one species. This is not the time, nor will there ever be a time, when circumstance justifies destroying Earth’s natural heritage. Proud though we are of our special status, and justifiably so, let us keep our world-changing capabilities in perspective. All that human beings can imagine, all the fantasies we can conjure, all our games, simulations, epics, myths, and histories, and, yes, all our science dwindle to little beside the full productions of the biosphere. We have not even discovered more than a small fraction of Earth’s life forms. We understand fully no one species among the millions that have survived our onslaught.

It is true that nonhuman life preceded us on this planet. Whether by a literal day, according to Genesis, or by more than 3.5 billion years, as the scientific evidence shows, it is still true that we are a latecomer. The biosphere into which humanity was born had its Nature-born crises, but it was overall a beautifully balanced and functioning system. It would have continued to be so in the absence of Homo sapiens. Even today a diminished wild Nature provides us ecosystem services, such as water management, pollution control, and soil enrichment, equal in economic value to all that humanity artifactually generates.

This planet can be paradise. But only if we also take the rest of life with us.

Words for Meditation: ‘Characteristics of Life’ by Camille Dungy

Thanks David.  We’re moving into a time of meditation now. To take us into stillness I’m going to share a poem by Camille Dungy which comes at biodiversity from a different angle. Following the poem, we will hold a few minutes of shared silence, which will end with the sound of a bell. Then we’ll hear music for meditation. So let’s do what we need to do to get comfortable – adjust your position – put your feet flat on the floor to ground yourself – close your eyes. As ever, these words and music are just an offering, feel free to use this time to meditate in your own way.

‘Characteristics of Life’ by Camille Dungy

Ask me if I speak for the snail and I will tell you

I speak for the snail.

speak of underneathednessand the welcome of mosses,

of life that springs up,

little lives that pull back and wait for a moment.

I speak for the damselfly, water skeet, mollusk,

the caterpillar, the beetle, the spider, the ant.

I speak from the time before spinelessness was frowned upon.

Ask me if I speak for the moon jelly. I will tell you

one thing today and another tomorrow

and I will be as consistent as anything alive on this earth.

I move as the currents move, with the breezes.

What part of your nature drives you? You, in your cubicle

ought to understand me. I filter and filter and filter all day.

Ask me if I speak for the nautilus and I will be silent

as the nautilus shell on a shelf. I can be beautiful

and useless if that's all you know to ask of me.

Ask me what I know of longing and I will speak of distances

between meadows of night-blooming flowers.

I will speak

the impossible hope of the firefly.

You with the candle

burning and only one chair at your table must understand

such wordless desire.

To say it is mindless is missing the point.

Period of Silence and Stillness (~3 minutes) – end with a bell  

Interlude: Song - The Mole in the Ground (performed by Tara McCarthy, Jess Collins, and Iona Reid)     

Reading: ‘Stewards of the Web’ by Cliff Reed (read by Juliet)

We are stewards, in our brief time, of life’s great web

on this small planet; made so by the twists and turns of evolution.

We are not masters of the Earth. It is in believing so that we have

wreaked such havoc. Teach us humility, Great Spirit, lest we perish.

We are part of the natural order and its interdependence. We cannot float above its struggles,

insulate ourselves from its cycles of life and death: they are ours too.

As stewards, we are gardeners and foresters, herdsmen and tillers of the soil. And sometimes, we must

take the place of things that we destroy, like Nature’s hunters which keep the biosphere in balance,

though ‘red in tooth and claw’; for ‘there is a time to kill’ as well as ‘a time to heal’.

Teach us, Great Spirit, to do both with reverence and compassion.

But there is never a time to be cruel or wantonly despoil.

And neither is there a time to feel guilt at being who we are.

We belong here. We have a right to be here. We are children of the earth,

with all its blood and beauty, all its sentience and insouciance, all its suffering and pain.

Like all creatures who breathe your breath of life – the lion, the wolf, the bear;

the great whale, the scurrying ant – we are your vessels,

Great Spirit, members of this good creation.

We are involved in it. We cannot live untouched or not touching.

Save us from being its pillagers and poisoners, inflictors of cruelty.

And save us from the sentimentality that morphs into intolerance and hatred.

So may our brief tenure of the earth leave it rich in kindness, life, and beauty.

Hymn 156 (purple): ‘The Earth is the Lord’s’

Time for a bonus hymn now, we have lots of good hymns on environmental matters, and this one tees up our next reading nicely. Number 156: ‘The Earth is the Lord’s’.

‘The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.’

Creation reminds us, O God, of your love.

By grace, we are learning; as year leads to year

we're called to be stewards, your caretakers here.

Your rainforests nurture the world that we share;

your wetlands give animals shelter and care;

your coral reefs cradle the life of the sea;

you've shown us, in love, what your good world can be.

