From the Missioner for Creation Care |
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"Season of Creation" Begins September 1 |
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Colleagues and friends of the earth,
From Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, the Diocese of Western Massachusetts will unite with Christians around the world in celebrating a special season of prayer and action to protect God’s creation.
“Season of Creation” begins on September 1, a date chosen in 1989 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church -- and now embraced by the wider ecumenical family -- as the World Day of Prayer for Creation. Creation Season ends on October 4 with the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the man who is often called the patron saint of ecology.
We observe this special season in the hope that caring for Creation will increasingly be woven into every aspect of congregational life. Through preaching and prayer, and in sacrificial acts of generosity and bold public witness, we hope to strengthen our Christian response to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.
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Blessings,
(The Rev. Dr.) Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
Missioner for Creation Care
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MBJ photo: Tipper Gore, 2014 |
What will your congregation do this Creation Season?
What will you do?
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Sing for the Planet!
Let your voice be heard at COP26
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The Climate Emergency means we need to make our voices heard. We’ve marched, we’ve voted, we’ve petitioned, and now we are going to sing, and sing in one large choir, the #HouseOnFireChoir with A Passion for the Planet: Join us in singing for the UN Climate Summit. You will be part of the finale of the COP26 on-line performance of Geoffrey Hudson’s A Passion for the Planet.
Record yourself, your friends, your family or your choir, send in your performance, and we’ll (literally) bring your voices to Glasgow, Scotland this November! The deadline for sending in your performance is October 11th.
Explore this website for more details on how to participate.
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Tell us how the work is going.
Take the CCJN survey on Creation Care, Action and Advocacy
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The Creation Care Justice Network of the Diocese of Massachusetts has crafted a short survey for congregations in both Episcopal Dioceses. Multiple responses from one congregation are encouraged -- they will give us a rounder, fuller picture of the congregation.
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Climate-Crisis Preaching: A Conversation with
Jim Antal and Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
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Thursday, September 16 • 10:00-11:00 a.m. (Zoom) |
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Preaching on climate change is more important than ever. Please join this informal hour-long conversation with two religious climate leaders who between them have preached on climate change more than 500 times. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion.
(Photo: Margaret and Jim risking arrest for climate justice, November 2017| Credit: revivingcreation.org)
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Video Content for Parish Discussion |
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Session #1: PRAY
PRAY: What is our prayer and spiritual grounding in the midst of climate crisis? What new/old forms of prayer might we explore and apply? Leaders: The Rev. Lise Hildebrandt, co-convener, Creation Care Justice Network, and The Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, creation care advisor to the Diocese of Massachusetts and missioner for creation care in the Diocese of Western Massachusetts
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Session #2: LEARN
LEARN: What is the climate emergency and what is a faithful response? How does climate change connect with other areas of injustice, such as racism and economic inequality? Speakers: Bette Hecox-Lea, Ph.D. (Creation Care Justice Network; Marine Biology Laboratory; St. Barnabas's Church, Falmouth), The Rev. Natalie Thomas (Episcopal City Mission) and The Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
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Session #3: ACT
ACT: What can we do on a local level to address the climate emergency? What next action steps do we feel led to take as individuals and as communities of faith? Speakers: Alex Chatfield (Creation Care Justice Network; Coordinator, Climate Justice Ministry, St. Anne's-in-the-Fields Church, Lincoln), The Rev. Rachel Field (Good News Gardens), Margaret Thurston (Communities Responding to Extreme Weather [CREW])
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Session #4: ADVOCATE
ADVOCATE: Why and how can people of faith become politically engaged in order to push for systemic, comprehensive solutions to the climate crisis on local, state and national levels? What is it like to move from the sidelines and get involved in public advocacy? Led by Sue Swanson (Creation Care Justice Network; Coordinator, Green Team, St. Paul's Church, Bedford; State Legislative Team, Mothers Out Front), Lucy Chatfield (Sunrise Movement), the Rev. Fred Small (Director, Faith in Action, Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light), Marty Nathan (Springfield Climate Justice Coalition), and the Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
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Resources for Creation Season |
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Housed on Our Diocesan Website
We have just refreshed our pages of diocesan resources, both for Creation Season and for ways to pray, learn, act, and advocate on behalf of God's creation. Please take a look!
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From The Episcopal Church |
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Season of Creation and St. Francis Day Resources - The...
Season of Creation The Season of Creation, September 1st through October 4th, is celebrated by Christians around the world as a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation. The Episcopal...
Read more
www.episcopalchurch.org
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This work goes on 365 days a year.
Are you with us?
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