July 14, 2025
The "Season of Creation" has become an annual observance that brings attention to the natural world and Christians' responsibility to care for the Earth, as God commanded in Genesis 1:28 and 2:15.
According to the Season of Creation website: "The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. ... Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I proclaimed 1 September as a day of prayer for creation for the Orthodox in 1989. ... The World Council of Churches was instrumental in making the special time a season, extending the celebration from 1 September until 4 October.
"Following the leadership of Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I and the WCC, Christians worldwide have embraced the season as part of their annual calendar. Pope Francis established the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in the Roman Catholic Church in 2015, and in 2019 started celebrating the Season of Creation as well. ... The season starts 1 September, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations."
United Methodist Creation Justice Movement is offering "The Serviceberry," a set of Season of Creation worship resources, 2025 based on book of the same title by Robin Wall Kimmerer, also the author of the popular book, "Braiding Sweetgrass."
The UM Creation Justice Movement's website states: "These resources are designed for worship planners and Christian educators to use during the Season of Creation 2025, but can be adapted for use in worship or education settings at any time, with permission of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement. Each week, there is a theme, connected to a Scripture passage, and a suggested quote from The Serviceberry text. Worship leaders may choose to read both the text from Scripture and from The Serviceberry in worship, if that fits with the context and practice of their congregation.
"There are four weeks of worship resources, assembled by week. Worship leaders and Christian educators may use any part of them or all of them. There are two communion liturgies provided, both listed under Week 1, the traditional Sunday for communion in many United Methodist Churches. One of the liturgies is more traditional and the other involves serving less traditional foods and can easily be adapted to a Love Feast instead of traditional communion. Alternatively, a worship community could choose to use them on separate weeks during the series.
"This resource includes activities that can be used in children’s moments, Sunday schools, and/or youth group. Leaders in each context are invited to adapt these resources, as needed, to the age group, interests, and reality in which they serve. Supplies are listed for the activities. Also included is a “repeat aloud” prayer for the close of children’s moments or Sunday school, and a suggestion for activities children and families may find engaging between weeks.
"An excellent resource to accompany this series is Robin Wall Kimmerer’s picture book, Bud Finds Her Gift, which will be released on Sept 2. It is a beautifully illustrated edition for children about interconnectedness and the gift economy, told so kids can relate. The recurring refrain in the book, of “Everyone, from the day of their birth, was given a gift to share with the Earth,” can become something for even the youngest to hold on to throughout. These resources, however, do not explicitly call out connections between the weekly themes in worship and Bud Finds Her Gift.
"Small groups of adults may also wish to read The Serviceberry together. Reflection Questions for small group study are included with each week’s materials.
"Special thanks to Chris Reynolds, VP and Executive editor at Scribner for helping to arrange these permissions. If churches are interested in group/bulk orders of Kimmerer’s original book, please reach out to Norma Lippincott."
Information from websites for Season of Creation and UM Creation Justice Movement was used in this compilation.