» Introduction 3

» Ecumenical faith leaders invitation 4

» 2023 Season of Creation Theme and Symbol 7

» 2023 Season of Creation Prayer 11

» Ideas to Celebrate the Season of Creation 12

» Host an ecumenical prayer service 13

» Hold your worship service 14

» Organise a creation walk or pilgrimage 15

» Incorporate the symbol of a mighty river in your events 15

» Share your experience 16

» Advocacy Action 16

» Photos and videos 16

» Global calendar of events 18

» September 1: Online Prayer Service for the Day of Prayer for Creation 18

» October 4: St. Francis Day 18

» About the Season of Creation 19

» History 19

» The Steering Committee 20

» Contributors 21

» Addendum 1: 22

» Addendum 2: How to incorporate the

symbol in your events and celebrations 33

» Addendum 3: Reflections on Advocacy 35

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome!

Welcome to this year’s Season of Creation. Thank you for bringing your
community together for this special season of ecumenical solidarity.
We emerge from I with a stronger sense that we share one common
home, and of the urgency to protect it together.

Each year from September 1 to October 4, the Christian family unites

for this worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our
common home. As followers of Christ from around the globe, we
share a common call to care for creation. We are co-creatures and
part of all that God has made. Our wellbeing is interwoven with the
wellbeing of the Earth.

We rejoice in this opportunity to safeguard our common home and all

beings who share it. This year, the theme for the season is “Let justice
and peace flow”. This guide will help you learn about the season and
plan to celebrate it. More resources, including webinars and prayer
services, sample flyers, bulletin inserts, and the official Season of
Creation social media channels, are available online. Please visit
SeasonOfCreation.org to access all the materials.

In Christ,

Season of Creation Ecumenical Steering Committee Members

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ECUMENICAL FAITH
LEADERS INVITATION
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

The Season of Creation is the annual Christian celebration to pray

and respond together to the cry of Creation: the ecumenical family
around the world unites to listen and care for our common home, the
Oikos of God.

The Season “Celebration” begins 1 September, the Day of Prayer for

Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the
patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations.

Following the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity celebrated in the

Northern Hemisphere, we began in February the Season of Creation
“Preparation” to reach local leaders and call our communities to
participate actively by raising awareness of the theme, and how to
respond to the cry of creation where the Lord calls us in our diverse
contexts. The stage of “Preparation” is key to prepare together for the
Season of Creation, creating bonds and relationships as the People of
God caring for our common home.

This year we will unite around the theme “Let Justice and Peace Flow”
with the symbol of A Mighty River. Ecumenical faith leaders from
across the world have prepared a special video to invite you to take
part in this season.

Many have also shared their reflections to inspire our ecumenical

family in this journey forward as Christians everywhere prepare to
witness the power of working together to let justice and peace flow
as we care for our common home. We invite you to reflect with their
words below:

“The Season of Creation is a splendid opportunity for Christians around

the world to embody the communion for which we human earthlings
are created, and to do so in the quest for lifeways that build justice
among people and allow Earth’s web of life to flourish.” - Cynthia D.
Moe-Lobeda, Ph.D., Professor of Theological and Social Ethics, Pacific
Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Lutheran University.
Director, PLTS Center for Climate Justice and Faith

“There has never before been a time, in the history of human existence,
when we have so gravely threatened not only our own existence, but
that of the rest of the living world. But it’s not too late to act, if we do it
now, if we do it together.” - Bishop Olivia Graham, Diocese of Reading,
Church of England

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“The Season of Creation is a vital and necessary reminder that God’s
saving, healing, justice-seeking love extends to every part of creation.
As the Church, the household of God, we are called to live out this
life-giving love for the benefit of all.” - Rev Faith Whitby, Bishop of the
Central District, Methodist Church of Southern Africa

“We live in very turbulent and troubling times as we continue to struggle

for world peace and the reconciliation and unity of all creation. We are
surrounded by war, violence, climate challenges and unjust systems
that continue to dehumanise and oppress people around the globe.
Christians are urged to join with God in the ever-flowing river for justice
and peace in the world.” - Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, General Secretary,
World Council of Churches

“The Season of Creation is a reminder to young people that God is

Creator, and we humans, along with others (animals and plants), are
creatures. It is a reminder that we need to take care of one another as
our Creator takes care of us SoC is important for youth as it recognises
us (youth) as leaders of today rather than the victims of tomorrow.” -
Priyanka Gloria Gupta, Intern at the World Communion of Reformed
Churches

“The Season of Creation is a special time of the year to pray with others
as part of and with God’s creation. I am reminded that our joint response
in loving creation comes from first being in a loving relationship with
our Creator God.” - Jasmine Kwong Creation Care Catalyst, Lausanne
Movement

“This Season of Creation will be an opportunity to pray, reflect and act

together as the People of God for our common home. Like tributaries
joining forces to become a mighty river, the ecumenical family will
come together on a synodal path of care for our common home through
justice and peace.” - Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Vatican
Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

“The Season of Creation is celebrated by ACT members around the

world every year from September 1 to October 4. Celebrate with us this
year.” - Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary, ACT Alliance.

“The Season of Creation has been a gift to the churches of the Middle
East. It has awakened the already present creation dimension in the
diverse worship traditions, it has provided language that responds
to the concerns of the youth, and it has provided a bridge between
the varied ministries and between the faith communities and the civil
society..” - Rev’d Dr. Rima Nasrallah, Middle East Council of Churches.

