Invitation to join the Season of Creation

2018 theme: Walking Together

1 September was proclaimed a Day of Prayer for Creation by the Orthodox in 1989 and repeated by Pope Francis in 2015.

The season takes us through to the feast of St. Francis on 4 October. Christians of all denominations and locations are invited to participate in an ecumenical Season of Creation.

This year’s Season of Creation has the theme of “walking together”. Although this theme does not need to be incorporated into your celebration, using it is an easy way to unite with celebrations around the world.
In walking together, we follow the role of Jesus, who walked with friends on the roads around Jerusalem.
As he traveled the byways of his community, Jesus invited us to encounter God through God’s presence in creation. Whether by considering “the lilies of the field” or the “grain of wheat that falls to the earth,” the spiritual journey of following Jesus is closely tied to the everyday wonders of nature that He experienced in His earthly journey.

This Season of Creation, we strive to more deeply understand the lessons Jesus taught us through creation, to more authentically honour our Creator, and to share fellowship with brothers and sisters along the way. As pilgrims together, we welcome the opportunity to
awaken anew to the wonder of the Earth, our common home, and to protect the web of life it shelters. 

“Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage,woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth” (Laudato Si’, 9).

Pilgrimage Blessing

Dear pilgrim,
As you go into the wilderness of the land and of your heart—
May you experience the ever-flowing grace of God’s presence!
May you be immersed so fully in God’s love that you learn to let go and swim!
May you engage deeply and radically with the natural world,
as steward, co-creator, and friend!
May you drink anew from the divine source, the stream of living water!
And may you be transformed, may the stagnant waters of your spirit begin to flow,
and may all which is dead in you rise again!
God is here. The river awaits. Let the adventure begin. Amen.
Written by Lisa Hershey Kutolowski From The River of Life Prayer Book for the Connecticut River Pilgrimage 2017, available courtesy of Kairos Earth

Read the warning of Pope Francis on climate change

Joint message - Invitation to join in the Season of Creation

On 13 June 2018 a joint message was released that gives new impetus to the ecumenical season of prayer and action to protect the environment.

 “O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.” (Psalm 104:1-2) 

The invitation is given by: 

• Archbishop Job of Telmessos, Permanent Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the WCC, on behalf of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
• Most Rev. & Rt Hon Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
• Cardinal Peter K.A. Turkson, Prefect, Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
• Dr Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of World Council of Churches 
• Rev. Dr Chris Ferguson, General Secretary, World Communion of Reformed Churches 
• Bishop Efraim Tendero, Secretary-General of the World Evangelical Alliance 
• Rev. Dr Martin Junge, General Secretary, Lutheran World Federation 
• Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary, Act Alliance 
• Fr Heikki Huttunen, General Secretary, Conference of European Churches

Dowload the PDF of the 13 June World Christian Leaders' invitation here.

Visit the Season of Creation website to see how we can celeberate creation.