Throughout the bible there is reference to the good (fertile) soil (Ezekiel 17:5) and its importance to both our physical and spiritual well-being (Luke 8:5, Mark 4:26-29). In the parable of the good soil Jesus says ”other seeds fell on good soil (in contrast to thorns and rocks) and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen.”(Matthew 13:5-9). Finally concerning God’s commandment to care for others, Jesus calls us to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last (John 15:16).
In the modern world, it behooves us take a broader and more practical view of God’s commandment to keep the garden. When humankind inherited the garden, the soil was “good” and furthermore, there was a natural process for maintaining the fertility. Now, about 40% of the soil around the world is seriously degraded, and scientists predict we will need to feed 9+ billion people by 2050. So as not to perish, humankind must not only care for the garden but also beyond the garden. We must marshal our resources and develop them effectively with sustainability and resilience in mind.
We are called to this mission by our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry who encourages us to care for our neighbor and ”to go to Galilee”. As members of Nativity one way we perceive that this call to action is to serve as a catalyst – to start and advance the carbon farming work to a level where others with greater knowledge, expertise, and responsibility can carry it forward. We also believe strongly that because of the covenant we all have with God, the greater faith community has 1) a responsibility to engage in and facilitate this process, and 2) to amplify the moral call to create a better future for all life on Earth. And so, an important aspect of our work is to build support within our own congregation as well as to invite members of other faith communities to participate.