Season of Creation – Love
By: Ruth Ivory-Moore
On Sunday, August 20th I sat in my church service. The speaker was a young adult with a powerful, gripping voice. He started the sermon listing the things that he was wary about. He rattled off an exhaustive list. But the one item on his list that struck me the most was his weariness concerning the rhetoric from the streets to the highest level of government, that foster the notion of the superiority of one race over another. This struck an unusual chord with me, especially with the approaching of the “Season of Creation”, a time to celebrate. It is a time to celebrate “God the Creator, Christ as the redeemer of creation, and the Spirit as sustainer of creation—to worship God along with all creation, and to express gratitude, love, and a commitment to care for all living things on earth.”
The minister continued to travel down the “weary” path but ended with hope and faith. Human beings are to be stewards of all creation. “Scripture speaks of one humanity, created by God. Scripture tells of a diverse people reconciled to God through the blood of the cross, a people set free for the work of reconciliation. It heralds a new freedom and future in one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (A Social Statement on Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture.) Scripture also “…witnesses to God as creator of the earth and all that dwells therein (Psalm 24:1). The creeds, which guide our reading of Scripture, proclaim God the Father of Jesus Christ as “maker of heaven and earth,” Jesus Christ as the one “through [whom] all things were made,” and the Holy Spirit as “the Lord, the giver of life” (Nicene Creed) …Humanity is intimately related to the rest of creation. We, like other creatures, are formed from the earth (Genesis 2:7, 9, 19). Scripture speaks of humanity’s kinship with other creatures (Psalm 104, Job 38-39) … We are to love the earth as God loves us. (A Social Statement on Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice).
The Season of Creation runs from September 1st through October 4th. Lutheran Disaster Response and ELCA Advocacy are collaborating to celebrate this season through lenses of understanding, awareness building, and love. We will especially highlight accompanying our brothers and sisters before, during and after disasters. Especially as our Lutheran Disaster Response team works diligently, along with local their affiliate, synods, and congregations to foster help and hope for those left homeless or otherwise affected by Hurricane Harvey now, and for years to come.
We begin with a prayer.
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son. Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and, through our struggle and confusion, work to accomplish your purposes on earth; so that, in your good time, every people and nation may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne.
Lord in your mercy”
Hear our prayer.
(Adopted from ELW prayers.)
Ruth Ivory-Moore is the Program Director for Environment and Energy in the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington, D.C.
Be a part of the response:
Pray
Join us in prayer and partnership, and to help spread the word in your congregation. Click here for the bulletin insert. You can find additional resources for worship here.
Give
We invite you to stand by our neighbors on the Gulf Coast during this time. Your gifts to Hurricane Relief ensure that our church will be able to provide help and hope for those left homeless or otherwise affected by this disaster for years to come.
Connect
To learn more and Stay connected to the latest events and our response to this and other disasters:
