Creation Waits with Eager Longing
Environmental Worship Resources
"Creation Waits with Eager Longing!"
A journey of Reflection, Remembrance, Rediscovery, Repentance, Reconciliation, and Recommitment on our way to becoming more faithful stewards of God’s creation.
Introduction to caring for creation worship series and weekly themes
Following are environmental worship resources that you may download and use for your worship services. They were originally created for use during the Lenten season, but you are welcome to adapt them to your congregational needs. Please reproduce with appropriate credit given to Kim Winchell, the creator of the 2009 Living Earth: Creation Waits with Eager Longing worship series.
- Introduction to worship resource
- Reflection (Ash Wednesday) — what deeper reflection are we called to in this time? Why? [intro to "Reflection" and text notes]
- Remembrance — who are we, and what are we called to be?
- Rediscovery — rediscovering our place (and God) in creation
- Repentance — what have we done to the earth and to ourselves?
- Reconciliation — what is meant by a "matrix of grace?" Where and how do we fit into it?
- Recommitment — creation waits with eager longing: how will you respond?
- Additional Resources — and useful Web sites
Holy Week Theme Suggestions
Our care of creation is part of our calling, as God’s people; it is not an “extra” we just lift up from time to time. Ideally, our earthkeeping is – or will become – woven into the life and practice of our congregations and our personal lives as Christ’s disciples.
Therefore, even in the holiest times of the church’s liturgical observances, it should be possible to find creative, and faith-filled, ways to incorporate our care for God’s creation. After all, as we read in Colossians 1:19-23, it is through our Lord Jesus Christ that “God was pleased to reconcile to himself
all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross” (v20, italics added). Furthermore (v23), “the hope promised by the gospel that you heard … has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.” The “good news” is for all of creation; and we are to be bearers of that good news.
In the course of this special Lenten worship series we have been invited to hear the Spirit’s urging to respond to a wounded creation, which waits with such eager longing, and to re-join in the hymn of all creation with renewed joy, hope, and vigor.
May our Holy Week journey, through Christ’s passion to the incomparable wonder and praise-filled celebration of Easter Morning, bring both the renewal of our lives and the increased motivation for us to be healers of creation.
Feel welcome to use the following resources for Holy Week:
Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday
Vigil of Easter
Easter Day