Hope was born in a stable, and those the world had judged wise came to see. After witnessing this fragile new hope, the Magi “went home by a different way.” They were not the same.

My thoughts this Epiphany are filled with both the fragile new hope that I saw born at the UN climate change talks in Durban, and the bitter disappointment that calls us to go home by a new and different way.

I have seen miracles. I have seen God act powerfully, mysteriously and miraculously. I pay special attention to miracles at Christmas.

In our United Church Song of Faith we sing of how “God tends the universe, mending the broken and reconciling the estranged.” We go on to sing of the initiative that God took in the birth of Jesus, to make this mending and reconciling visible in a new way.

Leadership is what the 15,000 of us here in Durban are waiting for.

As Dr. Jesse Mugambi said yesterday, “We’re not seeing statesmanship here in Durban. We’re seeing politics and that’s not the same thing. Statesmanship means you’re prepared to give leadership even when there’s a political cost.”

Moderator Mardi Tindal at the end of the Global Day for Action march on December 3, 2011 in Durban, South Africa.

Before leaving home for the COP17 climate talks, my climate advisor, environmental journalist Alanna Mitchell declared, “It will be like going into the epicentre of an earthquake before it happens, knowing that you might be able to do something to prevent it.”

I'm praying especially for former Moderator Bill Phipps this morning, as he is half way through his two week Fast for Courage for climate justice.

As Bill said in a recent blog posting: "Endless consumption of the Earth, our only home, is no longer possible.... We need a new paradign for our economic future. Climate change needs to be addressed seriously NOW."

Our gratitude for your witness, and our prayers are with you, Bill.

As you plan to worship and pray tomorrow, Sunday, December 4th, please consider joining your prayers with ours as faith leaders at the COP17 climate change conference in Durban, South Africa.

The President of COP17, Her Excellency Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is bringing African wisdom to her leadership in these negotiations. This represents a tremendous opportunity for the global community.

During yesterday morning’s briefing, Canada’s Climate Ambassador Guy St- Jacques explained that Her Excellency has invited nations into an Indaba – a gathering of the chiefs, where, as I understand it, each voice is honoured and equal.

The high-powered Canadian Youth Delegation here at the COP17 has the look of hope. Today hope looked like a bake sale to, as the youth say: ‘buy back our future’.

Canadian youth delegates have been busy cooking up “bitumen balls” to sell here in Durban, a bid to offset Canada’s rich subsidies to the oil and gas industry. To the youth delegates, those subsidies mean that Canada’s climate policy that has been “bought by the fossil fuel regime.” They’re orchestrating a buy-back, one tasty ‘bitumen ball’ at a time.