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Through prayer, practical advocacy, and sustainable actions, this 2023
Season of Creation can prophetically renew our ecumenical unity and
care for our common home. We invite you to join this special season and
be part of this mighty movement for justice and peace.

May we journey together in communion as the People of God to let

justice and peace flow!

Members of the Season of Creation Advisory Committee:

Bishop Marc Andrus, Anglican Church, Episcopal Diocese of California

Rev. Dr. Dave Bookless, Director of Theology, A Rocha International,
Lausanne Global Catalyst for Creation Care
Bishop Rt. Rev. Malayil Sabu Koshy Cherian, Church of South India,
National Council of Churches of India
Dr. Celia Deane-Drummond, Director, Laudato Si’ Research Institute,
Campion Hall, University of Oxford
Rev. Tony Franklin-Ross, Ecumenical Relations, World Methodist Council
Rev. Dr. Norm Habel, Lutheran Church, Adelaide Coordinator, Season of
Creation Project
Dr. Hefin Jones, Executive Committee, World Communion of Reformed
Churches
Metropolitan of Zimbabwe Serafim Kykotis, Greek Orthodox Archbishopric
of Zimbabwe and Angola
Mr. Marcelo Leites, General Secretary, World Student Christian Federation
Fr. Martin Michalíček, Secretary General, Consilium Conferentiarum
Episcoporum Europae
Sr. Patricia Murray, Executive Secretary, International Union Superiors
General
Dr Kostas Zormpas, General Director of the Orthodox Academy of Crete
Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary, Vatican Dicastery for Promoting
Integral Human Development
Dr. Paulo Ueti, Theological Advisor & Latin American Regional Director,
Anglican Alliance
Bishop Graham Usher, Anglican Church, Church of England lead Bishop on
the Environment
Dr. Ruth Valerio, Director Global Advocacy and Influencing, Tearfund

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 2023 SEASON OF CREATION
THEME AND SYMBOL
Each year, the Season of Creation The theme for 2023 is “Let Justice
Ecumenical Steering Committee and Peace Flow” and the symbol is
proposes a theme for the Season of
Creation.
“A Mighty River”.

Join the river of justice and peace

Prophet Amos cries out “But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24) and
so we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take
up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and
for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the
loss of biodiversity.

Our prayers, sermons and liturgies must call for justice

not only for humans but for all creation. Justice, allied with
peace, calls us to repent of our ecological sins and to change
our attitudes and actions. Righteousness demands that we
live in peace, not conflict with our human neighbors, and
building right relationships with all of creation. ‘Peace’
(shalom) involves not only the absence of conflict but
positive, live-giving relationships with God, ourselves,our
human neighbors, and all creation.

Those Indigenous communities that recognize the

sacredness of natural elements and so live as an embodiment
of an interconnected way of life, expressing a partnership
between people and the life of the Earth, have much to
teach the rest of the world.

We are invited to join the river of justice and peace on behalf

of all Creation and to converge our individual identities, of
name, family or faith community, in this greater movement
for justice, just like tributaries come together to form a
mighty river. As the people of God, we must work together
on behalf of all Creation, as part of that mighty river of peace
and justice.

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The river of life brings hope
instead of despair
Prophet Isaiah proclaims “Listen carefully, I am about to do
a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware
of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the
desert.” (Isaiah 43: 19)
Biodiversity is being lost at a rate not seen since the last
mass extinction. The hope of keeping average temperature
increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius is fading. The world humans
have known, enjoyed and celebrated is changing rapidly
beyond repair. The futures of young people are threatened
by the cascading impacts of the loss of biodiversity and a
changing climate. Industrialization, colonisation and the
extraction and consumption of resources have created
great wealth, unequally distributed. Powerful Global North
nations have grown wealthy at the expense of Global South
nations and Indigenous and subsistence communities.

Today’s climate and ecological emergency hurts the most

vulnerable, many living in the least wealthy nations, who
have contributed the fewest emissions. Indigenous peoples
make up five percent of the world’s population and protect
nearly 80 percent of the world’s remaining biodiversity.

We are presently more aware than ever of the link between

fossil fuels, and violence and war. We can, however, dream
and work for a world where each country produces the
energy they need from God-given gifts of the sun and wind,
rather than going to war for fossil fuels.

The urgency grows and we must make visible peace with

Earth and on Earth, at the same time that justice calls us
to repentance and a change of attitude and actions. As we
join the river of justice and peace with others then hope is
created instead of despair. Streams can rise in the desert.
An economy of peace can be built instead of an economy
based on conflict.

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A mighty torrent can move mountains

Our individual actions during the Season of Creation are

important. Celebrating creation, taking part in clean-ups,
planting trees, and reducing our carbon footprint are
some of the immediate actions we can take.

We must also recognise that as we need a mighty

movement of justice, individual actions are no longer
enough. Justice also includes paying historic debts. At a
global level, nations with power and wealth have a duty to
deal justly and honestly with communities that suffer most
from the climate and ecological crises. They have not dealt
righteously with their less wealthy neighbours in global
forums. They have not fulfilled their promises of financing
the losses and damages that vulnerable communities are
suffering from, or funding necessary biodiversity initiatives
in less wealthy nations, nor have they made the necessary
sacrifices to stay below 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming.

Nevertheless, Global South nations, working together for

more than 30 years, managed to win a victory at COP27
in making wealthier nations realise their moral duty to
provide financing for loss and damage.

