Eco Congregation
Caring for creation, making the link between environmental issues and the Christian faith, and responding with practical action in the church and wider community
“I am establishing my covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and with every living creature … of the earth …”
Genesis 9.9-10
We are part of a single, wondrously complex web of life that is woven by God. Each year from 1 September to 4 October, the Christian family celebrates the good gift of creation. This global celebration began in 1989 with the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s recognition of the day of prayer for creation and is now embraced by the wide ecumenical community.
During the Season of Creation, we unite as one family in Christ, celebrating the bonds we share with each other and with “every living creature.” (Genesis 9.10) Every act of worship should be one that is thankful for all of the mysteries and wonders of God’s creation but, in a special way, the Season follows the Psalmists’ call to join our song of praise with the forests, rivers and fields who bring their own praise to the Creator.
The Christian family celebrates the Season by spending time in prayer, considering ways to more sustainably inhabit our common home, and lifting our voices in the public sphere. We all protect creation. It is powerfully good work that is urgently needed. This Season of Creation, we offer our reflections on the web of life itself, in the hope that they might provoke richer contemplation and deeper responses among us.
Creationtide 2022
We all protect creation. It is powerfully good work that is urgently needed. This Season of Creation, we will be offering interactive reflections on the Harvest of the City (in place of the sermon) during our 10.30am Sunday celebrations of the Scottish Liturgy 1982, in the hope that the reflections might provoke richer contemplation and deeper responses among us. For perhaps it’s time to look again at the harvest for our urban community, offering to God the harvest of the lives we live. What is the harvest of our work, in all the different sectors of life and faith? How can we give thanks for the fruitfulness of our community, our local shops, schools, businesses, hospitals and so on? Giving thanks for fruitfulness in our living and workings helps us to see the deeper value of our endeavours and to recognise God at work in the ordinary, everyday parts of our lives in God’s good creation.
28 August: Harvest of Hospitality; 4 September: Harvest of Health;11 September: Harvest of Play; 18 September: Harvest of Education; 25 September: Harvest of our Gardens and Allotments; 2 October: Harvest of our Community (Also our Harvest Thanksgiving)
Creationtide 2021
Week 1: The hidden kingdoms of God and of Microbes; 2: fungi – intreconnectedness; 3: plants – making food from light; 4: animals – sentience and movement (also our Patronal Festival); 5: human beings and the Anthropocene – our impact on the environment; 6: the sea and its harvest (Harvest Thanksgiving and a charity Sunday for the Mission) to Seafarers
Creationtide 2020
Week 1: Seeds; 2: Roots;, 3: Leaves ; 4: Stems/Trunks our Patronal festival; 5: Flowers, 6: Fruit the feast day of St Francis and our Harvest Festival (4th October)
Creation Time is the season of the church year when we reflect on God’s creation, and our role as responsible stewards of this fragile planet and its incredible biodiversity. This year we have themed the season around seeds and their germination into plants. The various parts of plants — seeds, roots, leaves, stems/trunks, flowers and fruit — provide themes for all six Sundays. Every household at St Ninian’s was offered — and most accepted — a double seed kit. The hope is that members of our church — both young and old — will join in planting these seeds, looking after them with water, light and patience, and watching them grow — perhaps also sharing photos of the seedlings on this website, or through social media. Above all, enjoy!”
David de Pomerai
The Eco-Congregation movement in Scotland was launched at a service in Dunblane Cathedral in 2001; the representatives of major denominations signed a pledge regarding caring for the earth. Since then Eco-Congregation Scotland became, in 2010, a charity assisting Scottish churches of all denominations to address environmental issues. Its current mission statement, adopted in 2014 after extensive consultation, is
In prayer, worship and conversation we discover what it means to care for God’s creation.
We put that care into action individually, locally, nationally and globally, desiring to live justly in a transformed world.
We commit ourselves to campaigning on urgent threats to the web of life in our vulnerable world.
More information about Eco-Congregation Scotland can be found on www.ecocongregationscotland.org. There are over 450 eco-congregations throughout Scotland, around 12% of all Scottish churches. Some 150 of these hold an Eco-Congregation Award in recognition of progress across three broad areas of church life:
- Spiritual: Making the link between environmental issues and the Christian faith
- Practical: Taking practical action in the church and in the home to reduce our environmental impact
- Global: Influencing attitudes and take action in the local or global community on issues like climate change
