September Post-Pentecost 2018 Worship Planning Series For Youth

The Season of Creation is an ecumenical observance during the month of September begun by a Lutheran pastor in Australia in 2000 and expanded and spread worldwide with the support of the Uniting Church in Australia beginning in 2004. The idea was to create a season, a period of at least four weeks, leading up to the observance of St. Francis Day, October 4, a time often observed with a blessing of the animals. The “official” Season of Creation website (https://seasonofcreation.org), created by this initial team and expanded in scope since that time, is a treasure trove of resources for churches worldwide wishing to focus on this observance each year. If you are not trying to follow the lectionary, this is a great place to start.

If you follow the lectionary, however, start here! We’ve been supporting the observance of this season with lectionary-based resources since 2012.

For 2018, we are incorporating a variety of readings that contain images of planting, mountains, sky, harvest, and blessing. The last Sunday in this series immediately precedes the Feast of St. Francis, thus the final service of blessing.

In a day when the fruits of creation are often exploited and so much chaos pervades the world in which we live, it is imperative for us to take a moment to pause and breathe in the same Ruach (Spirit of God) that was at work in the beginning of creation. God is still at work! Do we see it in the world around us?

As a companion to the work of worship in this season and the materials we produce, we encourage you to consider materials that support creation care and the work of the people involved in creation care across the globe and in your local communities. For starters, visit the site for Blessed Earth, an organization helping to move this conversation forward with resources to support a vital ministry of care.

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