The recent decisions at COP15 to preserve biodiversity are

also hopeful and require similar perseverance. The new UN
Treaty on Oceans marks a historic moment for protecting
marine biodiversity in international waters, adding to the
hope of more persistent global responses to the climate
crisis. These victories have been achieved by those with
less power working together. Together we can be a mighty
river of justice and peace, that brings new life to earth and
future generations, a river that can move the mountains
of injustice.

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How the river of justice an peace
inspires our advocacy actions

Those living in the Global North must ask their elected

representatives to fulfil their promises. These promises
include funds promised at global meetings for the most
vulnerable communities affected by climate change and for
the preservation of remaining biodiversity.

Other actions in recognition of our interconnectedness

and interdependence with all of Creation include learning
about and signing the Universal Declaration of the Rights of
Rivers, part of a movement to recognize the inherent rights
of Mother Earth. As an ecumenical family, we can engage in
these actions and contribute to ensure that the web of life is
preserved and cared for.

This is why practical advocacy and sustainable actions are

more fully described in the Celebration Guide and the Season
of Creation website. At the same time that we trust in God’s
work, we recognize that we can also participate in God’s
will for justice and peace. This Season of Creation, may we
journey together in communion as the people of God to let
justice and peace flow!

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2023 SEASON OF CREATION PRAYER
Creator of All,

From your communion of love life sprung forth like a

mighty river and the whole cosmos came into being.

On this Earth of overflowing love, the Word was made

flesh and went forth with the life-giving waters proclaiming
peace and justice for all creation.

You called human beings to till and keep your garden. You
placed us into right relationship with each creature, but we
failed to listen to the cries of the Earth and the cries of the
most vulnerable. We broke with the flowing communion
of love and sinned against you by not safeguarding the
conditions for life.

We lament the loss of our fellow species and their habitats,

we grieve the loss of human cultures, along with the lives
and livelihoods that have been displaced or perished, and
we ache at the sight of an economy of death, war and
violence that we have inflicted on ourselves and on the
Earth.

Open our ears to your creative, reconciling and sustaining

Word that calls to us through the book of Scripture and the
book of creation. Bless us once again with your life-giving
waters so that the Creator Spirit may let justice and peace
flow in our hearts and overflow into all creation.

Open our hearts to receive the living waters of God’s justice

and peace, and to share it with our suffering brothers and
sisters, all creatures around us, and all creation.

Bless us to walk together with all people of good will so

that the many streams of the living waters of God’s justice
and peace may become a mighty river all over the Earth.

In the name of the One who came to proclaim good news

to all creation, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

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IDEAS TO CELEBRATE
THE SEASON OF CREATION
The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship
with our Creator and all creation through celebration,
conversion, and commitment. It is an annual ecumenical
season where we pray and act together as a Christian
family for our common home.

We are called to engage in the Season of Creation starting

early in the year, so that we can build a year-long process
of preparation for the celebration that takes part later in
the year.

As you prepare for the Season of Creation, remember that

rather than events we are building encounters, to cultivate
listening in the spirit of ecumenism, engaging in prophetic
action for our common home and strengthened by eco-
spirituality to commit and follow-up on our responsibilities
as stewards of creation.

There are many different ways to celebrate the season.

The ecumenical Season of Creation network has suggested
a few ideas, which are available below. Be sure to visit
SeasonofCreation.org for more ideas and campaigns, and
to register your event on the website.

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Host an ecumenical
prayer service
Hosting a prayer service is a simple and beautiful way to
celebrate the season. While a prayer service that stays
within your church community is welcomed, this season
offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with Christians
outside of your denomination or network. A ecumenical
prayer service developed for the Season of Creation 2023
can be found at the end of the celebration guide and on
the Season of Creation website.

If interested, contact local Christian communities of

denominations different from your own, and ask the
clergy or justice coordinator whether he/she would like to
collaborate in co-hosting a prayer service for the Season
of Creation. If you send an email, be sure to share a link to
the Season of Creation website and to include information
about the season.

In light of this year’s theme, see how you might

intentionally include the needs and participation of groups
and individuals in your community that work with social
justice, peace-building, or the rights of rivers. You might
also consider taking up a donation collection to support a
particular issue.

Ask all participating communities to advertise and

promote the service. Broadcasting information via social
media, print and web media will ensure good attendance
and lead to a diverse, dynamic celebration. Sample flyers,
bulletin inserts, and pulpit announcements are on the
official website. Appoint either one clergy person or a
group of clergy people from participating churches to lead
the prayer service.  

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Hold your worship service
outside
To celebrate God’s creation fully, it is good, where practical,
to take our worship outside a building and to worship in
the context of God’s creation–which is already worshipping
God eloquently as every creature, and even mountains,
rivers and trees worship the Lord simply by doing what
God created them to do.

You might like to consider a site of environmental

significance. If it is a place of great natural beauty, the
focus would be on giving thanks to God and committing
ourselves to protecting the site and others. If it is a place
of environmental degradation, the focus is on confessing
our environmental sins and lamenting the voices of co-
creatures who have been lost, and committing to actions
of healing and restoration.

Depending on your style of worship and the weather,

consider an informal service or brief Eucharist that
incorporates the ecumenical prayer service offered in this
Celebration Guide, or other creation-centered liturgies.

For your offering, ask children and adults to gather

symbols from nature and take them to the holy table.
These symbols can represent the “fruit of the earth and
work of human hands” alongside the bread and wine, and
serve as a reminder of the voices of all creation that joins
in the feast.

