1 September – 4 October 2018.
Download resources to observe Creation Time or the Season of Creation 2018. Here we provide links to materials produced by the churches and other groups.
A Rocha UK.
A Rocha UK is encouraging churches to celebrate Creation Time 2018 by holding a Green Communion – a communion service that celebrates the wonder of God’s earth, expresses our gratitude for it through liturgy, songs and prayers, and recognises our responsibility to care for it. You can download the Green Communion resources from the Eco Church website.
CAFOD – World Day Of Prayer for Care of Creation
Pope Francis has established 1 September as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, calling the Catholic community around the world to pray for our common home. This September will be the fourth annual World Day of Prayer. CAFOD has produced ideas, liturgy and prayers to help you respond to Pope Francis’ call to care for the gift of God’s creation.
Resources can be downloaded from the CAFOD website.
Church of England
This year’s Creationtide resources include new morning, evening and all age liturgy; readings and discussion materials for each day; and a daily action sheet focused on food to guide you through the season.
You can find more details and links to all the resources on the Creationtide website.
Eco-Congregation Scotland
Material for Creation Time 2018 from Eco-Congregation Scotland comes from an ecumenical writing group, with contributors from the Church of Scotland, the Roman Catholic Church, the Salvation Army, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the United Reformed Church (URC). It follows the theme of ‘Passing our Planet on: God’s Gift to us’, linking to Scotland’s Year of Young People and reflecting on passing the planet on from one generation to the next, and the gifts given to us by God to support and guide us in our care for creation. The resources include reflections on the readings for each Sunday, sermon thoughts, all age address ideas, and prayers and hymns.
Week 1 – Passing on the gift of integrity
Week 1 (PDF)
Week 1 (Word)
Week 2 – Passing on the gift of hope
Week 2 (PDF)
Week 2 (Word)
Week 3 – Passing on the gift of wisdom
Week 3 (PDF)
Week 3 (Word)
Week 4 – Passing on the gift of service
Week 4 (PDF)
Week 4 (Word)
Week 5 – Passing on the gift of discipleship
Week 5 (PDF)
Week 5 (Word)
Season of Creation
The Season of Creation website details activities and resources to celebrate the Season of Creation around the globe and is supported by an ecumenical steering committee and a coalition of partners, including the Anglican Communion Environmental Network, A Rocha International, Christian Aid, the Global Catholic Climate Movement, the Lutheran World Federation, World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network and the World Council of Churches (WCC).
See the Season of Creation website for more details.
Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference
Resources prepared by the Laudato Si’ working group of the Catechetics commission of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference. They serve as a follow-up to the historic visit of Pope Francis and an introduction to his landmark encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home. Resources include:
- A prayer service for 1st September 2018 that could be used in a parish or ecumenical gathering or at the opening of the school year. Download (.docx)
- Resources for at least one or some of the Sundays between 1 September and 4 October 2018, covering a penitential service, homily notes, prayers of the faithful, post-communion reflection, and the dismissal at the end of mass. Download (Docx)
- Resources for the Feast of St Francis on 4 October 2018. Download (.Docx)
- Some practical actions that parishioners might do during this Season of Creation. Download (PDF)
John Ray Initiative (JRI)
JRI is producing a series of daily reflections for the Season of Creationtide, available via the website and as a weekly downloadable PDF. The daily reflections will draw on a range of writers, thinkers, poets and storytellers from across the Christian tradition.
Operation Noah
Tenants of the King is a new study guide from Operation Noah. The four part series is designed to help you and your church consider what the Bible has to say about today’s climate crisis. Through interactive group sessions, video interviews with leading Christian thinkers and insightful Bible commentary, this resource will help you and your church reflect on the challenges of a changing climate and how Christians can respond with hope. The resource pack, which includes study guide booklets, video interviews and leaders’ notes for small group study, can be ordered from the Operation Noah website.
Operation Noah has also launched a short animated video which illustrates the human cost of climate change, particularly its impact on women and children. The video introduces the viewer to Sālote, a Polynesian girl who is experiencing the effects of a changing climate on her South Pacific island home. The video can be watched on the Operation Noah website and there is also an activity pack and factsheet for church and home group use during Creation Time.
Tearfund
For Creation Time, Tearfund has a set of resources for churches to hold a ‘Light Service’ – a whole service or shorter section within a service – focused on clean energy and its potential to help people out of poverty without damaging creation. There are ideas, activities, liturgy and prayers to help churches show solidarity with people who don’t have access to electricity, raise awareness, and call for more off-grid renewable energy. You can sign in to download the resources on the Tearfund website.