Too often, O God, we abuse your good earth

and fail to remember its beauty and worth.

We take from creation much more than we need

and threaten your world through indifference and greed.

May we be good stewards of all that you give,

protecting creation wherever we live.

May we be a church that renews and restores

and lovingly cares for this earth that is yours.

Reading: ‘Humans and the Earth: Noah’s Ark’ by Ana Levy-Lyons (excerpts, adapted)

In lieu of a sermon from me this week I want to share this reflection by UU minister Ana Levy-Lyons – I was so pleased to find this – it’s an extended excerpt of a sermon so it’s long for a reading (about eight minutes) but it speaks to what I wanted us to focus on today.

Those of you who went to Sunday school when you were kids may have happy images in your head of Noah and the Ark – the smiling giraffes and cows and lions going, two by two up the ramp into the big boat, Noah and his family waving like they’re going on a cruise, and of course the end of the story when the flood subsides, you have that post-rain wet sidewalk smell, and everything is all sparkly, clean, and new with a beautiful rainbow in the sky. This is how it always looks in the kids’ picture books. But the reality of modern-day floods is not so happy as it's depicted in those images. Around the world, we are getting storms and floods today that are increasingly biblical in their proportions, and nobody is smiling and waving.

One idea in particular has resonated through the millennia: that at root, humans and the earth are one and the same. In the beginning of the Biblical origin myth, God takes a handful of earth (in Hebrew, adamah) and breathes life into it to create the first human (adam). Adamah, adam. The adam has no gender, no race, no language, no religion, no political affiliation; it is simply an earthling – a creature made out of earth and infused with the spirit, the breath of God.

Through the generations we’ve sensed that the earth is our essence – it’s our home, our origin and our final resting place. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. When we bury a loved one’s body or sprinkle ashes in a sacred place, we feel that we are returning them to their source. And it’s true of course. Earth becomes plants which become our bodies either by eating the plants directly or indirectly through animals. And when we die, the remains of our body become the earth again.

So what happens to the earthling in the Genesis story? The earthling is given a garden, the text says, with every kind of tree that is beautiful and good for food. It is a paradise where the earthling, like a baby, is given everything that it needs. The earthling is also given limits on its use of these natural resources. Using only part of what’s here will be more than enough for you, God says. As most of us know from the story, that doesn’t go so well. They get cast out of the garden and life for the first time becomes hard. Now they have to work the earth to grow food. And things just get worse from there. Jealousy and greed crop up. Brothers fight.

And then there’s the flood. The Genesis text introduces the flood story by saying, “And God regretted having made humankind in the earth. And God’s heart grieved. And God said, ‘I’ll wipe out the adam whom I’ve created from the face of the earth, from human to animal to creeping thing, and to the bird of the skies, because I regret that I made them.’” It’s the worst condemnation possible. When God explains the flood to Noah, God says it’s because “the earth is filled with violence.”

Noah is an exception. It is said that Noah “walked with God.” He’s described as a “righteous man, blameless in his age.” Now, that’s an interesting way to put it. Blameless in his age. The “in his age” sounds like a qualifier – like people who say that so-and-so is honest for a politician. It’s not entirely a compliment. Noah isn’t blameless in an absolute sense; he isn’t perfect. He isn’t a saint. He’s just pretty good relative to his times which apparently are pretty bad. He’s real. He’s good but he’s real. He walks with God. He’s trying. And so God chooses him and his family to survive and pass those pretty good genes on to the rest of humanity.

God chooses Noah to build the ark. God gives very detailed specifications – so many cubits wide and long and tall, seal the edges with pitch, three stories, one window, and a door on the side. And bring in two of every living creature to be protected from the storm. Two elephants, two mosquitoes and two of everything in between. Noah is also supposed to bring in every type of plant that is good for food – presumably food for humans and animals – which would pretty much include every type of plant. Every kind of seed would need to be there so that the plants could regenerate. So Noah is given the responsibility for bringing the entire living biodiversity of the earth into the safety of the ark.

You would think Noah might find this a little burdensome. Even a little unfair. You would think he might complain, “Why should I have to clean up a mess that I did not make?” The parallels between this ancient myth and our real life story today are chilling. In each, it is human wrongdoing, misuse of natural resources, and violence that brings the threat of destruction to the earth. In each, the destruction threatens not only the humans who caused it, but all living creatures. In each, the destruction is to be carried out by means of flood – storms, a deluge of rain, and a powerful rising of waters. And in each, it is only through the actions of imperfect people willing to take responsibility for cleaning up a mess that they did not make that life can be saved.

