Season of Creation
If you are thinking of joining with many churches across the world in the Season of Creation here are some ideas. The time from 1st September to 4th October, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, is called Creation Season.
The Season of Creation gives us the opportunity to get creative! As schools return for a new academic year and people return from their summer break there is a great opportunity to try out new patterns of worshiping and ways of meeting with your community.
In the video below, St Michael & All Angels Church in Macclesfield explain how they are engaging with the local community with ECO events and activities. Download their Eco Festival of events calendar here.
Here are some ideas that you could use and some places you can find liturgical resources:
Start or renew your Eco Church journey *Organise a litter pick * Make jam from wild blackberries * Plant wildflower seeds to increase biodiversity * Juice apples or make pies or crumbles to share with others * Organise a nature eye-spy walk around your parish * Cloud or weather watching * Make bread from local flour * Make a hedgehog house or a log pile * Hold a pet service * Seek out environmental action already happening in your parish.
This year Fairtrade Fortnight falls in Creation Season, you may wish to join in with the celebration and awareness raising.
A Time for Creation (Book)
Common Worship – Times and Seasons for all age worship or collective worship for schools in many places including: Messy Church, Forest Church, Muddy Church, Engage Worship, JPIT and Wild Worship.
Environment
Over the past few years the issues of climate change, loss of biodiversity and the impact that human living and choices have upon the Earth have all become much more to the fore of everyday life. This is true in the Churches too. Although there have been many Christian voices across the denominations speaking about these things for over half a decade, in recent years there has been an increase in the urgency of the message to care for the Earth. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has said:
"Reducing the causes of climate change is essential to the life of faith. It is a way to love our neighbour and to steward the gift of creation."
In Chester Diocese the ‘Environment Forum seek to advocate issues around ecology and to envision how individuals and parishes across the diocese can better connect with the fifth Mark of Mission:
‘To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth’
There are many different strands wrapped up in the whole area of environmental concern and the Christian response to current issues: some are fairly straightforward, others are much more complex. One thing is clear though – there is an urgent need for a new response alongside an increased focus on the issues in our prayers.
Additional Information below: