Creationtide
Creationtide, or the ‘Season of Creation’, begins on 1st September each year and runs until 4th October. It is a time when Christians of different denominations around the world celebrate God as Creator, acknowledging Creation as a ongoing gift and act of God, and earth as our common home. It is a time of worship, prayer, reflection and action as Christians seek to collaborate, with God and each other, to love and care for all of Creation.
September 1st is the Orthodox ‘Feast of Creation’ and marks the start of their liturgical calendar. In 1989, other denominations were invited to join with the Orthodox community in praying for creation at this time. Over the decades since, this day of prayer has grown into a season, the ending of which is the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, on 4th October. In the UK, this season often also includes Harvest Thanksgiving services.
The theme for 2024 is To Hope and Act with Creation. As the crises facing the planet grow–climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution being amongst the most pressing–many are beginning to despair and suffer from eco-anxiety. The call on us, as Christians, is to embody the hope of our faith: the hope of resurrection. This is not a hope without action but one embodied in concrete actions of worship, prayer, service and solidarity. Click on the images below to get a broad range of resources for the 2024 season.
Worship Resources
SEC experimental liturgies
There are liturgies approved for experimental use in the SEC, including: eucharistic material, daily prayer, and intercessory resources.
Ecumenical services
The Season of Creation Celebration Guide has an ecumenical prayer service detailed from page 31. Eco-Congregation Scotland offers an ecumenical communion service.
Preaching Resources
As well as all the ‘usual’ preaching resource sites, the website Preaching for God’s World offers sermon notes and themes for the RCL readings. Lutherans Restoring Creation offer something similar, although you do need to hunt around a little to find what you are after!
There are, of course, many resources, including videos, available from Eco-Congregation Scotland. Blessed Tomorrow offers some headline thoughts to run with.
Do also look at links in ‘Ideas for the whole service below’ as many of those resources have sermon notes as part of what they offer for the whole service.
Hymns
Revd David Coleman, of Eco-Congregation Scotland has written a number hymns in the style of ‘new words to old tunes‘. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette does something similar and her Creationtide hymns are here, as does Norman Habel here. There is also a curated list of Creation-themed hymns available from Trinity College’s Songs for Sunday.
Bible Studies
Books for reflection
Two Archbishop books cover the theme of Creation.
- Ruth Valerio: Saying Yes to Life was the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book for 2020.
- Nicholas Holtam: Sleepers Wake was the Archbishop of York’s Advent book for 2022.
Courses for group discussion
There are a few online offerings with PDFs for downloading and/or printing. Here are some:
- God Saw That It Was Good – 4 part reflection based on visually beautiful videos with a companion guide, which can be printed.
- A Christian Look at the Environment – this is a 5 part bible study, which is downloadable and printable. It has a really lovely balance of readings, reflections and discussion.
- A Christian Guide to Environmental Issues – this is a book that has been turned into a 10-part group discussion, with engaging questions for discussion and associated bible readings.
- Christianity and Climate Change – a 9-part video series by Tearfund, with a booklet that can be printed, with discussion questions and links for further resources.
- Talking Climate Justice – Christian Aid 6-part Lent series for 2023 takes the ‘creation’ theme is a slightly more justice-centric direction. It follows the format of prayer, discussion and reflection, and action.