Introduction
How to use: click on RED TEXT, to follow links
Eco-Congregation Scotland have for many years offered resources for churches to use, creatively, according to their circumstances, for “Creation Time" or the Season of Creation. Material presented here is original, and from staff members of Eco-Congregation Scotland, unless otherwise indicated.
We have taken care to invite contributions from those in, or just concluding training for Christian leadership: we always welcome conversations with colleges and those providing training.
This special approach to the international and ecumenical celebration and challenge that is the Season of Creation acknowledges the continued use of the Revised Common Lectionary by many local churches, but following Scotland’s hosting of the United Nations COP26 Climate Conference last year, we are compelled to assert more firmly than ever, that to follow Christ in the years of crisis that lie ahead, we need to be more open than ever to the creative leading of the Spirit in building our spiritual resilience as people of hope beyond hope, in which the hugely ambitious project of Net Zero is a response of faith, offered in dependence on grace.
In such times, and with such urgency, the gift of the scriptures shines through, inviting playfulness, wonder, and other equally serious aspects of our faith to come into their own, unlocking the green treasures which, like the ancient wisdom of the indigenous peoples of the Earth, and the fellow creatures on whose lives we depend, have so easily been sidelined or despised.
We learn to join the shout of ‘Hosanna’ -God help us! - echoing throughout Creation, remembering that this is also a joyful shout.
We pray that you will be encouraged to re-read, re-think, recycle and repurpose even the most familiar of scriptures to the glory of God and for Good News for every creature [cf Mark 16:15].
Worship is now both in-person and online, and we hope to support you in both. We’re grateful to the ecumenically diverse group of writers and artists who have joined our staff in preparing this material. We are also delighted to again work in partnership with the Church of Scotland in offering suggested materials which can be used to develop weekly worship. Each week has further comments about those who have provided items, which are by Eco-Congregation Staff unless otherwise noted.
"Thematic material" - for use at any time
Lectionary material:
GREEN STARTERS: quick sharp comments on every Lectionary reading over the five weeks
5 Major Video Reflections, one for each week, (suitable for "sermon slot" online or study groups)
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Gospels by the Loch: all 5 Gospel readings, read aloud, by Loch Ossian
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Music Choices:
We recommend the use of the choices suggested via Trinity College, in which Eco-Congregation Scotland trustee Iain McLarty is fully involved. Each week will have some additional items too, and perhaps some new words to old tunes.