Include a moment of silence to listen to, and wordlessly

join in with the song of creation’s worship. Or play sounds
of water or a river in the place of singing as you come to
the table.

In place of the sermon, divide into groups for a short Bible

study.

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Organise a creation
walk or pilgrimage
Organise a contemplative walk outside by a local river to
meditate on the gift of God’s creation and our response
to be in deeper communion with all life. Organise a
pilgrimage to a significant ecological site or a site that
witnesses ecological or social injustice. Invite a group
to study ecologically themed Scriptures, or pray with
ecologically themed prayers such those that can be found
in the Laudato Si’ Movement prayer book, while walking.
Your pilgrimage could also culminate in a prayer service.

Incorporate the symbol of a

mighty river in your events
We have prepared some helpful ideas for activities and
crafts with the symbol of a mighty river for your Season of
Creation preparation journey which you are welcome to
use and adapt as you see fit - you can find them in details
at the end of this celebration guide. These ideas on how
to incorporate the mighty river symbol are also invitations
to engage your faith community and reflect on how the
symbol this year inspires unity and action for justice and
peace.

You are also encouraged to download the logo of the

Season of Creation and this year’s symbol on the Season
of Creation website for use in your materials and activities.

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Share your experience
Photos and videos
• Be sure to take photos of your community in action.
Your photos will be shared with people around
the world, and could inspire prayers and action to
protect creation. (kindly ask consent to share people’s
images, and refrain from closeups of children without
parent/guardian permission). Your photos will show
up at SeasonOfCreation.org if you use the hashtag
#SeasonOfCreation

Social media and blogs

• Post images and stories while you plan, and during
your celebration. Be sure to tag your post or tweet with
#SeasonofCreation, and it will appear on the Season of
Creation website.
• Follow the official channels of Season of Creation
on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and share your
experiences. Don’t forget to also subscribe to the
Season of Creation YouTube channel.
• Write a blog post about your community’s Season of
Creation celebration and include #SeasonofCreation
so it can be easily found.

ADVOCACY ACTION
The Season of Creation is an important time to unite our
voices for our common home and our vulnerable sisters
and brothers. This year more than ever before we have the
opportunity to prophetically join forces as an ecumenical
family and call for bold actions for climate justice and the
preservation of biodiversity to build peace with Earth and
on Earth.

Here are some concrete steps you can take to get involved
with your faith community and act together for justice on
climate and biodiversity issues:

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• Learn who is active on these issues in your faith community. How
are members/leaders of your church/faith community engaged
at the local, national and international levels?
• Learn more about effective advocacy. Many faith organisations
have helpful resources (be sure to check the resources page on
SeasonofCreation.org for details).
• Determine with your faith community who you should influence.
Meetings with and petitions and letters to decision-makers are
forms of influence. These can include letters to the editor of your
local media outlets.
• Join and support campaigns for fair and just climate financing
and biodiversity funding.

We encourage you to call on your government to keep the following

promises:

Climate Justice
• Allocate fair funding for the global Loss and Damage facility.
• Submit updated Nationally Determined Contributions in order to
implement the Paris Agreement.
• Keep 1.5 degrees Celsius alive and stop dangerous fossil fuel
emissions. Call on your government to reach binding global
agreements that eliminate the use of fossil fuels and achieve a
fair and equitable energy transition.

Biodiversity
• Ensure your country is taking steps to protect biodiversity. Start
by reading about and follow up on the early implementation
of the Global Biodiversity Fund. If you live in the Global North,
ensure that your country makes and upholds ambitious financial
commitments.

Please go to the resources page on the Season of Creation website

to see the range of advocacy campaigns to support for Season of
Creation 2023.

We have also prepared special reflections on advocacy in light of this

year’s theme to help ground and fuel your events and activities for
Season of Creation this year - you can find them at the end of this
celebration guide.

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GLOBAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS

While each Christian community around the world

celebrates the Season of Creation in its own way, a few
events present opportunities to bring all communities
together. You can access them through the global calendar
of events on the Season of Creation website.

You are particularly invited to join two online prayer

services that will mark the opening and closing of the
Season of Creation, as described below.

We also invite the whole ecumenical family to be part of

“Together - Gathering of the People of God”, a vigil prayer
on September 30 being organised by the Taizé community
in collaboration with numerous other Christian churches
and ecclesial and ecumenical associations.

September 1: Online Prayer Service for the Day of

Prayer for Creation

Creation Day, also called the Day of Prayer for Creation or

World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, opens the
season each year. Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis,
the World Council of Churches, and many other leaders
have called the faithful to celebrate. Globally, Christians
are invited to join an online prayer service to come
together in a joyful celebration of our common cause.
More information can be found at SeasonofCreation.org.

October 4: St. Francis Day

Many traditions view St. Francis as an inspiration and

guide for those who protect creation. October 4 is his feast
day and the last day in the Season of Creation. The faithful
around the world will come together in an online event
prepared by the Season of Creation Ecumenical Youth
Committee to celebrate our month-long journey together.
You can find information about the event on the Season of
Creation website and social media.

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ABOUT THE SEASON OF CREATION

The Season of Creation runs annually from September 1

through October 4. The world’s 2.2 billion Christians are
invited to pray and care for creation during this time.
The Season of Creation unites the global Christian family
around one shared purpose. It also provides flexibility in
celebrating prayer services and engaging in a variety of
actions to care for creation.

