Creator of All,
From your communion of love life sprung forth like a mighty river and the whole cosmos came into being.
On this Earth of overflowing love, the Word was made flesh and went forth with the life-giving waters proclaiming peace and justice for all creation.You called human beings to till and keep your garden.
You placed us into right relationship with each creature, but we failed to listen to the cries of the Earth and the cries of the most vulnerable.
We broke with the flowing communion of love and sinned against you by not safeguarding the conditions for life.
We lament the loss of our fellow species and their habitats, we grieve the loss of human cultures, along with the lives and livelihoods that have been displaced or perished, and we ache at the sight of an economy of death, war and violence that we have inflicted on ourselves and on the Earth.
Open our ears to your creative, reconciling and sustaining Word that calls to us through the book of Scripture and the book of creation.
Bless us once again with your life-giving waters so that the Creator Spirit may let justice and peace flow in our hearts and overflow into all creation.
Open our hearts to receive the living waters of God’s justice and peace, and to share it with our suffering brothers and sisters, all creatures around us, and all creation.
Bless us to walk together with all people of good will so that the many streams of the living waters of God’s justice and peace may become a mighty river all over the Earth.

– Bishop Marc Andrus, Anglican Church, Episcopal Diocese of California
– Rev. Dr. Dave Bookless, Director of Theology, A Rocha International, Lausanne Global Catalyst for Creation Care
– Bishop Rt. Rev. Malayil Sabu Koshy Cherian, Church of South India, National Council of Churches of India
– Dr. Celia Deane-Drummond, Director, Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Campion Hall, University of Oxford
– Rev. Tony Franklin-Ross, Ecumenical Relations, World Methodist Council
– Rev. Dr. Norm Habel, Lutheran Church, Adelaide Coordinator, Season of Creation Project
– Dr. Hefin Jones, Executive Committee, World Communion of Reformed Churches
– Metropolitan of Zimbabwe Serafim Kykotis, Greek Orthodox Archbishopric of Zimbabwe and Angola
– Mr. Marcelo Leites, General Secretary, World Student Christian Federation
– Fr. Martin Michalíček, Secretary General, Consilium Conferentiarum Episcoporum Europae
– Sr. Patricia Murray, Executive Secretary, International Union Superiors General
– Dr Kostas Zormpas, General Director of the Orthodox Academy of Crete
– Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary, Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
– Dr. Paulo Ueti, Theological Advisor & Latin American Regional Director, Anglican Alliance
– Bishop Graham Usher, Anglican Church, Church of England lead Bishop on the Environment
– Dr. Ruth Valerio, Director Global Advocacy and Influencing, Tearfund

Receive Creation Care worship resources by subscribing to A Rocha:

• A Rocha Blog  – provides a monthly biblically-based, thought-provoking blog on a conservation theme
• Monthly email from A Rocha International – ‘keeps you up to date and helps you to pray for God’s earth.’

Eco Church began as an A Rocha UK project in 2016 in partnership with others, offering an environmental award scheme for churches in England and Wales. Today, Eco Church is supported by denominations and organisations across the length and breadth of the church in England and Wales.  In addition, Eco Church is spreading around the world as different A Rocha national organisations and their partners find ways to engage churches in creation care, demonstrating that the gospel is good news for God’s earth.

Link to: UK’s Eco Church website 

26 Prayers for the Climate and Ecological Emergency, by Rev Jon Swales, published by A Rocha International

Ranging from cries for lament to songs of praise, from calls to repentance to pleas for justice, these 26 prayers are available on a free download.  One must download the document in order to view the prayers and the language is not inclusive.

Link to:  A Rocha Music resources:

A Rocha provides several hymns including ‘God Creation Comes from You’ which has music and lyrics (offered here for non-commercial use with no modifications) from Jubilate Hymns. A Rocha’s 2012 Environment Resource Pack also contains song and hymn suggestions.

‘The liturgy for the Agricultural Year gives a structure for including creation and environmental themes in worship at specific times throughout the year.’

One book is recommended:  ‘A Time for Creation, by Church House Publishing, brings together the Common Worship liturgical resources for creation and the environment. These service resources can be used at any time of the year.’

The Climate Sunday initiative called on all local churches across Great Britain & Ireland to hold a climate-focused service on any Sunday before COP26 (November 2021). At this service, congregations were encouraged to make a commitment to greater action to address climate change in their own place of worship and community and to use their voice to tell politicians we want a cleaner, greener, fairer future at the heart of plans agreed during COP26.  The campaign may be over, but the need for Climate Sundays continues.

1. 1. Ecological Conversion – foster a change of heart in Catholics and a greater concern for our common home, enshrining care for creation as a Catholic priority.
   2. Full Sustainability– help the Church community lead by example by embodying the motto “Less is more” and reducing its footprint to zero, in keeping with the urgency of the climate and ecological crisis.
   3. Prophetic Denunciation – mobilize the Church to raise a prophetic voice for climate and ecological justice, calling for bold policies to meet the Paris Agreement target of 1.5C and halt the collapse of biodiversity.
      

Link to: A Rocha Music resources

A Rocha provides several hymns including ‘God Creation Comes from You’ which has music and lyrics (offered here for non-commercial use with no modifications) from Jubilate Hymns. A Rocha’s 2012 Environment Resource Pack also contains song and hymn suggestions

Link to songs: Doxecology

An album of 13 congregational worship songs celebrating the wonder of creation, acknowledging human failures, and ‘anticipate a glorious restoration in Christ’.  There is also a study guide and service plans.  The collection ‘brings together doxology (praise) and ecology, giving much-needed new worship language to the church. The album, recorded during lockdown and produced by Matt Weeks.’

One example:  ‘Hear the song of our lament’ by Keiko Ying

Hear the song of our lament,
we grieve a dry and broken land;
hearts have turned from your intent
and earth is ravaged by our hand….

One can preview the whole track, download free lead and chord sheets, or purchase scores, mp3s and videos.  Videos and recordings come with permission to include them in online worship on any platform where used with a CCLI or OneLicense streaming licence.

Link:  Songs by George Stuart

George’s easy-to use website (click here) includes numerous ‘Eco-Church’ songs focusing on God in creation/nature, the environment and our care thereof. Each song includes the lyrics, musical score, a link to listen to the tune, and a ready-to-use PowerPoint of the lyrics.  George has created an easy-to-use website offering usable hymns for today’s church.

One example: from the song, Climate in our hands

This planet’s destiny, life in its beauty
Rests with the choices we make every day;
We have the burden, we have the solemn duty
To guard tomorrow, so children can play.

Link to:  We hold the Keys – includes lyrics, piano score, guitar chords, and two recordings — one of David playing the piano and the other of David playing the wind pipes creating an almost mystical effect.

Verse 3:  All Creation calls across this wide, wide ball
We hold the keys, We hold the keys
To turn back the tide that can destroy us all
We hold the keys, We hold the keys
Sinking homes and habitats we see around
But we hope that we can do what must be done
For our actions now will shape the world to come
We hold the keys, We hold the keys

Link to: Trinity College music suggestions for Season of Creation

This list of songs is suggested by Eco-Church Scotland:  ‘We recommend the use of the music choices suggested via Trinity College, in which Eco-Congregation Scotland trustee Iain McLarty is fully involved.  

You can find a YouTube playlist here with many of the songs suggested for Season of Creation services.

‘You made a Universe’, hymn for purchase

Link to: ‘You made a Universe‘
Tune: Finlandia
Author: Ally Barrett; Alternative tune composed by: Peter Burton
CCL# 7184949