by Mark Edwards

I was in a dry spell, feeling like I wasn’t contributing very much of myself beyond my regular business as a construction manager and architect. The issues of sustainability, a significant focus in our design and construction work, nagged at me to be more active beyond that work venue. Further than that, our business sent me to Nigeria several times where I observed some of the most dramatic examples of un-sustainable systems and living. This experience finally pushed me to find a place where I might begin to participate in a useful way.

I already knew (from my wife, Wendy) about Sustainable World — a Peace and Justice ministry of All Saints Church — whose mission is to promote and support a socially responsible local and world economy that values life, earth’s resources, and spiritual community through education, personal choices, and public action. And that seemed like the ideal group of like-minded people for me: a platform from which I could find my own specific way among the broad array of sustainability topics.

The work of establishing and maintaining a truly sustainable world is beyond daunting when examined as a whole. It might not be widely recognized that sustainability is an issue of social and economic justice, and not just one of environmental issues. Because sustainability has become something of a cause du jour, some people seem to think it’s trivial. However, sustainability requires the interconnection of all three – social, economic, and environmental – to bring us to a truly sustainable future for all the world’s people.

This is the platform that Sustainable World provides to support individual passions for detailed segments of sustainability to blossom into meaningful action. As important as finding that platform has been to me, it has been equally important to find this small community of deep and unwavering personal support. Each of us has our own passions within the exceedingly broad ministry, and at the same time each of us is devoted to fully supporting each other member in their individual passion.

I’m a novice on this trail of engagement, especially compared to the giants of activism I have been blessed to associate with in Sustainable World! One day, when I grow up, I want to be just like them. And I want more and more people to recognize and add their own large and small contributions to this three-part foundation – Environmental, Social, and Economic – of sustainability and justice for the world.

Every week we focus on a “Featured Ministry” at all Saints Church — and this week the focus is on Sustainable World. Find out more about their work at the Featured Ministry Table on the Lawn on Sunday or visit the ASC website.