Blessings to you and your beloveds as the seasons change to ever-increasing light.

We offer this prayer as we turn towards summer:

Breath of Summer

Creator God

who breathed this world into being,

who is discernible within

the harmony of nature,

the perfection of a butterfly's wing,

the grandeur of a mountain range,

the soaring eagle and humming bird,

thank you for this world

which you have created.

Thank you for summer sun,

which reminds us

that your creative breath

is still alive and active.

Thank you for the warmth of your love,

sustaining this world, your garden

We have some exciting updates to share and hope to see many of you this summer online or in-person!

In March, five people from the diocese joined other ecumenical teams in SW Michigan for Creation Justice Ministries' (CJM) Transformative Leadership Cohort Retreat. We had one group representing the diocese as well as a group representing St. Andrew's, Seattle. Brian Sellers-Petersen is the coach for both teams to support their ministry projects June-October.

Besides being immersed in Creation with water, trees, and so many birds (!), we got to worship and fellowship over meals and group time. Additionally, CJM brought in experts from See Change Institute to teach us about behavior change principles, Potential Energy Coalition sharing effective climate communication strategies, and Climate Advocacy Lab who brought tools for advocacy and community organizing. All of these groups will be continuing formation and coaching with our groups throughout the cohort's projects.

Transformative Leadership participants (L to R): Rev. Evan Clendenin, Kelli Jayn Nichols, Rev. Kim McNamara, Gretchen Hayslip, Brian Sellers-Petersen, and Adrienne Elliott.

Our groups' projects are exciting! St. Andrew's, Seattle will be working on building climate resilience and prepare for disasters within their physical campus, their congregation's homes, and their local neighborhood. More on that (and how we might learn from them) soon!

Our diocesan group will be focusing on regathering our Creation Justice network through regular events around the diocese and support for church projects. We hope to build a directory of creation justice contacts at different churches, as well as creation-related practitioners in our churches and communities to empower education and resource sharing.

We will host a monthly event in-person in different regions of the diocese (think Wild Church outside, trail clearing or other restoration projects, farm visits, bee keeping or foraging workshops, etc). If you have ideas or would like to partner on an upcoming event, let us know!

Our church support will start with St. Andrew's, Seattle's climate resilience project and St. Hugh's trail network and community garden project. We will also be launching small grants again later this year to help churches with their work. We hope Wild Indigo Guild will also lead a formation group around church land stewardship later this year or early 2027. Stay tuned for more info!

Last, CJM is hoping to launch a virtual cohort this summer with church teams of 3 people with projects focused on Season of Creation. If you'd like to learn more or apply, find more info here.

As we look ahead to the new year, there are a few opportunities that you and your faith communities may be interested in.

Season and Feast of Creation Webinar

July 1 @ 1:00 PM | Zoom

All are invited to learn about the Season of Creation (September 1-October 4) with the diocesan Liturgy & Arts Committee. Fr. Samuel will be sharing Zoom info soon, stay tuned!

The Season of Creation Perennial Resource for Episcopal parishes is our preferred resource for liturgies and has been approved by Bishop Phil.

Wild Church in Roslyn

July 26 @ 5:00 PM | Episcopal Church of Roslyn

We're going on a Wild Church field trip to Roslyn, WA! We will join Brian Sellers-Petersen and his Terra Divina group for their contemplative service outside, as well as a discussion after about their group and the rhythms of their worship.

All are welcome to join for church at the Episcopal Church of Roslyn for service at 9:00 AM where Kim+ McNamara will be preaching and presiding. We'll also do the farmers market in the afternoon before Terra Divina!

Email Adrienne if you'd like to come or need a carpool. Some of the group may leave Saturday to stay overnight beforehand.

Other Resources & Updates

In mid-April, Fr. Samuel Torvend was a plenary speaker at Valparaiso University Institute of Liturgical Studies on a webinar devoted to Feast of Creation on September 1st. The title of his talk was "An Unlikely Assembly on the Day God Made the World".

We hope to see you at one of our events this summer, whether in person or online!

Also, we commend Salal & Cedar's Wild Lectionary from the Diocese of New Westminster to you. Eco-Preaching resources from Creation Justice Ministries can be found in their Hub.

More to come!

Summertime blessings,

Adrienne

Adrienne Elliott

Canon Missioner for Creation Care & Environmental Justice

aelliott@ecww.org