Creation Care Corner:

Where stewardship meets sustainability

From the Church in Society Committee

THE SEASON OF CREATION, an ecumenical focus beginning on Friday, September 1 (World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation) and extending through Wednesday. October 4 (Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi). It offers individual believers and communities a fitting opportunity to reaffirm their person vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for the protection of creation as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live. Suggestions on ways to live out these three dimensions follow.

1. Reaffirm our call as stewards of creation

Individuals & families - Counteract our “throwaways culture”. Identify ways in which you can choose reusables, rather than disposables, such as coffee mugs, reusable bags, or cloth napkins and commit to making one additional change a week. These 5 weeks can change 5 habits!

Church/community - Prayer that we will contemplate the connections between all creatures under God our creator.

2. Thank God for his wonderful handiwork

Individuals & family - meal time prayer might include thanks for the life giving food that sustains and nourishes us. This moment of blessing reminds us of our dependence on God for life. Consider how all nourishment comes from the earth. Give thanks for all the human hands that helped bring this food to your table.

Church/community - celebrate the Eucharist, a word which means “thanksgiving”. Prayer of thanks to God for his love for us and all creation.

3. Implore God’s help and ask his pardon

Individuals & family- Ecological Confession: examine your own conscience, recognizing your sins against creation by actions and inactions. Bring these to confession. Choose to perform “a spiritual work of mercy for our common home”. Can be simple or elaborate- filling the bird feeder, helping cleanup litter along a highway, pulling weeds, planting a tree.

Church/community - during this beautiful autumn season, plan an outdoor service, sing hymns of praise for creation, help with cleanup day, hold a blessing of the animals.

The above was adapted from posting by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2017. More information is available from seasonofcreation.org and this year’s theme “Let Justice and Peace Flow”.

Pittsburgh Lutheran United Ministries (PLUM), 405 Kennedy Avenue, Duquesne, PA 15110 412-466-7773