Please allow me to introduce you to The Coat of Hopes. Some of you may have seen it on the local BBC news or even in Bamford, Hope, Edale, Hathersage or somewhere in between those places.
It began its walk in 2021 from the south coast of England to Glasgow COP 26 where it represented people’s desire to recognise and stand up for our planet. On its journey people added patchwork to represent their thoughts and emotions. Each patch unique. Recently the coat came over our hills from Sheffield to Bamford, resting in St John’s. Then, being worn or carried by local folk, it continued walking along the Peak Wesley Way pilgrimage route to Hope. Here it rested in Hope Methodist Church before moving on to Edale Parish Church and then to Edale Methodist Chapel where it rested for a week. The final part of the journey in the valley was to Hathersage Methodist Church where it could be seen, touched, worn, and walked.
Whilst with us in the valley, the coat has brought out many emotions – grief, responsibility, sadness, commitment, enlightenment, joy, amazement… The coat’s journey of hope allows people to participate in the wearing of the coat and feel the belonging of togetherness as we stand on our precious earth. Perhaps it helps us meet climate issues within us as we feel the weight of the coat and yet also it brings warmth to us both physically and spirituality on our life’s journey.
Climate change is something that affects us all, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, faith, no faith.
Maybe we need to start loving each other as much as we love ourselves before true change can happen. I’m talking about such love that puts the other first in order that true change can happen.
The Christian belief is that God created all things and even though we may grow tired and weary of the weight of responsibility that is upon us as we endeavour to rescue the world from the destruction we create, Christianity tells us that God can give us all we need to stop the craziness.
I have been privileged to join the ever growing community of people to engage with the coat and, believe me, it was tiring work in the heat walking it over the fields from Edale Church to Edale Chapel. But the words that came to mind as me and my companion journeyed along with the coat were these:
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:28-31)
Hope can be elusive when we are faced with such a huge task to fulfil. As Christians we place our hope in the Lord for that extra bit of strength we need. My prayer is that, whether Christian or not, we might all seek that extra bit of strength, that we might all work in harmony, that our children and this planet will surely have a bright future.
Rev Julie Letts
Methodist Minister
