5 June 2001

Use of this liturgy

World Environment Day falls on a Tuesday in 2001. We suggest use of this liturgy, either in a special services on this day, or in worship on a Sunday which suits your faith community. We are conscious that this year World Environment Day falls at the same time as Reconciliation Week, Simply Sharing Week and Pentecost and that you should use these resources at a time appropriate to your congregation or faith community. You may choose to use the whole liturgy, or part of the liturgy in your service of worship. (Resources available from the United Nations Web Site http://www.unep.org/wed/)

About World Environment Day

World Environment Day is commemorated each year on 5 June. It is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

A Statement from the United Nations (see http://www.unep.org/wed)

“The theme for 2001, Connect with the World Wide Web of Life, reflects the need to make the connection, in whatever way we can, between ourselves and all life on Earth. That connection can be through modern technology, traditional means or by joining hands with other individuals and organizations. WED provides an excellent opportunity to translate that connection into action.

Broadly, our agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

World Environment Day is a people’s event with colorful activities such as street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, essays and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, as well as recycling and clean-up campaigns. World Environment Day is also a multi-media event, which inspires thousands of journalists to write and report enthusiastically and critically on the environment. It is a visual event with television documentaries, photo exhibits and displays, as well as an intellectual event for those who organize and participate in seminars, roundtable meetings and symposia. In many countries, this observance provides an opportunity to sign or ratify international conventions and sometimes leads to the establishment of permanent government structures dealing with environmental management and economic planning.”

LITURGICAL SETTING As this is essentially a liturgy concerning our relationship and place within the broad web of creation it would be good to give serious consideration to how our interrelationship creation might be experienced in worship. In other words, maybe this service could be held outside, in a park or by a river. If this is not possible then ways of bringing creation into the church building should be explored. This could include bringing living plants into the church, playing a CD of forest or ocean sounds before the service and projecting images of nature via OHP, slides or data projector.

Developed by National Social Responsibility and Justice

for World Environment Day 5 June 2001 P O Box A2266 Sydney South. 1235. NSW

—————————————————————————- —-

CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and all that dwells therein Response: We live in God’s world, we are not alone. We share this life with the heavens and the earth, with the waters and the land, with trees and grasses, with fish, birds, and animals, with creatures of every form, and with all our brothers and sisters Leader: Together we form strands in the web of creation woven and held together by God our creator. Response: Together with all creation we join in praising God

PRAYER Great Spirit of Creator come worship with us, embrace us with your spirit of life. We celebrate the power of creation, the gift of life and relationships, we celebrate the diversity of life on this planet, the oceans and lands, people and wildlife. We open our hearts and minds to hear the voice of creation. Amen.

SONG (suggestions)

All creatures of our God and king (Together in Song100 or Australian Hymn Book 3), Canticle of Daniel (99NCYC 7), Wellsprings (99NCYC 1)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION Read Genesis 1:27-29 & 2:15 Creator of the earth and all living things, maker of the sky and the air and the breath of life, God of all that is: we are your servant people, created out of the clay of the earth itself. We forget that we are your creatures and we play at being gods. We neglect the work of stewardship that you have provided for our occupation and our joy. We have used, abused, and abandoned those things that you have created for your delight. You have created a fragile world in a perfect and delicate balance. Thinking too much of our own importance we have upset the balance. We ask your forgiveness, Holy and Righteous God. We yearn to join with the mountains and valleys, the rocks and the birds of the wild ocean waters in singing your praises. Amen

DECLARATION OF HOPE Leader: “Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

Response: We are standing at a crossroads. Together let us seek the good way and find rest for all of God’s creation. Taken from materials produced by the National Council of Churches (USA)

SONG (suggestions)

Let all creation dance (Together in Song 187 ), Shout to the Lord (Together in Song 738, ATO 369)

Let all the World (Australian Hymn Book 13)

READINGS (You may also like to use the readings set for the day of use with a focus on what these scriptures say to creation.)

Psalm 104:14-30 Colossians 1:15-20 John 1:1-5

CREATIVE IDEA: WEAVING A WEB OF CREATION Get some undyed wool. Cut 4 to 8 (depending on the size of the group)

strands in increasing lengths from 1/2 metre with each successive length doubling in size and a further number of equal length strands. The length and number of these of these strands will be dependent on the overall size of the web. This activity is given out during worship. Each person is given a strand of wool. The varying length strands are each tied into circles and laid within each other. The remaining strands are each tied to the smallest strand then stretched outwards, being tied to each successive circle. When complete the web should be tied vertically. Symbols of creation could be attached to the web and a rough cross-made from twigs possibly tied into the centre. Name’s of different part of creation can be attached to parts of the web to increase the visual image.