History
September 1 was proclaimed as a Day of Prayer for
Creation for the Eastern Orthodox Church by Ecumenical
Patriarch Dimitrios I in 1989. It was embraced by other
major Christian European churches in 2001, and by Pope
Francis for the Roman Catholic Church in 2015.

In recent years, many Christian churches have begun

celebrating the “Season of Creation” (also known as
Creation Time) between September 1 and October 4, the
Feast of St. Francis that is observed by some Western
traditions. St. Francis is the author of the Canticle of the
Creatures, and the Catholic saint of those who promote
ecology.

Several statements from the past few years have called

the faithful to observe this month-long season, such as
those of the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines in 2003,
the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu in 2007
and the World Council of Churches in 2008.

19
The Ecumenical Steering Committee
The Steering Committee provides the resources to
celebrate the season and it is comprised of the World
Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Laudato Si’
Movement, Anglican Communion Environmental Network,
the Lausanne / World Evangelical Alliance Creation Care
Network, the World Communion of Reformed Churches,
the European Christian Environmental Network, ACT
Alliance, A Rocha International, World Methodist Council,
and Christian Aid.

As an ecumenical network, we are inspired by the urgent

call from Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’, “for a new dialogue
on how we are shaping the future of our planet” and “we
require a new and universal solidarity” where the most
vulnerable are supported and to enable them to live in
dignity. We invite you to join us in these efforts.
We are also extremely grateful for the work of the Season
of Creation Ecumenical Youth Committee.

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Members of the Season of Creation Steering Committee:

Dr Louk Andrianos, World Council of Churches (WCC)

Revd Dr Dave Bookless, A Rocha International
Simon Chambers, Act Alliance
Fiona Connelly, Act Alliance
Cecilia D’allOglio, Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM)
Rev. Henrik Grape, World Council of Churches (WCC)
Priyanka Gupta, World Communion for Reformed Churches (WCRC)
Fr Joshstrom Kureethadam, Ecology Sector of the Dicastery for the Promotion
of Integral Human Development
Christina Leaño, Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM)
Rev Sikawu Makubalo, General Secretary of the Church Unity Commission
(CUC)
Rev Dr Rachel Mash, Green Anglicans/Anglican Communion Environmental
Network
Suzana Moreira, Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM)
Jo Mountford, Christian Aid
Rev Dennis Nthenge, Anglican Church of Kenya
Rev Peter Pavlovic, European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN)
Chad Rimmer, Lutheran World Federation (LWF)

Contributors

We are grateful to the following people who contributed to the development,

review, and editing of this publication.

Dr Louk Andrianos, World Council of Churches (WCC)

Revd Dr Dave Bookless, A Rocha International
Fiona Connelly, ACT Alliance
Fr. Joshtrom Kureethadam, Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human
Development
Christina Leaño, Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM)
Lindlyn Moma, Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM)
Rachel Mander, A Rocha International
Rev Dr Rachel Mash, Green Anglicans/Anglican Communion Environmental
Network
Suzana Moreira, Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM)

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ADDENDUM 1:
ECUMENICAL PRAYER SERVICE
We encourage you to use this prayer service to mark the
beginning and end of the Season of Creation, at events
that you host during the season, or to incorporate into
your community’s worship throughout the Season.

As you plan your service, consider featuring a “mighty river”

by decorating your worship space with images of rivers,
or water. You can find more concrete ideas here. As you
prepare for the service, be sure to prepare a bowl of water
for the sprinkling of the congregation.

Leader parts are in regular font, congregational responses

are in bold.

Welcome
“Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will
spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a
road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”
(Isaiah 43: 19)

We gather in the name of God, Creator, Redeemer, and

Sustainer of the Earth and all creatures! Amen.

Praise be to the Holy Trinity! God is sound and life, Creator

of the Universe, Source of all life, whom the angels sing;
wondrous Light of all mysteries known or unknown to
humankind, and life that lives in all.

(Hildegard of Bingen, 13th Century)

Opening Prayer
Blessed are you, Creator of all
to you be praise and glory forever
as your dawn renews the face of the Earth
bringing light and life to all creation
bring hope to your people.

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May we rejoice in this day you have made
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to work for justice for all of
creation,
that the world may rejoice together and give you praise.

(Adapted from Lancelot Andrewes, 1626)

Greeting - A Four Direction Prayer

Let us turn our hearts to the West
From there the Thunders bring us cleansing rain
Creator God, heal us and our relatives

Let us turn our hearts to the North

Winter comes to us from there and calls us to rest
Creator God, restore our strength

Let us turn our hearts to the East

The morning Sun begins each day there
Creator God awaken us and help us to walk with a
renewed life

Let us turn our hearts to the South

Where the warm winds come from to give us comfort and
joy
Creator God soothe our aching souls

Let us turn our hearts to the Sky

From there our Creator sees all around us
Creator God help us to trust you to lead us

Let us turn our hearts to the Earth

From there quiet wisdom comes to teach us
Creator God hear us as we pray

(Adapted from Diocese of Western North Carolina - Anglican Indigenous Ministries)

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Psalmody- Psalm 85
We are presently more aware than ever of the link between
fossil fuels, and violence and war. Let us pray and proclaim
with the Psalmist:

Lord, you poured out blessings on your land!

