Bill Phipps: A Message of Encouragement to Young People

In this “Kitchen Table Conversation” video, Ted Reeve interviews Bill Phipps, ordained minister, lawyer, politician and former moderator of the United Church of Canada. Ted invites Bill to reflect on his life’s experience as a social activist, church leader and politician, and offer his wisdom as a message of encouragement to young people.

Here is an excerpt from the interview:

One of the things that I think is essential to our future and our well being is appreciation for the sheer beauty and majesty of Mother Earth and of the world in which we live.  If we start the morning say, or we start our day, with appreciation for the earth in which we live, we will have a much better future and we will have a much better opportunity to figure out some of the solutions to our problems. Can you remember some of the times when you’re growing up, where you were struck by beauty and wonder?

We have to learn to live in community for the common good of all, and not just for the next thing we can buy, how much money we can make individually, how much, how many toys can we buy? How, you know, only for ourselves. And we’re learning, I think through the climate crisis and through the pandemic and through other experiences that unless we understand that we live in community and in relationship, we don’t just live for our own wealth, our own personal material possessions. If that’s our goal, we are in trouble. The planet cannot afford me to have a whole bunch of stuff. The planet can afford for me to have my the good things in life in common with other people.

(Bill died on March 4, 2022, at the age of 79)