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A heartfelt poem by Church of Scotland Moderator Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson. Text only

Encouragement &  Prayer: Rev Lindsey Sanderson, URC Moderator , National Synod of Scotland  video version

EcoChaplain Prayer for the Season [Here]  video version

Global Movement Prayer: [HERE]

On this page: Resources for study, action and prayer, freely offered by EcoCongregation Scotland  for devotional use.  Underlined text is a link

OVERVIEW: Season of Creation/Creationtide/Creation Time

 The Season of Creation/CreationTime/Creationtide has come of age. 

Born of ecumenism 35 years ago,  following   an initiative from the Orthodox  Ecumenical Patriarch, the Season, and a special celebration at its opening,  now has backing  from the  World Council of Churches, Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Anglican Communion, Lutheran World Federation, Laudato Si’ Movement, Middle East Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, Christian Aid, and other partners.  The steering committee puts it like this:

“We know that with the current climate crisis accelerating ecological instability, millions of species including the human family are at risk and the only way forward must be united.”

A major conference was held in St Francis’ hometown of Assisi this year, to look at ways of embedding prayer with Creation into the regular practice of churches, rather than as an occasional opt-in, which can be ignored as if this were not ‘the real business of the Church. 

Having attended the conference  EcoChaplain Rev David Coleman, of EcoCongregation Scotland, who curates these resources for Scotland, begs  lovingly to disagree with anyone who might imagine that the mainstream prayer and mission of the churches should be other than ‘green’.  We also eagerly encourage your local church to work with others during the Season.

The globally shared context of urgent and accelerating threat from the Crisis of Nature and Climate - of which Scotland has experienced   some hints in the exceptional storm season of last winter, and the torrential rains of the spiring - is  prompting churches around the world to attend to the omission in their official calendars, and adopt -according to their local and particular church customs - a ‘season’ of prayerful and active engagement with our relationship with the Earth and fellow creatures.  

This runs from 1st September, which is the Orthodox ‘anniversary of God’s Creation of the World’  to the Feast of  St Francis, whose emphasis on partnership with, rather than exploitation of  our kin in Creation, has given renewed energy and authority to mainstream concern that Christianity should integrally involve care and prayer for and with a living Creation full of fellow stakeholders in God’s Rainbow Covenant between God and the Earth [cf Gen 9]. Just as Jesus refused the temptation to leap off the Temple pinnacle, when assured ‘God will save you’, there is no cause in faith for complacency. but rather for attention to the ‘signs’ in the skies and soil; [cf Matt 16:3]; for learning from the birds, the trees, and the despised wisdom of indigenous peoples.[cf Matt 6:26, Luke 21:29, Job 12:1-10] 

We know the changes experienced by ourselves and global neighbours are not ‘natural’, but in their current form, the clear  result of knowing and chosen injustice. 

Those who pollute least are usually the hardest hit, and the widespread and responsible attention, in many churches, to the legacies of slavery, illuminates for us many of the strategies which delay an ‘ecological conversion’ .

Jesus’ first call was for just such a ‘change of mind’  [‘repentance’]We hope the resources we have provided and linked to will encourage the deepening of faith and the enjoyment of the change of mind Creation is crying out to see in the liberation of God’s children. [cf Global SOC theme, Romans 19-24” 

Enormous thanks to these contributors to the resource, in some shape or form, and in no particular order.  

Judith Macleod  Former ECS staff, Ecochaplaincy probationer, CofS \\ Richard Murray Lay reader in the Scottish Episcopal Church,/ Chair  of ECS // Rev Lindsey Sanderson, Moderator,  URC National Synod of Scotland // Rev Jenny Adams, Healthcare Chaplain NHS Grampian,/ ECS Board // Charlie Meiklejohn of Christian Aid Scotland // Miriam McHardy,   Writer, Our Lady of Loretto St Michael, Musselburgh // Jo Chamberlain: Church of England National Environment Officer // Rev Canon Giles Godard; Vicar, St John’s Waterloo London. ( CofE)  // Steve Hucklesby of the Joint Public Issues Team // Rev Ruth Harvey: Leader, the Iona Community // Hazel McCorrisken, worshipper at Helensburgh URC // Marian Pallister, Chair, Pax Christi Scotland. // John Collings, URC Lay Preacher, and ECS Board Member; Rutherglen URC // Morag McLintock - Rutherglen URC // Laura Young - climate activist, environmental scientist, & ethical influencer // Rev Moira Taylor-Wintersgill - Minister, North Orkney Mainland CofS // Kath Aitken - Farmer, Dunscore Parish // Roz Lawson - Assistant Chaplain, University of Glasgow// Trevor Thorn, Waterbeach CofE // Jo Clifford - playwright and performer    And for music - Siskin Green,  Sgioba Luaidh Inbhirchluaidh [and via various channels: Kristina Budzhiashvilli and John Bartmann Public domain music ]