You restored the fortunes of Israel.
You forgave the guilt of your people—
yes, you covered all their sins.
May love and truth meet together
Let justice and mercy kiss
You held back your fury.
You kept back your blazing anger.
Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
Put aside your anger against us once more.
Will you be angry with us always?
Will you prolong your wrath to all generations?
Won’t you revive us again,
so your people can rejoice in you?
May love and truth meet together
Let justice and mercy kiss
Show us your unfailing love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
so our land will be filled with his glory.
Unfailing love and truth have met together.
Justice and peace have kissed!
May love and truth meet together
Let justice and peace kiss
Truth springs up from the Earth,
and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.
Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
preparing the way for his steps.
May love and truth meet together
Let justice and peace kiss
(Adapted from the New Living Translation)

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Litany of repentance
God of light, life and love,
God of land, and sea,and sky,
Who called creation into existence and wove it into a rich
tapestry, a fine mat, a web of life

Your Spirit hovered over the face of the primordial waters,

And was breathed into humankind after You made us
equally in Your image.
Your Word was made flesh and embodied Your divine
love as it took root and bore fruit in us, restoring our
relationship with You.

Yet we have not honoured this relationship with You and

the rest of Your Creation.
We have disrespected the web of life
We have devalued the fine ecological mat that You wove
with so much love
We have uprooted Your tree of life and sold it as logs.
We have forgotten that we sweat and cry saltwater and
have polluted Your oceans and rivers… oceans that cry for
Justice and rivers that call to righteousness.

Instead of everything that has breath praising You, all

creation groans in pain as trees and phytoplankton choke
on carbon belched from our desire for more, and our care
for less.
All around we see the consequences of our ecological sin
as we extract and exploit, as we defile and pillage our sister
and brother creation:
Heatwaves and wildfires
Bitter winters
Droughts and floods
Rising sea levels and rising ocean temperatures
More extreme cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes

Yet we are blind

Creation roars in pain
Yet we are deaf
You call us in Christ, to speak truth to power and peace to
this planet, our common home
Yet we are silent.

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God of hope and healing
May your Rivers of Righteousness
Wash away our apathy, our greed and selfishness and
reveal the deep relationships You created for us with all
creation.
Nourish us with the water of life that restores, turning
deserts of despair into oases of hope.

May the waves of Your embrace

Transform us back into guardians of Your creation.
May the currents of Your justice
Carry us to Your lagoon of peace
Where all creation may enjoy
Life in abundance

We pray in the name of the one who came so that the whole
cosmos may have everlasting life,
Jesus the Christ,
Amen.

(Rev. James Shri Bhagwan, General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches)

Repentance
In God there is forgiveness.
Loving and all-seeing God,
forgive us where we have failed to support one another
and to be what we claim to be.
Forgive us where we have failed to serve you;
and where our thoughts and actions have been
contrary to yours we ask your pardon.

God forgives us; be at peace.

[Silence]
Rejoice and be glad,
for Christ is resurrection,
reconciliation for all the human race
And for the whole of creation.
Amen.

(Adapted from the New Zealand Prayer Book - Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia)

26
Reading of Scripture followed by
preaching or reflections
First Reading - Amos 5: 21-24

Justice, allied with peace, calls us to repent of our ecological

sins and to change our attitudes and actions. Righteousness
demands that we live in peace, not conflict with our
human neighbours, and building right relationships with
all of creation. We are invited to join the river of justice
and peace on behalf of all creation and to converge our
individual identities, of name, family or faith community, in
this greater movement for justice, just like tributaries come
together to form a mighty river. Let us hear the words of
prophet Amos:

“I can’t stand your religious meetings.

I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
That’s what I want. That’s all I want.”

(The Message Translation)

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Second Reading - John 7:37-39

On this Earth, our common home, the Word was made

flesh and went forth with the life-giving waters proclaiming
peace and justice for all creation. Let us hear the Word of
the Lord:

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood
and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come
to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has
said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By
this Jesus meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in
him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not
been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”

The Affirmation of Faith

You, O God, are supreme and holy.

You create our world and give us life.
Your purpose overarches everything we do.
You have always been with us.
You are God.
You, O God, are infinitely generous,
good beyond all measure.
You came to us before we came to you.
You have revealed and proved
your love for us in Jesus Christ,
God made flesh,
who lived and died and rose again.
You are with us now.
You are God.
You, O God, are Holy Spirit.
You empower us to be your gospel in the world.
You reconcile and heal; you overcome death.
You are our God. We worship you.

(Adapted from the New Zealand Prayer Book)

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Offering and offertory prayer

You may want to have an offering, perhaps to collect money

for a particular project or ministry that contributes to
ecological restoration, or an aspect of climate justice that is
significant in your location. You may want to listen to water
or river sounds as a way to raise awareness by listening to
the mighty rivers from your local ecology praising God and
calling us to care.

Intercessory Prayers

Creator and Redeemer, as we approach you in prayer, make

us walk in beauty and balance. Make us open our hearts
and minds. Make us speak the truth. We pray for your
community, the Church, the Body of Christ. We pray for all
our relatives in the circle of life throughout all Creation, for
those chosen to be our leaders and teachers.

In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

We call upon the Earth, our planet home, with its beautiful
depths, soaring heights and deep waters, its vitality and
abundance of life, and together we ask:

That it may teach us and show us the way.

We call upon the mountains and deserts, the high green
valleys and meadows filled with wild flowers, the snows,
the summits of intense silence, and we ask:

That they may teach us and show us the way.

We call upon the land which grows our food, the nurturing
soil, the fertile fields, the abundant gardens and orchards,
and we ask:

That they may teach us and show us the way.

