Season of Creation
(September 1, 2020 – October 4, 2020)
From September 1st to October 4th, the Diocese of Western Massachusetts will unite with Christians around the world in celebrating a special season of prayer and action to protect God’s creation.
“Season of Creation” begins on September 1st, a date chosen in 1989 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church — and now embraced by the wider ecumenical family — as the World Day of Prayer for Creation. Creation Season ends on October 4th, the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, often called the patron saint of ecology.
We observe this special season in the hope that caring for Creation will increasingly be woven into every aspect of congregational life. Through preaching and prayer, and in sacrificial acts of generosity and bold public witness, we hope to strengthen our Christian response to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.
WHAT WILL YOUR CONGREGATION DO THIS CREATION SEASON?
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
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The Episcopal Church provides abundant resources for celebrating Creation Season, including an ecumenical weekly devotional, a Season of Creation Website (including the Season of Creation 2020 prayer, plus information on events and how to take action), and Episcopal liturgical resources for honoring God in Creation. Take a look!
Creation Season Preaching Circle: Join with colleagues and special guests as we preach our way through Creation Season (Sept. 1-Oct. 4)! The Creation Season Preaching Circle will meet four times, starting on Tuesday, September 1st. In each one-hour session we will discuss the lectionary texts for the coming Sunday. During the first fifteen minutes, we will learn from a guest speaker, including biblical scholars, experienced preachers, and others, who will reflect on how they would approach preaching on one or more of the texts. We will then open up the Zoom call to the gathered circle to share responses and to discuss what we hear in the day’s readings in relation to climate justice and Creation care. Our gatherings will end with prayer.
The Creation Season Preaching Circle is open free of charge to all preachers, lay and ordained, in the Dioceses of Massachusetts and Western Massachusetts. It will be led by the Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas and the Rev. Anna Woofenden and will include ecumenical guests: Dr. Wilson Dickinson, Pastor Darriel Harris, Rev. José Reyes, and Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade.
We may videotape the remarks of the guest speaker, but the rest of the meeting will not be recorded. This a drop-in group. You are welcome to come to one or to all four meetings, as we reflect, learn, and pray together about our Gospel call to protect the web of life entrusted to our care.
The Creation Season Preaching Circle will meet on:
Tuesday, September 1st at 4:00 p.m. with Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade
Monday, September 14th at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Darriel Harris
Monday, September 21st at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. José Reyes
Monday, September 28th at 11:00 a.m. with Dr. Wilson Dickinson