Liturgies

THE SEASON OF CREATION – 2018     Series B: The Word in Creation
September 1     Creation Day
September 2     1st Sunday in Creation – Planet Earth Sunday
September 9   2nd Sunday in Creation – Humanity Sunday
September 16   3rd Sunday in Creation – Sky Sunday
September 23   4th Sunday in Creation – Mountain Sunday
September 30   5th Sunday in Creation – Blessing of the Animals
October 4         St Francis of Assisi Day

THE SEASON OF CREATION – 2019     Series C: Wisdom in Creation
September 1     Creation Day
September  1    1st Sunday in Creation –  Ocean Sunday
September 8   2nd Sunday in Creation – Fauna and Flora Sunday
September 15  3rd Sunday in Creation – Storm Sunday
September 22   4th Sunday in Creation – Cosmos Sunday
September 29   5th Sunday in Creation – Blessing of the Animals
October 4          St Francis of Assisi Day

THE SEASON OF CREATION – 2020     Series A: The Spirit in Creation
September 1     Creation Day
September 6     1st Sunday in Creation –  Forest Sunday
September 13   2nd Sunday in Creation –  Land Sunday
September 20   3rd Sunday in Creation – Wilderness/Outback Sunday
September 27   4th Sunday in Creation – River Sunday
October 1         St Francis of Assisi Day – Blessings of the Animals

The liturgies for the season of Creation are designed to be ecumenical, adaptable and optional. Currently, two options are provided for Australian congregations, Version 1 offering a less liturgical format than Version 2. Further options are available for worshippers in the USA. Additional options are anticipated as other countries and communities join in celebrating the season of Creation.

There is also a special option entitled a Narrative Liturgy. This version has a series of notations or narratives at key points in the liturgy. These notations provide a brief biblical and/or theological basis for each major section of the liturgy. This version is for congregations that feel that this kind of educational tool would help facilitate the introduction of the season of Creation liturgy. The narrative notations are included in the liturgy for Forest Sunday but are suitable for inclusion at the appropriate points for any Sunday.

Liturgical traditions and practices of the Christian church differ greatly, and worship teams should feel free to modify, reorder or substitute sections or terminology of the liturgy. Before doing so, however, teams are invited to read through the Worship Guidelines on this website in order to appreciate the rationale for the current liturgical pattern, which is based on a traditional structure.

New Optional Liturgies

Natural Disaster Series:
Week One: Volcano Sunday – worshipping with volcanos in creation
Week Two: Earthquake-Tsunami Sunday – worshipping with the depths
Week Three: Flood Sunday (forthcoming)
Week Four: Bushfire Sunday– worshipping with the bush on fire

Clilmate Change Series:
Week One: Climate Sunday– worshipping with the currents of climate
Week Two: Solar Sunday– worshipping with the sun
Week Three: Atmosphere Sunday – worshipping with the air and atmosphere
Week Four: Rainbow Sunday – bonding with the colours of creation

Remebering Country – Liturgy worshipping with Country as sacred

Worship Teams and Guidelines

It is recommended that congregations or parishes choose a small worship team to work through the Worship Guidelines when planning the season of Creation. These teams have an opportunity to create a worship setting that both reflects the local context of the worshipping community and also fits the orientation of the worshipping tradition.

In planning the liturgies and related activities, the worship team is urged to keep in mind that The Season of Creation is designed to be a rich celebration with creation and with Christ at the centre of creation. The key components of the liturgy are summarised in the Charter for the season of Creation, given on the home page of the website.

The Worship Guidelines on this website enable worship teams to explore the options available for their congregations and to celebrate these liturgies in a rich and meaningful way.

Free Online
The Season of Creation logo and the online materials are provided free of charge for use in study, worship and celebration. They are supported by the sponsoring churches as part of their mission to serve Christ through healing creation.

Where a company or congregation wishes to print, publish and distribute one of the texts of the liturgy, they need to obtain permission from the copyright holders listed on the website.