Nature and Humankind Concert

After the fire at Silvermine. Photo: Andy Nix

Nature and Humanity. Together we form the sacred web of life, yet we often see ourselves as two quite separate entities, just like these two words. There is perhaps nothing wrong with this, but have we taken it too far? Have we become too separate that we have forgotten our connection and interconnection with all that is around us? And has this lead us to the environmental problems we face today?

Whilst this thought may bring despair it can also bring us an answer of sorts. For what can we then achieve if we step back into the sacred circle of life and see ourselves inextricably part of it? Our prayer is that this will bring the healing that we and the world need.

As part of exploring this impulse, and following on from Earth Keeper Day which celebrates love for Creation, SAFCEI, together with the Cape Soloists Choir will be holding a concert in Cape Town on the 18th February. Entitled Nature and Humankind, it is aimed at celebrating and honouring our beautiful earth, its Creator, and our delicate interrelationship.

The Cape Soloists Choir will perform choral works from across the globe composed to capture the mood and atmosphere of past and future moments in the life of Humanity and Nature. The varied programme deals with humanity’s desire to know liberation, spiritual joy, belonging to a community and be surrounded by natural beauty, but also mourns the damage done by Humanity’s disconnection from Nature. This will be a musical journey which will lead us past moments of ecstasy, tragedy, fantasy, and hope.

The Cape Town based photographer, Andy Nix, will have some of her beautiful works on display. Andy created our magnificent calendar this year, called ‘life after fire’. This too is a celebration of Nature and shows how regeneration can follow devastation; a message of hope to us that we too can restore and renew the natural systems that we have allowed to be destroyed. Her photographs will be on sale, as well the calendar.

There will also be a poetry reading from the anthology ‘Creations Yes!’ done by Sally Argent and Laurie Gaum, who contributed their works to this beautiful collection of poems on Creation. The anthology came out of five poets’ passion and dedication to loving and caring for the environment and to affirming Creation and its Creator.

So if you find yourself in Cape Town on the 18th February, join us at the Central Methodist Church at 7pm for a creative, reflective and love-filled evening. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door for R100. Proceeds will go towards SAFCEI’s work in bringing about and further encouraging care for Creation.

In Praise of Solitude

By Sally Argent

Just me and the wild wind,

blowing where it wills

the birds for company

the domed sky streaked

with cloud banks

forming and unforming

my thoughts

like sailboats, drifting

down the stream

But, best of all, the silence,

ringing like a bell