REFLECTION/SERMON Rather than a traditional style sermon perhaps some other ways in allowing reflection on nature could be explored. One possibility is to guide people to relax then read one of the quotes at the end of this resource. Encourage the congregation to then open themselves to be aware of God’s glory revealed in creation and our place within the web of creation. Members may find it useful to softly pray “The earth is full of your glory” (Isaiah 6:3) or “All things hold together in Christ” (Colossians 1:17) over and over for several minutes and then to sit in quiet openness for several minutes. If outside then there is plenty to experience. If indoors this process could still be facilitated by use of projected images and a CD of nature sounds or combination of nature sounds and music. Such projections could not only explore the diversity of nature but also include images of human mismanagement and destruction. End of this time of reflection gently, perhaps by increasing the volume of the music slightly (warn the congregation before hand that this is a signal to “return”) or by gently requesting the congregation to return their attention to the gathered congregation. Allow a minute or two for this to occur. Following this it may be helpful to allow a few minutes for the congregations to talk of their experience in small groups of 2 to 4 people. If reflecting in sermon or homily style you may like to draw on the spirit of God within all elements of creation, focusing on John’s image God’s presence throughout all time and evident in all eras, bringing light and connection to the world. A story which might be used in worship is Oi! Get of the Train written John Birmingham and published by Penguin which provides some helpful links between environmental responsibility and the part that humanity can play.

PSALM OF THE COSMOS Loving God, all creation calls you blessed, and so do we, and so do we. Loving God, all your creation calls you blessed. Your spirit imprints the whole universe with life and mystery. Yes, all creation proclaims your love. We now join this chorus of praise. Loving God, all of nature calls you blessed, and so do we. For you have woven an intimate tapestry and call it life and called it good. In love you have formed a universe so diverse yet so related, and into its web you call us forth to walk the land and swim the sea with all our natural brothers and sisters. To the stars we seem no more than blades of grass.

Yet to you, each of us, as each blade of grass and each star, is an irreplaceable treasure, an essential companion on this journey of love. Loving God, as you lure the whole world into salvation, guide us with your Spirit that we might not be only pilgrims on the earth, but pilgrims with the earth, journeying home to you. Open our hearts to understand the intimate relationship that you have with all creation. Only with this faith can we hope for tomorrow’s children. Amen. Alleluia! Loving God, loving God, all creation calls you blessed, and so do we, and so do we. (source unknown )

SONG (suggestions)

Enemy of apathy (Together in Song 418)

Lord of creation (Australian Hymn Book 557)

PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE A time of prayer that could begin or end with all saying this following prayer from the Celtic tradition There is no plant in the ground But tells of your beauty, O Christ. There is no life in the sea But proclaims your goodness. There is no bird on the wing There is no star in the sky There is nothing beneath the sun But is full of your blessing. Lighten my understanding of your presence all around, O Christ. Kindle my will to be caring for creation.

OFFERING As well as our usual offerings of money this may be a chance for the people of congregation to commit themselves to specific action individually or as a congregation to participate in the care and healing of creation. Ideas for this might be obtained by talking with your local LANDCARE® or other environmental organization.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND COMMITMENT We are thankful for the passion of the children and youth among us who push us to recognize the urgency of the environmental crisis. Thank you creator and giver of passion. We are thankful for the wisdom of the aged among us who remind us of what it means to respect the earth and to live in community with one another. Thank you creator giver of wisdom. We are thankful for the insights of the native brothers and sisters among us who draw on their tradition and teach us about the sacredness of all creation and how to live in kinship with it. Thank you creator and giver of insight We are thankful for the inspiration of those among us who have already begun to live their lives in ways that show a caring for the earth, water, and the skies. Thank you creator and giver of inspiration. (Participants may offer thanksgivings in word or deed)

We thank you God for all signs of hope that keep us from despairing and point us toward new ways of living. We have confessed our part in hurting the earth. We have expressed our thanks for creation and those who care for it. We are ready to commit ourselves to a new way of living. Let us think about the hard questions that can lead to this kind of change, such as: How do we leave behind the ways that have abused the earth? How do we show that we care for all creation? What can we do to stop those whose action causes great pollution problems? (Period of silent meditation)

SONG Touch the earth lightly (Together in Song 668)

SENDING OUT

This we know, the earth does not belong to us, We belong to the earth This we know, all things are connected, Like the blood that unites one family This we know, we did not weave the web of life We are merely a strand in it This we know, whatever we do to the web We do to ourselves Let us give thanks for the gift of creation Let us give thanks that all things hold together in Christ

Amen

—————————————————————————- —-

Liturgy developed by National Social Responsibility and Justice by Rev Paul Chalson and with input from Christine Cargill and Prof. Norman Harbel.

This liturgy is also available on the National Social Responsibility and Justice website http://nat.uca.org.au/nsrj/NSRJWeb.html. Sources are acknowledged where known. Materials have also been accessed from the United Nations World Environment Day web site which can be access at http://www.unep.org/wed/

(Now 7000+ articles)

Related Articles:

• EGYPT: THE GROSS INSECURITY OF THE DHIMMI
• Female Circumcision in the Maldives, the Islamic Movement and Islamophobia
• Australia Day message
• Republicans/Democrats: Is there a Christian Alternative?
• Conspiracy theories

This work, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Australia License.