We’re turning over a “new leaf” this June.  Throughout the month we will be marking the “SEASON OF CREATION.” This will be a foretaste of what we plan to offer as part of our 3-year cycle of seasons beginning in 2011.  First developed by Christians “down under,” the Season of Creation is making it’s way to congregations around the world as Christians affirm the need to reconnect Christian theology, spiritual beliefs and practices with humanity’s first vocation as earthkeepers.

What Is the Season of Creation?*

• In the seasons of Advent, Epiphany, Lent and Easter we celebrate the life of Christ. In the season of Pentecost we celebrate the Holy Spirit. Now, in the season of Creation, we have an opportunity to celebrate God, the Creator.  For four Sundays we join in celebrating with Christ the wonders of creation.
• In the liturgy, we follow the lead of the psalm writers and celebrate with creation — with the forests, the rivers and the fields, which praise the Creator in their own way.
• Bible readings focus especially on the story of Earth, which complements the story of God and the story of humanity in the Scriptures.
• We commit ourselves to a ministry of healing Earth, with Christ and creation as our partners.

Why a Season of Creation?

• There is growing concern in Christian communities about the ecological crisis and the way human beings are treating God’s Earth. Planet Earth is in peril. All creation is suffering.
• An effective way to focus these concerns is through worship. By concentrating our worship on God’s creation and our relationship with creation, we can seek ways to heal rather than exploit creation. The season of Creation helps us care for our planet home rather than destroy it.

In our worship during the season of Creation we:

• Celebrate Earth as a sacred planet filled with God’s vibrant presence.
• Unite with all creation in praising the God of creation.
• Confess our sins against creation and empathize with a groaning creation.
• Embrace our kin in creation as our extended family.
• Proclaim the good news that the risen Jesus is the cosmic Christ who fills and renews all creation.
• Gather at the Eucharist to receive the healing power of Christ that extends to all creation.
• Go forth on a mission to be partners with Christ in the healing of creation.

The Christ Connection

The season of Creation is part the heritage of mainstream Christian worship. Christ is at the heart of our celebrations. The cosmic Christ is the new life at the core of creation. In the season of Creation we celebrate Christ together with creation, we face the ecological crisis with Christ, and we serve Christ in the healing of creation.

The Wisdom in Creation. This year’s texts, organized under the theme of wisdom, include:

• June 6 – Ocean Sunday:  Job 38.1-18; Ps 104.24-26 (sung?); Ephesians 1.3-10; Luke 5:1-11
• June 13 – Fauna Sunday: Job 39.1-12, 26-30; Psalm 104.14-23, 31; 1 Cor 1.10-23; Luke 12:22-31
• June 20 – Storm Sunday: Job 28.20-27; Ps 29; 1 Cor 1:21-31; Luke 8.22-25
• June 27 – Cosmos/Universe Sunday:  Proverbs 8.22-31; Ps 104.24-26; Colossians 1.15-20; John 6:41-51

The Season of Creation Logo

The orb of the logo is planet Earth filled with the waves of God’s Spirit. The veins of the leaf suggest the web of creation. The leaf forms a tree of life that is also the cross of Christ. Leaves from the tree of life are for healing (Revelation 22:2).

For more info, go to: www.seasonofcreation.org

*Information in this post is taken from the Season of Creation website