Creationtide Resources

Home Action Climate Take action: become an Eco Church Creationtide Resources

If you’re working toward your Eco Church bronze, silver or gold award, you’ll be looking for ways to explore creation care in your worship life. Or perhaps you’re simply looking for resources for your Local Arrangement services. Creationtide is a time in the church year when we are particularly invited to consider our relationship with God’s creation.

Creationtide is a season of the church beginning on 1 September and culminating on 4 October, the Feast of St Francis. It is dedicated to the celebration of God the Creator; the natural world; and what it means to be Church against the real, urgent and increasing threat of environmental crises.

These resources are designed to help you find a focus for your worship; an environmental purpose for your church; to discover what it means to seek justice for the natural world. Perhaps your experience of Creationtide might lead you to explore EcoChurch; there’s lots of help here to guide you through your first steps. And don’t forget too, these resources can be used all year round. The world is not just for Creationtide after all……

There are lots of resources out there for churches to pick up and use to celebrate Creationtide. Here are a few of our favourites:

Prayer and worship ideas

There are some great ideas in this resource produced by the World Council of Churches, as well as some opportunities to join with Christians across the world in prayer and action. We particularly like:

the full script for an ecumenical prayer service found on pages 31-40;
the beautiful craft ideas on pages 42-43;
the history of creationtide on pages 27-28;
information about an online ecumenical prayer service on 1st September and a day of advocacy action planned for 21st September on page 26.

The website greenchristian.org.uk includes lots of liturgies you could use in your Creationtide services.

These beautiful prayers were written during an Iona Community pilgrimage, but with a little adaptation they would work wonderfully in a church service.

Singing the Faith Plus: Climate and Creation (methodist.org.uk)

Video resources

These beautiful, very short videos from the BBC Springwatch programme were originally created for encouraging mindfulness during Covid, but they remind us of the beauty of God’s earth. All around 1min long, they will slot easily into a contemplative time within a church service. They will also make a reasonable alternative to the real outdoors if it isn’t practical, or if you want people to consider a specific part of our world when celebrating Creationtide.

Coots and grebes in Spring

Mindful moment of blossom

Reed pond

Forest floor

This is just a small selection of what’s on offer, but perhaps there may be another clip that would sing out to you more, so have a rummage: BBC Two - Springwatch - Clips

Still images

If you’re creating PowerPoint for your Creationtide services, these images are offered copyright-free.

You can also find hundreds of copyright-free images at websites such as www.unsplash.com and www.pexels.com.

Longer videos and sermon ideas

These high-quality video resources have been produced by former Baptist Union President, Revd Dr Dave Gregory, in partnership with the Baptist Union Environment Network, The Fuelcast and Scientists in Congregations.

Each video lasts 20-30 mins and weaves visual imagery and narrative in order to take people deeper into the wonder, mystery and meaning of the world:

https://www.gstiwg.co.uk/

Eco Congregations Scotland’s EcoChaplain Revd David J.M. Coleman has produced these video sermons and scripts for anyone to use.

See also Eco Congregation’s ‘Celebrating Creation’ resource.

Small group resources

Hope in God’s Future is the report of a joint working group on climate change and theology convened by the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. It includes study guide reflections, sample group sessions, prayers and a list of follow-up resources.