Season of Creation
The Season of Creation, September 1st through October 4th, is celebrated by Christians around the world as a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation. The Episcopal Church joins this international effort for prayer and action for climate justice and an end to environmental racism and ecological destruction. The 2023 theme is Let Justice and Peace Flow. In celebrating the Season, we are invited to consider anew our ecological, economic, and political ways of living.
The Season of Creation may be a great opportunity to hold an outdoor worship service or ministry event. If you share about your Season of Creation activities on social media, please use the hashtags #Episcopal #SeasonofCreation.
Season Of Creation Website has more information on the 2023 theme and a Season of Creation 2023 Celebration Guide with prayers and ideas to consider including an outdoor prayer service, creation walk or pilgrimage, sustainability event, or preaching about creation throughout the Season. Sign up for updates, and keep an eye out for an event calendar for virtual and in-person events around the world, and information on how to register your Season of Creation activities.
Season of Creation 2023 – A Celebration Guide for Episcopal Parishes is a curated liturgical resource authorized by sixteen Diocesan Bishops for use September 1st – October 4th 2023. Assembled by the Rev. John Elliott Lein (priest in Maine) and the Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas (Creation activist and priest in Massachusetts) from prayers, readings, and liturgies created all over the global Anglican Communion and beyond, this anthology not only provides special liturgies for the season, but also suggests ways to expand our familiar Sunday liturgies and prayers so that they more accurately reflect the whole Gospel for the whole world.
Prophetic Voices Podcast: Special Episodes for Season of Creation: Hosted by the Rev. Shaneequa Brokenleg, Prophetic Voices: Preaching and Teaching Beloved Community is a podcast that explores the lectionary through the lens of social justice. This fall, tune in for five special episodes on the Season of Creation and the Feast of St. Francis that explore how to preach about climate change and ecojustice.
Episcopal Relief and Development Prayer Alert: Join in prayer for the Season of Creation.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
– Psalm 19:1-4
Take Action with the Episcopal Public Policy Network: Creation Care is a priority for the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations. Visit their creation care resource page during the Season of Creation, and use the Action Alerts to contact your US representatives about environmental justice, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, and more!
Episcopal Liturgical Resources for Honoring God in Creation: Explore a host of liturgical resources for honoring God’s creation, from the Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. En Español aquí
Feast of St. Francis
The Feast of St. Francis is celebrated on October 4. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment and worship inspired by this Feast typically include pet blessings, prayers for environmental protection and conservation, and a call to a lifestyle based in simplicity and service of others.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light; and
where there is sadness, joy.
O, God, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying
that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
– Prayer of St. Francis
Episcopal Church St. Francis Day Resources: Use this comprehensive resource to plan a Blessing of the Animals service, a St. Francis Day service, or to find story books and historical resources about St. Francis of Assisi.
La Bendición de los Animales: Blessing of the Animals services in Spanish, published by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
Oficia Bendición de los Animales: Additional Spanish Blessing of the Animals service, shared by the Episcopal Diocese of Puerto Rico.
Episcopal Church Good News Gardens: Good News Gardens is a church-wide movement of individuals, congregations, schools, colleges, seminaries, monasteries, camps and conference centers involved in a variety of food and creation care ministries – gardening, farming, beekeeping, composting, gleaning, feeding, food justice advocacy. The Season of Creation and the Feast of St. Francis are fantastic opportunities to celebrate farm and garden ministries in your community, or to consider starting a new Good News Garden.
