WELCOME TO PEACE and to our three week celebration of the SEASON OF CREATION!  

Our themes and liturgy during this year’s Season of Creation are inspired by Barbara Mahany’s The Book of Nature: The Astonishing Beauty of God’s First Sacred Text. She writes: “Ancient peoples read the Book of Nature as the first sacred text, the text of all of creation, inscribed and unfurled by a God present always and everywhere.” God has “infused the natural world with symbol and meaning, and if only we read what’s there in the trees and the storms and the stars and the hives, we might more fully comprehend the Creator.”

We hold the second sacred text, the Bible, to be inspired — that is “God-breathed.” The Book of Nature and the Book of Scripture provide us with inspiration which illuminates both. Our Lutheran sacramental tradition celebrates the coming together of these great streams of tradition: Water from the Earth, infused with God’s word of promise, becomes the source of our life in Christ. Field ripened grain and grapes, infused with Christ’s promise to be present, nurture God’s people.

Over these three weeks we explored three themes inspired by Barbara’s book: Water’s Edge/Salish Sea—Wind & Weather—Celestial Spheres 

Our Week One theme: Water’s Edge, coincided with minus tides that were in Seattle last weekend.  Following worship we went to Lincoln Park Beach where we joined naturalists from the Seattle Aquarium in exploring the tide flats.  Here’s the Worship Guide for Week One: Creation 1B Book of Nature 6.9.24 bulletin FINAL

And here’s the Live Stream Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub6mWlKg4Sg&t=7s

On Week Two: Wind and Weather author  BARBARA MAHANY joined us both during and following worship, beaming in from the Midwest to share thoughts about the book of nature.  The Worship Guide for Week Two can be downloaded here: Creation 2B Book of Nature 6.16.24 bulletin FINAL  The Livestream recording can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ouzaL6fWFM&t=8s

Our theme for Week Three was Celestial Spheres.  Recalling the famous color photo of Earth taken by Astronaut Bill Anders from the Apollo 8 spacecraft, (Earthrise, below) we were reminded of our home planet’s beauty and fragility – a swirling blue marble floating against the dark background of space.  To watch the Live Stream Recording, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfwZ276TZCs