We call upon the forests, the great trees reaching strongly

29
to the sky with earth in their roots and the heavens in their
branches, the fir and the pine and the cedar and we ask:

That they may teach us and show us the way.

We call upon the creatures of the fields and forests and
the seas, our brothers and sisters the wolves and deer, the
eagle and dove, the great whales and the dolphin. We ask:

That they may teach us and show us the way.

We call upon all those who have lived on this earth, our
ancestors and our friends, who dreamed the best for future
generations, and upon whose lives our lives are built, and
with thanksgiving, we call upon them too …

That they may teach us and show us the way.

We call upon the nations of the world to hear the cry of those
who have suffered loss of homes, lives and hope because
of climate change. May they hear the cry of those whose
schools, churches, hospitals, roads and infrastructure have
been damaged. We pray for justice and for peace:

That they may teach us and show us the way.

We pray for all victims of war and violence. We pray for
countries where the greed for oil and gas are leading to war.
We hold in our hearts those areas where fossil fuel projects
have destabilised communities and human rights abuses
have occurred. We pray for areas where climate change
has led to drought and conflict over water and resources
is taking place. May we respond to the cry of the Earth and
those living in poverty, as peacemakers who challenge the
violence that threatens us all. We ask:

That they may teach us and show us the way.

Creator, you made the world and declared it to be good: the
beauty of the trees, the softness of the air, the fragrance
of the grass speaks to us; the summit of the mountains,
the thunder of the sky, the rhythm of the lakes speak to
us; the faintness of the stars, the freshness of the morning,
the dewdrops on the flower speak to us. But above all, our
heart soars, for you speak to us in Jesus the Christ, in whose
name we offer these prayers.

Amen.

(Adapted from Prayers of the People, the Church of the Four Winds, Portland Oregan.)

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The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray with the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus has taught us.

[Pray the traditional version of the Lord’s Prayer or the

following version by Jim Cotter adapted in the New Zealand
Prayer Book]:

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,

Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echoes through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the
world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your communion of peace and freedom sustain our hope
and come on Earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and
forever.
Amen.

Sharing of peace
The peace of God be with you all.
In God’s justice is our peace.
Brothers and sisters,
Christ calls us to live in unity with each other and with the
whole of Creation
We seek to live in the Spirit of Christ.

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Blessing of water

Blessed are you, Creator God,

who in Christ, the living water of salvation,
blessed and transformed us.
Grant that when we are sprinkled with this water
we will be refreshed by the power
of the Holy Spirit.
May we draw water from the springs of salvation.
and continue to walk together in the new life we received at
Baptism.

The sprinkling of the congregation

Christ is the living water

cleansing, refreshing, making all things new.
Christ is the living bread;
food for the hungry,
strength for the pilgrim and the labourer.

Benediction

May we be blessed to open our hearts to receive “the living

waters of God’s justice and peace” within us:

Amen.

May we be blessed to share “the living waters of God’s

justice and peace” with our suffering brothers and sisters
and all creatures around us:

Amen.

May we be blessed to walk together with all people of good

will so that the many streams of “the living waters of God’s
justice and peace” may become a mighty river all over the
Earth:

Amen.

And may God bless us on this journey, + the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.
(Fr Joshtrom Kureethadam, Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development)

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 ADDENDUM 2: HOW TO INCORPORATE
THE SYMBOL IN YOUR EVENTS AND CELE-
BRATIONS

Activities

• Organise an encounter to introduce this year’s Season

of Creation theme and symbol. Briefly introduce and
explain the theme and symbol, then dedicate a few
minutes to open dialogue or small group discussions so
people can share how they feel about the theme and
symbol and what activities they would like to organise
during September 1 - October 4. You may use the sounds
of running water to invite participants to meditate on the
symbol of a mighty river and reflect on how that makes
them feel.
• Bring a bowl of water to the altar to keep the symbol
present in all your Church or community celebrations.
You may decorate the bowl with white and blue ribbons
or paper to represent flowing water. Optionally, you can
invite different members of your community to bring
some water from their homes and each fill up the bowl
with water, symbolising the power when different bodies
of water come together.
• Invite your community or group to bring pieces of
blue fabric to your event. Create a procession moment
in which, while the passage of Amos 5 is read, each
person brings their own piece of blue fabric and hangs
it or places it on the floor along with the others, slowly
creating the image of a river. See the following images
for inspiration:

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Crafts
Create a river from blue construction or
other blue paper (as below). Hang it on
a wall or place it on the floor. Invite your
community members to write their calls
for Season of Creation justice and peace
actions on small pieces of paper. Surround
the river with these calls for justice and
peace actions.

For teens: invite the teenagers of your community to research the main rivers in your
region or country. Ask them to choose one river and find its main characteristics, then
create a small mockup using cardboard, sustainable paint, rocks, and local leaves.

For children: invite the children of your community to draw or paint a mighty river to
be used in your celebrations and activities. The drawing can be simple coloured models
like these ones, or you can invite all the kids to finger paint a river together, so that the
strokes represent flowing water and tributary rivers - see images below as examples.

34
ADDENDUM 3: REFLECTIONS ON ADVOCACY

We live in a world where there is a power imbalance between

the Global North and the Global South. We see this in the
relationship between wealthy nations and nations with
fewer financial resources.

We also see that those with the fewest financial resources

are the most affected by the climate crisis, a crisis created
by emissions from wealthier nations.

