Judith Russenberger

Trees as Good Samaritans

4th July 2026

And the Lord God brought forth of the ground all manner of trees, fair to behold, and pleasant to eat. Genesis 2:9

You Lord, are the source of all good things:

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation:

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives:

May we live together in peace.

A story based on an idea by Jesus as recorded in Luke’s gospel.

There once was a sojourner who, going about their daily business, was beset by disaster upon disaster: floods and drought, heatwaves and colds snaps, hunger and thirst.

Politicians, as they passed, turned to look the other way. Church leaders buried their noses in their prayer books. The wealthy trusted money as a get-out clause.

Yet in the midst of it all, were the trees. They kept on breathing in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen; they even helped clean the air of pollutants. They collected rain with their leaves to slow its fall, and collected more between their roots, reducing the risk of flooding. Their leaves provided shade and, as they released moisture, so they cooled the air. They caught energy from the sun and turned it into useful materials, food and even medicines. They welcomed other visitors, fauna and flora. They offered green spaces that calmed the anxious and the weary.

Who was the good neighbour to the sojourner?

Holy God,

we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.

We have ignored the plight of others.

We have not stood in solidarity with those who need help.

Rather we have spurned those who are our neighbours.

We have cut them down in their prime.

We have cut away at their roots

and have poisoned their lifeblood.

Have mercy.

Have mercy,.

Heal us and have mercy.

V/. A reading Leviticus 23:39-41 (The Message)

On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have brought your crops in from your fields, celebrate the Feast of God for seven days. The first day is a complete rest and the eighth day is a complete rest. On the first day, pick the best fruit from the best trees; take fronds of palm trees and branches of leafy trees and from willows by the brook and celebrate in the presence of your God for seven days—yes, for seven full days celebrate it as a festival to God. Every year from now on, celebrate it in the seventh month.

God of the oak and the tamarisk,

we praise you.

God of the palm tree and the olive,

we praise you.

God of the fig tree and the vine,

we praise you.

God of the cedar and the myrtle,

we praise you.

For the wonder and beauty of trees,

we praise you.

For leaves and shade, for seeds and fruit,

we praise you.

For rootedness and stability,

we praise you.

For maturity and heritage,

we praise you.

For carbon absorbed and oxygen released,

we praise you.

For community and interconnectedness,

we praise you.

God of wisdom,

teach us to understand and value

the world you have created.

Teach us to recognise that what you create is one family,

that all its people, its plants and creatures,

are our brothers and sisters.

Teach us to love them as our neighbours,

and give us the grace

to receive the love they bestow on us.

Amen.

Mindful Sauntering: doubting

3rd July is the feast day of St Thomas who seems to be always disparaged as Doubting Thomas. Thomas is not alone in doubting. Peter too has doubts and questions, and even challenges Jesus directly.

But is doubting a bad thing?

Benefits of doubting: we question assumptions, we are more ready to see if there is a different view point, we are less quick to deride others. We learn because we seek to understand.

Today let us question, doubt our place in creation. Are humans really the supreme beings? Should we be more humble, more willing to see ourselves as part of a greater whole, living harmoniously in an intricate and interdependent ecosystem that is beyond our control?

He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself … Mark 4:26-28a

The earth will heal itself

when we are gone

the earth will heal itself

when we are gone

the air will breathe deep again

when we are gone

the clouds will carry their spring rain

when we are gone

the concrete will crumble to its core

when we are gone

the plastic will return to its source

when we are gone

the estuary will drink from the sea

when we are gone

the bees will nurture new colonies

when we are gone

the road will flower into a meadow

when we are gone

the tuna will leap for joy

when we are gone

the glass will grain into sand

when we are gone

the sun will warm new life

when we are gone

the earth will heal itself

when we are gone.

Ian Adams

Birdsong brings comfort

to my longing

I’m just as ecstatic as they are,

but with nothing to say!

Please universal soul, practice

some song or something through me!

Rumi

May the eternal creator, sustainer and redeemer go with us as we walk. Amen.

Mindful Sauntering: God will comfort us

As a mother comforts her children, so will I comfort you;

‘You shall see and your heart shall rejoice;

you shall flourish like the grass of the fields.’

Isaiah 66:13, 14a

Don’t give me the whole truth,

don’t give me the sea for my thirst,

don’t give me the sky when I ask for light,

but give me a glint, a dewy wisp, a note

as the birds bear water-drops from their bathing

and the wind a grain of salt.

Olaf Hague 1985

Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,

that his glory may dwell in our land. Ps 85:9

Let the field exult, and everything in it.

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

before the Lord; for he is coming,

for he is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

and the peoples with his truth. Ps 96:12,13

Salvation equals God – ie glory – with us.

