Permaculture 4

The most remarkable piece of wisdom I gleaned from the permaculture presentation Heather and I attended last week came when the presenter said,

The species that survive are the ones that can place themselves in the most service to the whole.

Think about that for a moment. We have always been taught that the way to survival is for each person to look after himself. We get ahead by providing for our own needs. Success comes to the one who accumulates the most power, the most talent, the most possessions. I will be happy when I get my way, when my plans, goals, dreams, and aspirations are fulfilled.

But Jesus said, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) Bede Griffiths says, “Sacrifice is the law of the universe.” We realize fullness of life by giving ourselves away.

Permaculture agrees; the way forward for all beings is through “service.” We get ahead by giving ourselves in service to others.

It turns out that self-sacrifice is the rhythm of the universe. Giving is the pattern that brings life. It is not by looking after myself that I get ahead; it is by considering your needs and the needs of the world around me. I will truly prosper as I work to support your flourishing.

There is so much concern in the church today for the church’s survival. What if we change our priorities, forget about the church’s survival and focus on the role the church might play in “service to the whole”? What might it look like for the church to see itself as a servant of the flourishing of all creation? How can we serve the community of life where we are?
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Permaculture 1

Thursday evening Heather and I attended a presentation on permaculture at Uvic. Permaculture is defined as

A system of assembling conceptual, material, and strategic components in a pattern which functions to benefit life in all its forms. It seeks to provide sustainable and secure places for humans and all other living things on this earth.

In a gathering of sixty people, Heather and I were the oldest by twenty years. The topic was obviously of interest to young adults. As I sat listening to this discussion of how humans might interact in more healthy and life-giving ways with our environment, my mind wandered off, as it sometimes does, to the topic of church, where the population is less dominated by twenty-somethings.

At one point in his presentation, the speaker said, “Permaculture is about connections; to be a functioning system, there has to be connection.” Is there a hunger for human connection of which the church may have lost sight?

We live in a culture that is characterized by isolation. Increasingly, the demands of work, the attractions of home entertainment, and the pressures to perform in the world make it difficult for people to find meaningful ways to connect.

In the church of my childhood, connection formed around bazaars, rummage sales, and spring teas. This activity based, fund-raising connection no longer provides a compelling vision for most people under the age of sixty.

Within the often hectic realities of peoples’ lives, the church must find ways to facilitate Christ-centered connection. What might it look like for the church to be a place in which people are given an opportunity to connect with one another around a common desire to grow in their ability to love God and their neighbour?
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