Inaugural Festivity held at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren
Elgin, Illinois – 22 April 2009
Liturgy by Audrey deCoursey
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As we gather today, the words of the prophet Jeremiah ring in our ears:
“Thus says the Lord: I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruits and its good things. But when you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination… Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water…Return, faithless Israel, says the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, says the Lord; I will not be angry forever… Return, O faithless children.” (Jer. 2: 7, 12-13; Jer. 3: 12b, 14a)
We confess that too long, humans have decimated the land and distanced ourselves from our Creator God. North American lifestyles have been particularly destructive.
But today is a day to celebrate solutions. We join with millions of people around the world, all celebrating ways that can return to right relationship with our Creator, in their own local communities. Here, we have chosen to lift up the modes of transportation we have come to rely upon, and use this Earth Day as an opportunity to recommit ourselves to safety and sustainability in this one important facet of our lives.
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(SOME) BEATITUDES OF URBAN TRANSIT
Blessed are the bicyclists, who travel as commuters or for pleasure, who harness human energy and ingenuity to power their travel along roads and trails.
Blessed are the pedestrians, who feel the contours of the land under their feet with every step.
Blessed are the bus and train passengers, who ride shoulder to shoulder with strangers who become brothers and sisters on their daily journeys.
Blessed are the motorists who drive with care and caution, showing mercy to their fellow travelers on the road.
Blessed are the truck drivers, the train conductors, the bus drivers, whose daily labor connects us with new resources, new places, and new communities.
Blessed are you when you breathe fresh air, drink clean water, observe blossoming flowers, and yearn to create a world where every person can share in such delights, for you shall be called children of God.
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BLESSING OF THE BICYCLES
(Unison) Creator God, please watch over each of us, your people. Empower us to honor the legacy of Earth’s abundance that we have inherited from our ancestors. Help us to build communities that are safe and healthy for every one of the beings you have created. Inspire us to envision societies that will sustain life for generations to come. We place our faith in you, God, not in our own power to control or exploit.
Tonight, O God, please bless the bicycles brought to this place. May their riders be kept safe; may they be strengthened in body and spirit; may their lives further reflect commitment to stewardship of your Creation; and may the wind that blows in their hair and faces ever remind them of you. Please shower your blessing on cyclists across Elgin, throughout Chicagoland, and all around the world.
In the name of the One who is our Way, Amen.
