Learn | Pray | Act...for all Creation

Churches Observe Season of Creation

A number of churches in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast participated in the Season of Creation. We are sharing some of the highlights below. Be inspired and start making your plans for next year!

Trinity, Apalachicola hosted a variety of creation care activites to highlight the Season, including creation care liturgy every week, with creation care woven into the sermons, and a host of activities inviting people to worship God in creation: horseback riding on the beach, a paddling with the manatees experience, and lectio tierra on the boardwalk over the marsh (with encouragement to journal about the experience). Their plan to host a Canoeucharist was interrupted by Hurricane Helene, but they will go ahead with those plans in October. Travis Pecot, creation care activity coordinator, reports that members have been bringing friends to church specifically for the creation care activities!

St. Christopher's, Pensacola used the Season of Creation liturgy on Sundays, with creation care sermons preached, the monthly newsletter reflection by the Rector featuring creation care, and Wednesday evening "Midweek Manna" programming devoted to creation care topics.

All Saints, Mobile used the Season of Creation liturgy on the first and final Sundays of the Season, with sermons that incorporated the theme of care of creation. All Saints is also sponsoring a special celebration for the larger community to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis and the conclusion of the Season of Creation (see flyer below).

St. Augustine's, Navarre reported using collects and Prayers of the People from the special Season of Creation liturgy. They also hosted a cookout that featured information about the Season. They hope to do this quarterly as a way to focus on care of creation throughout the year.

At St. Anna's (Poarch), Atmore, Salem Saloom preached a creation care sermon and took the congregation through a guided meditation entitled "Becoming a New Creation in the Divine." Read the sermon below or listen here.

St. John's, Monroeville held a Season of Creation service, using Eucharistic Prayer Prayer C, on September 1st and concluded the Season with a service celebrating St. Francis and offering animal blessings. They will be blessing animals in downtown Monroeville later this month and collecting donations following a 5K race to benefit the Monroe County Animal Shelter.

St. John's, Mobile used a creation care litany on the first Sunday of the Season, and then used creation prayers and responses throughout the Season, including anthems related to creation care.

Several Mobile churches participated in a joint Blessing of the Animals at St. Luke's, Mobile.

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Redeemer, Mobile used the special approved liturgy throughout the Season of Creation, with a sermon on creation care to kick off the season. They hosted a creation-focused Compline every Tuesday evening in the outdoor chapel (weather permitting), followed by a plant-based supper and lessons from the new creation care curriculum from the Episcopal Church, "Love God, Love God's World."

Voting Is Advocacy for Creation!

Vote like our planet's future depends on it...because it does.

Use this nonpartisan video by the respected anthropologist Jane Goodall to let your congregation know that voting to care for creation is one way that we advocate for our Earth home. Vote for Nature!

October 7-11th is National Voter Education Week. Find Episcopal Vote Faithfully materials here, including Vote Faithfully toolkit, podcast, civil discourse training materials, and much more.

Happenings

The Rev. Mary Alice Mathison, priest-in-charge at Redeemer, Mobile, is inviting anyone who is interested, or just curious, to join her for a "holy hike" on Sunday, October 13 at 4:00PM. Hikers should meet at the Glenn Sebastian Nature Trail on the campus of the University of South Alabama in Mobile. Lightning will cancel; otherwise, come prepared for the weather. Future hikes are tentatively planned for November 10 and December 8, location TBA.

Learn more about the Holy Hikes eco-ministry network by visiting their website.

Contact Mary Alice for more information at maryalice.mathison@gmail.com. If others are conducting holy hikes in the Diocese, please reply to this email so that your dates may be promoted in future newsletters.

Going Deeper

What We've Been Reading

North Carolina church fights ecological racism through environmental stewardship

By Shireen Korkzan

St. Ambrose Episcopal Church is located in flood-prone Rochester Heights, Raleigh's first planned subdivision for Black families established during the time of Jim Crow segregation. The neighborhood was built on wetlands the city had previously used as a dumping ground for raw sewage and garbage.

The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance. This excellent essay by Robin Wall Kimmerer is an example of what is included in the new creation care curriculum from The Episcopal Church, "Love God, Love God's World." Register your group and engage in deep conversations that will inspire action on caring for God's creation.

From the Rev. Sara Phillips, St. Mary's, Coden: At my little granddaughter's suggestion, I read C. S. Lewis' The Magicians Nephew, from the Chronicles of Narnia. It is a beautiful picture and understanding of creation, as the Great Lion sings into being the heavens and the earth. It makes a good read for Creation Care month.

What We've Been Preaching

There were a number of creation care sermons preached throughout the Diocese during the Season of Creation. Here are a few that illustrate the myriad ways that we can share the message of caring for God's creation. Please forward any additional sermons that you are aware of, and we will share them in future newsletters. Hopefully this variety of approaches will inspire others to speak on this topic from the pulpit.

Proper 17B, by Ms. Lella Lowe, Redeemer, Mobile

Proper 18B, by Rev. Susan Sowers, St. Christopher's, Pensacola

Proper 19B, by Dr. Salem Saloom, St. Stephen's, Brewton

Proper 19B, by Rev. Jen Rice, St. Christopher's, Pensacola

Final Sunday, Season of Creation, by Rev. Bob Donnell, All Saints, Mobile