If Noah is a hero because of anything, it’s because of this. He takes responsibility even though he isn’t guilty. He does everything he can to make things right again. We haven’t personally, singlehandedly made the choices that caused storms and floods. But weather was likely made more extreme by the choices of our age, our time. We most likely haven’t personally, directly, polluted the earth or the oceans with our own hands. But the economic systems in which we participate have. None of us caused global warming. But the people of our generation and our parents’ generation did. And it’s up to us to take responsibility for it. There is no singularly evil person who deserves all the blame. And there is no saint, no one blameless in an absolute sense, no one perfect singularly qualified to fix it all. There is only us – good in our age. We each walk with the God of our understanding in our own way and we try.

In the modern version of building an ark we don’t have the benefit of detailed instructions. It’s a lot more complicated these days. But we do have the wisdom of the stories of our traditions – stories that paint for us a picture of a different relationship with the earth. We have the ancient teaching that we are adam – made of earth and not separate from it. We have the vision of a beautiful garden in which we live simply and in peace, taking no more from it than we need. And we have the inkling of what it means to care so much for every person, every species, every form of life on this earth, that we bring every single one into our circle and into our ark of compassion. May we be blessed, like Noah, with the courage to clean up messes that we did not make and the strength to weather whatever storms may come our way.

Hymn 32 (purple): ‘Earth Was Given as a Garden’

Time for one last hymn now, it’s number 32 in your purple books, ‘Earth was Given as a Garden’.

Earth was given as a garden,

cradle for humanity;

tree of life and tree of knowledge

placed for our discovery.

Here was home for all your creatures

born of land and sky and sea;

all created in your image,

all to live in harmony.

Show to us again the garden

where all life flows fresh and free.

Gently guide your sons and daughters

into full maturity.

Teach us how to trust each other,

how to use for good our power,

how to touch the earth with reverence.

Then once more will Eden flower.

Bless the earth and all your children.

One creation, make us whole,

interwoven, all connected,

planet wide and inmost soul.

Holy mother, life bestowing,

bid our waste and warfare cease.

Fill us all with grace o'erflowing.

Teach us how to live in peace.

Announcements:

Thanks to Ramona for hosting and Lochlann for co-hosting. Thanks to Tara, Jess, Iona and Andrew for lovely music. Thanks to David and Juliet for reading. Thanks to Juliet for greeting and Marianne for making coffee. If you’re online stay for a chat with Lochlann if you can. If you’re in-person please do stay for tea and cake (it’s apple and pear cake or chocolate beer cake this week). And you can stay longer if you like as we have the crafternoon – stay and chat – rummage in our craft cupboard and you can do colouring, or painting, or whatever you fancy.

At 12.30, we’ll also be holding a small ceremony in the back garden, where Heidi and Roger will be scattering the ashes of our dear friend John Hands, a long-standing and much-loved member of this congregation, who died a year ago. All those who want to pay their respects are welcome.

Tonight and Friday at 7pm we’ve got our online ‘Heart and Soul’ online contemplative spiritual gathering – this week it’s on the theme of ‘Enthusiasm’ – sign up with me if you want to join.

We’re having a walk on Tuesday 21^st April, exploring Greenwich Park, sign up with me for that (note: this will be cancelled if the tube strike goes ahead so Jane will let everyone know on Monday).

Sonya will be here with her Nia Dance class on Friday lunchtime – have a word with Sonya.

Next Sunday the Better World Book Club is talking about ‘Finding the Mother Tree’ by Suzanne Simard and I have one last copy to lend out if you’d like to come along on the 26^th on Zoom.

Next Sunday it’ll be our special Membership Service and AGM so please do come along for that. It’s not too late to join for this year if you’ve been coming a little while and feel you belong. Have a word with me if you want to know how to do so. It’s not about money, but about commitment.

Details of all our various activities are printed on the order of service, and also in the Friday email, so sign up for our mailing list if you haven’t already done so. And the spring newsletter is out! Do take a copy.  The congregation very much has a life beyond Sunday mornings; we encourage you to keep in touch, look out for each other, and do what you can to nurture supportive connections.

Just time for our closing words and closing music now.

Benediction: based on words by Laura Horton-Ludwig

As we go forth from this sacred space,

May we celebrate the wonder of our shared lives,

May we recognize our connections to all that is in and on Earth,

May we truly and deeply value the inherent worth of all

In this astonishing interconnected web of existence,

May we commit ourselves to a new and better way,

And may we hold our commitments and each other

Gently yet firmly, as we meet the days to come.

Go well everyone, and blessed be. Amen.

Closing Music: Reels - The Rookery, The Little Bag of Spuds and The Wind that Shakes the Barley (performed by Tara McCarthy, Jess Collins, and Iona Reid)     

Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall

19th April 2026