The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald Guest Preacher

The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald was the guest preacher for the opening Eucharist of the 110^th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Lexington on Thursday evening, February 23 at Trinity Church in Covington. Bishop MacDonald spoke to the convention theme: “To teach, to love – the environment.”

He told the large congregation of the belief of his native people that God works in forces not seen to our eyes, and emphasized our living relationship to the environment. He called the people to

1. Be thankful
2. Be aware that we are trustees of the wealth God has given us, but do not own it
3. That living is relationship to our environment is a sacrament – a way of life.

On Friday, Bishop MacDonald was joined by native elder the Rev. Trimble Gilbert from the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. They spoke to the facts of protecting the Refuge from drilling as both an environmental and a human rights issue that is a “morally defining issue.” One fourth of the world’s useable land is now in the hands of indigenous people.

The struggle over drilling in the Artic Wildlife Refuge they say, is the “first skirmish, as we decide whether we will live by the mistakes of the past or hope for the future.”  Bishop MacDonald and Father Trimble enhanced their presentation with music of guitar and fiddle and singing.  Father Trimble blessed his fellow Episcopalians in his native tongue.