All nature has a feeling woods fields brooks

Are life eternal—& in silence they

Speak happiness—beyond the reach of books

There’s nothing mortal in them—their decay

Is the green life of change to pass away

& come again in blooms revivified

Its birth was heaven eternal is its stay

& with the sun & moon shall still abide

Beneath their night & day & heaven wide

John Clare (1793-1864)

Counting on 2026 …. Day 72

3rd July

Nothing in life is ever simple! Allwood highlights this when talking about how we trade off decisions. But this is not local carrots versus organic imports, but more about what we do when the alternative is unaffordable. He gives two examples – one at a national and one at an individual level.

“For example, nationally, if we can’t afford to invest in new infrastructure for electric freight, we must learn to live with less freight.”

“In households, if we cannot afford an electric car, then we need to start voicing our concern now, to suppliers and to local politicians, to ask for help on our journey to phasing our use of petrol cars, by supporting cost reductions or better provision of public transport.” (Both p. 134)

Why? Because the environment, the climate cannot accommodate us producing yet more emissions. If we don’t stop, the cost will be temperature increases approaching 4C and the consequences of extreme heat + droughts + severe cold + poor harvests and food shortages + disruption to transport + more climate induced medical emergencies + failing public services etc.

The trade off tells us that the cost of not cutting emissions will always be more than we can afford, and that restraint will always be the better option.

Might there be merit in deferring action in the hope that things might improve, or that new technologies may come long? Allwood tackles this response through out the book: and no, the science tells us things will not improve if we wait, and no, there is no new technology that is going to be available at scale and in time to address the crisis. 2050 is only 23 years away and in the time scale of technological developments that is minuscule.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 71

2nd July

Thirdly Allwood highlights the importance of ‘gathering good information’ to aid our decision making. (P133). Here the problem can be how to avoid green washing! And I think equally not being sucked in by advertising generally. Advertising is designed to make us buy more, not because it is good for us, but because it boosts profits.

I find the Ethical Consumer a good source of information – https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/

You might find Mike Berners Lee’s book ‘How Bad are Bananas: the carbon footprint of everything’ a useful read. https://howbadarebananas.com/

Allwood himself includes a resource section in the appendix. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/promise-the-earth/31E27442471A864A6582BA751ECD239F

Counting on 2026 …. Day 70

1st July

Allwood next focus is on domestic equipment/ infrastructure. What we have does affect our emissions. A small efficient freezer/ television/ car will produce fewer emissions than a larger one. When we need to replace such items, we can choose one with lower emissions. But equally we should bear in mind that buying new also has an emissions output, and that making things – phones/ TVs/ clothes etc – last longer can be a good saving off emissions and resources.

The same approach can be used in the workplace.

When it comes to local and national infrastructure, we may wish to lobby local councillors or MPs to ensure that they too are making decisions that a) reduce emissions and b) that make sure such infrastructure is readily available for everyone and not just those who can afford it. eg the cost of travelling by public transport should not be more than the cost of going by car.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 69

30th June

Allwood proposes as a starting point we find a way of measuring our progress – otherwise how ill we know if we are reducing our consumption by 25% or 50% or 75%? – and suggests keeping a record of, say, how many litres of petrol, kg of beef, or cubic meters of gas, we consume. Then the task of restraint. “Perhaps we can take a train to avoid buying a tank of petrol, upgrade our windows or turn the thermostat down … take local [European] holidays to reduce our use of aeroplanes.”

Allwood also reminds us to look out for unconscious habits. “If the works canteen [local cafe/ pub] always has a red-meat dish, we might eat it without noticing. But if it is on offer only once a week, we would learn to value it differently and perhaps we would eat red meat only if we have looked forward to it ….” (Both page 131)

Such restraint should be seen from the perspective that they are actions that show care for our planet and for our neighbours.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 68

29th June

The key message of Allwood and Davison’s book (1) is the need for us all as consumers to show restraint. If we are to live in a world where temperatures increases stay below 2C we absolutely have to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. To do this we have to consume less of everything that produces these emissions and less of most things that use electricity as we will not be able to install sufficient capacity in electrical generation and distribution if we are to power everything currently powered by fossil fuels.

Allwood presents us with a timeframe of action. We need to reduce our emissions by a quarter by 2028, by a half by 2035, by three quarters by 2042, and by 2050 there will need to be in place legislation that prohibits creating greenhouse gas emissions. (P129). To achieve those targets, we (ie as individuals, households and as nations) will need to begin planning now.

It is a challenging message that needs us to radically alter our daily lifestyles. However Allwood is as clear that consuming less doesn’t mean being unhappy or having to live substandard lives.

Over the next few days I will consider 5 key areas of change highlighted in the book.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/promise-the-earth/31E27442471A864A6582BA751ECD239F

Proper 8, 4th Sunday after Trinity

28th June 2026

Reflection with readings below

Today’s reading comes towards the end of the Book of Jeremiah. At the time that Jeremiah lived, there were two competing world powers – Babylon to the east and Egypt to the southwest with Judah in between. For small nations like Judah, but also such as Edom and Moab, the easiest option was to become a vassal state, paying tribute, to which ever world power they felt was strongest. Nowadays we might see this with small nations establishing trade agreements with one or other of the powerful nations of the world. Judah was -maybe temporarily and subject to review – paying tribute to Babylon.

