This October marks A Rocha’s 10th official anniversary in the USA. I say “official” because many a seed was sown long before that first board meeting October 16, 2000 in our living room in Arlington, Virginia. In his book, Kingfisher’s Fire, which I’ve been rereading of late, A Rocha Founder Peter Harris recalls some of that jet-lagged sowing—from meetings with kindred spirits like Au Sable Institute’s Cal Dewitt and A Rocha USA’s own future founder Ginny Vroblesky to debates with snarling critics like the man who declared, “The Reformation happened to stop people like you!”
Whether warm welcome or cold, however, Peter and his lovely wife Miranda kept coming back to the States, spurred on by the quixotic desire to tilt against American Christendom’s unholy exports of prosperity gospel and rampant consumerism that wreak havoc on people and planet alike by blessing and fueling “aspirations to the kind of wealth which can only be achieved by over-exploiting creation.” And with each return, they watered and weeded and waited, until at last those seeds began to sprout--A Rocha USA poked out.
To continue with the gardening metaphor, the 10 years since have seen yet more watering and weeding and waiting; a (budgetary) drought or two; and now, at last, the first fruits of harvest—projects in 8 communities across the nation with more on the way; education and training programs; and, most encouragingly, growing acceptance by the Church of the biblical mandate to care for the Earth.
In celebration of this milestone, A Rocha USA is having a party—a big party. In fact, we’re inviting 10,000 people to join in the celebration by becoming a fan of A Rocha. It’s simple. It’s quick. It’s free (though if you want to throw a couple of bucks in the hat by the door, who are we to object!) And it’s oh so clever: 10th year, 10th month, 10,000 fans. All you have to do is click here and “like” us on Facebook and then ask your friends, family and colleagues to do the same. And make sure to ask your crazy aunt that forwards every chain email to everyone in her address book.
Okay, I admit that it sounds a lot like high school; but just think what 10,000 people could do to help spread the word and build the movement to care for this amazing, yet increasingly damaged Earth! Community gardens planted. Streams cleaned. Forests protected. And more--much, much more. Here in the United States and around the world.
Just think.
And then act—please.
The Earth is hurting. Creation is groaning. We need all hands on deck.
So, please take a half a minute and help spread the word; help heal the planet.
As Peter Harris puts it, “No other context for A Rocha is changing faster than the USA one and maybe no other change is destined to have a greater impact on environmental conditions worldwide.”
Let’s do this.
Comments
May God raise up more prophetic church leaders and reformers to deliver the American Church from this self-centered bondage.