ENVIRONMENT DAY LITURGY
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
p.02 8267 4239
f.02 8267
4222 e. srj@nat.uca.org.au
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
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