Four Steps to Creation-Care in All Worship

Four Steps to Care for Creation in All Worship.

We have traditionally done worship focusing on our human relationship with God and our human relationships with each other. Now we need to fill our worship also with elements of God's relationship with all of creation and with our human relationship with creation (and with God in creation). Here are some suggestions for how to integrate creation fully into your worship--all worship services. The idea is to include appropriate references to creation at the beginning, middle, and end of each service, along with other references throughout. Incorporate some of these changes on a regular basis, and those who worship will be much more aware of their relationship with God the creator and of their own relationship with nature.

 

Step One: four key moments that help to structure every worship service.

 

Invocation/invitation:

            Invoke the presence of the God of all creation.(Find a standard opening or variation)

             Invitation: Invite all creation to worship or invite humans to join the choir of all creation in praise of God. (Invite plants and animals on church grounds)

 

Confession:

            Include at least one statement of confession that addresses our degradation and misuse of creation.

 

Prayer

            Always include at least one petition on behalf of the natural world (recent disaster, endangered species, people at risk from environment.).

 

Closing:

            Commission people to "Go in peace. Serve the Lord, Rememebr the poor. Care for creation."

 

 

Step Two: Each week incorporate creation-care into other elements in worship

 

Introduction:

             If there is an introduction to the focus of the season and the Sunday at the beginning of the service, connect this to creation.

 

Hymns:

             Keep in mind hymns with reference to the natural world.

 

Scripture readings:

            Take the opportunity to note references to God the creator and to the presence of the nature in the biblical world.

 

Psalm:

            Often the psalm is a source of celebration of God the creator and the natural world.

 

Preaching:

            Proclaim the good news of God's creation. Give examples and challenges that include our   relationship with nature.

 

Sacraments:

            Make connections for people to the natural elements of grapes, grain, and water bearing the presence of Christ.

 

 

Step Three: Place reminders of nature in your sanctuary

 

Plants.

            Living plants and trees in the worship space to serve as partners in worship

 

Banners:

            “Let All Creation Praise God” or “Earth is Filled with God’s Glory”

 

Art displays.

            Consider photographs around the sanctuary or nature scenes by local artists

 

Worship outside:

            Identify the plants and animals with whom you are worshipping on your property.

 

 

Step Four: Green the practices related to worship

 

Plants.

            Living flowers or plants on the altar to be kept or planted later outside. Plants or trees in the sanctuary with qualities to purify air.
            Use live Christmas tree and then plant on church grounds.

 

Eco-Justice products.

            Purchase fair trade palm fronds for Palm Sunday. Consider the origin of the paraments.

 

Communion.

            Local wine/ grape juice. Practice intinction or have re-usable glasses (not plastic). Wash communion vessels/ glasses with eco-safe dish-            washing detergent. Provide communion bread of whole grain, organic and locally grown.

 

Paper.

            Move toward paperless worship. Limit or eliminate use of paper for bulletins. Re-use where possible. Use post-consumer waste/ recycled paper
            for bulletins. Place attractive basket near exit from sanctuary for recycling worship materials.

 

Energy.

            Use outside light where feasible. Use outside air and fans instead of air conditioner where feasible. Safe disposal of batteries from
            wireless microphones.

 

Other:

            Beeswax candles rather than (oil-based) paraffin wax candles. Green decorations for holidays.

 

For worship resources:

 

See the Worship resources throughout this site and on on our companion site: www.webofcreation.org.

         

For Theological Resources:

      

See the Theological Reflection on Worship by Dave Rhoads for the Green Congregation Program training manual

        

Read Ben Stewart, A Watered Garden: Christian Worship and Earth's Ecology (Fortress, 2011). Excellent for worship committees and small group study.

        

Check out the chapter on "A Theology of Liturgy in a New Key: Worshipping with Creation" in The Season of Creation: A Preaching Commentary, edited by Norman Habel, David Rhoads, and Paul Santmire (Fortress, 2011). Helpful for all those wanting to reflect on a new approach to liturgy.