Earth is experiencing a dangerous decline in nature as a

result of human activity. One million plant and animal
species are now threatened with extinction, many within
decades.

Human existence is threatened by the cascading impacts of

a changing climate caused by human activities such as the
extraction of resources and the burning of fossil fuels.

Global forums should be just

The power imbalance between Global North and Global

South plays out in international forums hosted by the
United Nations. Here countries gather to reach consensus
on how to reduce climate change or preserve biodiversity.
Both the climate forums and the biodiversity forums are
known as COPs. Two significant ones were held in 2022,
COP27 on climate and COP15 on biodiversity.
The UN forums ensure that Global North countries, which
are wealthier, and Global South countries, which generally
have less access to financial resources, come together to
discuss fair and just paths forward, paths that will preserve
life on earth.

35
Broken promises

Yet wealthy nations do not deal righteously, or honestly,

with their neighbours in these forums.

Global North nations have not fulfilled their promises

of significantly reducing, or mitigating, global warming
emissions, or of providing financial compensation for loss
and damage in the Global South caused by a changing
climate.

They have not provided adequate financing to protect

biodiversity, most of which is also found in the Global
South and protected by Indigenous communities.

Indigenous peoples make up five percent of the world’s

population yet protect nearly 80 percent of the world’s
remaining biodiversity.

There is still time to protect what remains and slow down

the pace of climate change, but it will require financial
commitments from Global North countries, and a much
stronger commitment to reducing emissions.

Climate change mitigation will inevitably require a drastic

reduction in fossil fuel emissions. We urgently need to
unite in calling on our governments to reach binding
global agreements that eliminate the use of fossil fuels
and achieve a fair and equitable energy transition.

36
Signs of hope
Climate: Addressing Loss and Damage

Working together, peoples and nations of the Global South,

often marginalised in global forums, have shown that they
can achieve justice.

Change at global forums is slow, partly because consensus

must be achieved, but recent successes shows progress is
possible.

The commitment to create a Loss and Damage facility at

COP27 last year is a victory by vulnerable nations and their
representatives. It required decades of negotiation and
coordination on the part of countries in the Global South.
While the Loss and Damage facility does not yet have the
needed funds, the commitment to establishing it is a signal
that justice can be achieved, particularly when nations work
together.

The Loss and Damage facility, when financed, will provide

funds to the most vulnerable communities and nations as
they cope with the losses created by a changing climate: from
loss of land, homes and livelihoods to the loss of tools, seeds
and culture.

We need to ensure that the Loss and Damage facility is set up

in a way that reaches those people who are most vulnerable
to climate change and experiencing the worst impacts. It must
serve the needs of communities who have the least, who also
have done the least to cause climate change.

The facility should recognise both the economic and non-

economic impacts of Loss and Damage.

We also need to make sure that the facility has adequate

financing from wealthier countries. This must be in addition
to already existing funding for development and aid. It should
be allocated in the form of grants rather than loans and be
based on the principle that the polluter pays.

Biodiversity: an important commitment

37
Also promising is the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity
Framework (GBF) adopted in the closing hours of the 2022’s
United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15). The GBF
will address biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems and
protect Indigenous rights.
It includes concrete measures to halt and reverse nature
loss, including putting 30 percent of the planet and 30
percent of degraded ecosystems under protection by 2030.

It also contains proposals to increase finance for developing

countries, a major sticking point during talks.

Those living in wealthy countries can help to ensure the

Peace requires justice

debt their countries owe is paid, both to creation and to
vulnerable communities.

The changing climate is mostly due to the emissions of

wealthier nations during their industrialisation; biodiversity
has partly been affected by extractive industries that have
primarily benefited wealthier nations.

We can join the river of justice and peace by working for

both restitution and restoration through advocacy and
lobbying on behalf of affected communities and creation.

Right relationships

We are called to a renewed vision of life by our faith, one

in which we live in right relationship with all of creation.
Psalm 63 expresses this, calling us to righteousness, or
right relationship.

There are communities we can learn from that have

traditionally cultivated right relationships with creation. The
Gwich’in are an Indigenous people (First Nation in Canada)
whose traditional area crosses the Yukon/ Alaska border.
The caribou calving grounds located in Alaska’s Arctic

38
Refuge near the Canadian border are considered sacred
by the Gwich’in, and known to them as “the place where
life began.” The relationship between the caribou and the
Gwich’in expresses a partnership between people and the
life of earth.

Sadly, this area is now threatened by the sale of oil drilling

rights in the Arctic Refuge.

All communities have the potential to rejoice in being part

of the web of life. Joining the river of peace and justice can
lead us to right relations.

Work for peace with earth

COP negotiators from the most vulnerable countries worked

for 30 years to have the needs of the most vulnerable
recognised. In the same way, we can join with others such
as our faith community to work on behalf of all Creation.
We can be part of that mighty river of peace and justice.

Members of faith communities living in rich countries in the

Global North can engage with their national representatives
who influence global meetings such as the UN COPs. Let
your representatives know how important the lives of those
living in more vulnerable nations are.

Put pressure on your governments to make honest, just and

righteous decisions in global forums and to fulfill financial
commitments to loss and damage and to biodiversity.
Encourage them to reach binding global agreements that
eliminate the use of fossil fuels and achieve a fair and
equitable energy transition.

To achieve peace on earth, we must also achieve peace with

the earth, and with each other. This will require justice.

39