Celebrating the Season of Creation
The Season of Creation begins September 1 and ends October 4, the Feast of St. Francis. In this time the church celebrates and gives special focus to our life within God’s creation. But reverence for creation is not new to Christians. Throughout the history of the church, Christians have called creation “God’s second book” alongside the Scriptures. So here are some resources to help us “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest” the wonder in this season.
Pilgrimages
Pilgrimage brings us into a special relationship with the land, God, and faith. For 2022 the social eco-justice working group of the Anglican Province of BC/Yukon has developed a calendar of pilgrimages with prayer and reading guide. Every Saturday during the Season of Creation a guided pilgrimage will take place beginning at an Anglican site. Below is the calendar. All ages are welcomed.
Here is a sample pdf booklet of the resources used for this series of pilgrimages.
2022 Walks are scheduled as follows (subject to update)
Email the host to sign up.
June 25 (Day event)
Camp Caledonia
Louise Peters - peters57@telus.net
Aug 28 - Sept 4 (7 days)
Southern Vancouver Island
Wally Eamer - weamer@bc.anglican.ca
Sept 3 (1-7 pm)
St Thomas and Holy Cross, Vancouver
Alecia Greenfield - aleciadgreenfield@gmail.com
Sept 10 (Afternoon)
North Vancouver
Elizabeth Mathers - mathers@telus.net
Sept 10 (Afternoon)
St George, Ft. Langley
Roy Cline - clineroy@gmail.com
Sept 17 (1-7 pm)
St Dunstan’s, Aldergrove
Alecia Greenfield - aleciadgreenfield@gmail.com
Sept 25 - 29 (5 days)
Sorrento Centre
Ken Gray - grayintheforest@shaw.ca
Oct 1 (1-7 pm)
St. James', Vancouver
Alecia Greenfield - aleciadgreenfield@gmail.com
EDUCATION
ALL AGES
A Rocha, a Christian environmental stewardship organization has assembled learning and activity resources for different age groups in the church as well as community wide guides to gardening and living lighter.
FOR CHILDREN
Salal and Cedar has designed lesson plans and “Wonder Boxes” which may be assembled or borrowed. These outlines could be used in a children’s time in worship, or an outdoors Sunday School gathering, or shared via Zoom. They explore three themes: Water, Birds, and Trees. http://salalandcedar.com/resources/childrens-curriculum-boxes/
FOR YOUTH
This is a free 6 session course for teens that is made for small groups of less than 15. It could be adapted to do outside and/or online. It grounds creation care in Christian theology and gives youth an alternate vision for a rich and flourishing life.
FOR ADULT SMALL GROUPS
PWRDF, national churches and other Christian agencies have formed a new faith-based coalition called “For the Love of Creation”. Scroll down the page to find faith-based conversation and action guides for small groups at different stages of climate change awareness.
LITURGICAL
These liturgical resources could help bring the outside in.
EUCHARIST
Salal and Cedar, the diocesan watershed discipleship ministry, shares a locally rooted eucharistic prayer on their webpage here: http://salalandcedar.com/resources/liturgical-resources/eucharistic-prayer/
The Anglican Alliance and Anglican Communion Environmental Network offers this worship resource with collect, intercessions, and eucharistic prayer for the Season of Creation.
If you’re looking for a whole liturgy, here is an option from PWRDF (the relief and development agency of Canadian Anglicans):
- the PWRDF’s liturgy for Holy Eucharist adapted for the Season of Creation. From greeting to dismissal, this is a full text that may be adapted for parish use.
LECTIONARY
Preaching for God's world is a newly launched preaching resource that connects lectionary readings to ecological themes.
Textweek.com has the approved Sunday lectionary readings for the Season of Creation in the diocese of New Westminster as well as commentary and resources for preachers on all the lectionary readings for the Season of Creation.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Here are examples of creation-centred Prayers of the People from Anglican dioceses. The document also includes options for confession and blessing. https://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/SOC-Additional-Resources.pdf. Both of the PWRDF resources have texts for the Prayers of the People as well.
HYMNS
A list of creation themed hymns compiled by a Canadian Anglican drawing on Common Praise, Songs for a Gospel People, and Voices United.