Jeremiah was of the opinion that Judah should knuckle down under the power of Babylon – in fact he symbolically fastens a yoke of straps and bars around his neck – as he senses that this is God’s will, and that by submitting to God’s will they will ultimately be restored to full nationhood by God. Jeremiah sees Judah’s subjugation by Babylon as the deserved consequences for failing to adhere to God’s laws.

Judah has already suffered one defeat at the hands of the Babylonians which had led to both vessel from the Temple and senior figures being taken away to Babylon. Now an uneasy settlement existed between Judah and Babylon in which some favoured the status quo whilst others favoured rebellion and the option of siding in favour with Egypt. This latter was a popular view in the Judean ruling circles, with many prophesying that anytime soon the tables would be turned on Babylon and all Judah’s wealth including the Temple vessels would be restored to Jerusalem.

One of these prophets was Hananiah, who in the verses preceding today’s readings says “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place King Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, says the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon”. To make his point, Hananiah breaks the wooden yoke from around Jeremiah’s neck.

Jeremiah’s response to Hananiah as we heard in today’s reading, is somewhat in the vein of ‘the proof of the pudding will be in the eating!’ Jeremiah persists with his less favourable viewpoint and later, in verse 13, we hear the Lord tell Jeremiah to replace the wooden yoke with one of iron bars, for such it will be to serve the king of Babylon. Being a truthful prophet can be very uncomfortable.

Today the greatest crisis the world faces is that of unrestrained climate change – the discomforts of which we have been feeling this last week. I do not for a moment think that God has created climate change to punish us. But I do think climate change is a natural consequence of human action in burning excessive amounts of carbon fuels. As in the days of Jeremiah there are strong voices on either side of the divide between those who say climate change is not caused by human activities (only this week the so-called Alliance of Responsible Citizens held their annual meeting in London with speakers expounding this view) and those who say the reverse; and between those who say we should address the issue by urgently and at scale cutting emissions to zero, and those who contend that we should worry more about ensuring the economic growth that fossil fuels have so far generated.

Today’s psalm – in line with the message of the entire Bible – reminds us that we only thrive and flourish as God intends when we adhere to God’s wisdom. To ignore or obstruct the ways of God’s wisdom is to sin. And as Paul reminds us, to sin is to be as one who is dead. To seek forgiveness is to be raised to new life and to be bound – enslaved – to the ways of righteousness.

Our gospel reading brings us back to the role of the prophet in speaking of God’s truth. It is a worthy calling. As disciples of Christ we are called to speak the truth, to advocate for God’s wisdom and to embrace fully the ways of righteousness.

For our current generation I believe that our prophetic role is to call for the rapid curb in the production and use of fossil fuels, as well as a call for a just and fair sharing of the Earth’s resources that reflects the needs of everyone – humans and creaturely beings alike.

Jeremiah 28:5-9

The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord; and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfil the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

Psalm 89:1-4,15-18

1 Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing; *
from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.

2 For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever; *
you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.

3 “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; *
I have sworn an oath to David my servant:

4 ‘I will establish your line for ever, *
and preserve your throne for all generations.'”

15 Happy are the people who know the festal shout! *
they walk, O Lord, in the light of your presence.

16 They rejoice daily in your Name; *
they are jubilant in your righteousness.

17 For you are the glory of their strength, *
and by your favour our might is exalted.

18 Truly, the Lord is our ruler; *
the Holy One of Israel is our King.

Romans 6:12-23

Do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 10:40-42

Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple– truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

Waves – Prayers for Creation

27th June 2026

See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
2 Corinthians 6:2b

You Lord, are the source of all good things:

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation:

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives:

May we live together in peace.

A reading from Luke 10:1, 8-11 ‘After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’

Response:

Now is the time to act.

Now is the time to build a new world.

The gentle to and fro of the wave,

back and forth,

soothing,

gently rocking,

Loving God, calm us, and

move us as peace-makers.

The persistence of the wave,

never stopping,

never quitting,

gradually wearing down all resistance

Loving God, sustain us, and

make us a force for good.

The power of the wave,

building up,

growing in size,

acquiring energy as it moves

Loving God, strengthen us, and

harness our energy to do what is right.

The breaker, poised but still moving,

ready to break –

to break out, to break up,

to break forth

Loving God, contain us, and

prepare us to spill out into the world.

The crest of the wave, exploding,

releasing energy

that breaks down barriers

and undermines obstructions

Loving God, free us, and

use us to reform the structures of the world.

Storm wave, tidal wave,

tsunami,

that brokers no discussion,

that overwhelms all

Loving God, override us,

and free the world from its own vices.

Amen.