Season of Creation - Celebrated in Many Ways
Many faith congregations engaged with Interfaith Action celebrated the Season of Creation, a global initiative to focus communities of faith on environmental justice from Sept 1st to October 4th (The Feast of St Francis).
St John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Baroda celebrated the Season of Creation as follows:
Each Sunday, St John’s placed a symbol of creation on their altar. Here’s an example: “We begin our fourth week of the Season of Creation. It’s a time in our calendar when we pause to give thanks for the gift of the Creation and also to commit to being responsible stewards of Creation. We have a bowl of vegetables in our worship space which reminds us that our harvests are essential to our lives and that our lands must be protected for our life and the life of the planet.”
St John’s also included in their worship a special prayer for the day. Here’s an example:
“Creator of the produce of the earth, we confess that we have failed to preserve the biodiversity of our lands. Forgive us. Inspire us to work to ensure that harvests are bountiful and that the hungry are fed. Amen.”
All Saints' Episcopal Church of Saugatuck celebrated the Season of Creation with extensive worship and liturgical texts, which included this revised Profession of Faith and a final Blessing:
Profession of Faith (Takes the places of the Nicene Creed)
We believe in Creator God, the Source of Life,
who creates all things and fashions all beings,
who baptizes Earth with living water,
and whose never-failing goodness animates the Universe.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God,
born among the working poor,
friend to the outcast and lonely,
lover of the world who suffers with it,
Jesus died as the seed for new and abundant life,
the first fruits of God’s own harvest of healing.
We believe in the Holy Spirit of Abiding Love,
the breath of God singing on the wind,
moving among us and with us always,
the sacred whisper of renewal
in communities of flourishing life;
and we look for the Day still to come
when this Earth of violence
becomes the Heaven of peace,
the realm of God’s justice without end. Amen.
Blessing
Go forth empowered as a healing presence for the land,
to restore the waters and refresh the air, to safeguard all creatures,
to treasure the trees and gaze at the stars, to cherish companions,
to live as prophets of a new age of harmony, heralds of justice with peace;
and may the blessing of Almighty God,
Source of Life, Incarnate Word, and Abiding Spirit of Love,
go with you and remain with you always. AMEN
To assist church leaders, a Congregational Guide to the Season of Creation was developed and available for printing. Each Sunday had a distinct theme for the worship service. Use these links to see the order of service and its artwork for the first Sunday in the Season of Creation.