Call to Worship
1.
Leader: Eternal God, whose breath is the universe, whose Word is the world—
All: amazed, we praise you.
Creating God, who with delight and play, with wisdom and beauty
fashions every creature—
in love, we thank you.
Loving God, you weave us into the great web of life,
which is our shared home, our common body, our one belonging.
Grateful, we worship you.
2.
Leader: ”The heavens are telling your glory, God;
and the firmament proclaims your handiwork.
All: Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares your Word.”
The stars have lit their candles
The dawn puts on its robe and begins the procession.
The great organ of the wind and the choir of the sea sea lift up their music.
The trees and mountains stand in awe of you.
The whales and the meadowlarks sing their praise.
The rivers flow with their offerings.
And even the continents, ever so, slowly, dance with joy.
And we, your creatures, gather with all our sibling creatures
to glorify you, to hear your Word., and to worship. Alleluia!
3.
Leader: The land holds us.
All: Sky breathes in us.
Trees stand around us alike ancestors.
Birds sing to us like friends.
Rivers flow with tears of joy.
Living beings feed us and walk with us.
In the end the earth receives us.
All Creation is God’s love poured out;
we receive it with joy, care for it with gratitude,
and in unity with it, we worship God. Alleluia!.
Prayers
1.
Eternal God, in the beginning was the Word, and all things were created in the Word. All Creation is your Word made flesh. Speak your Word to us now, that our flesh may become your Word. We open our hearts to your presence and your grace. Amen.
2. Leader: Creator God, we celebrate your gift of Earth, your gift of all Creation.
All: We give thanks that you embodied your love in Jesus,
made your compassion real with the dust of the earth,
and so blessed our lives, our breath and our bodies.
Loving Creator, we renew our reverence for your gift.
We look to Earth not as a “resource,” for our use, but a temple of your presence,
a living being that we are part of and in relationship with.
God, we, praise you; we confess our self-centeredness.
We open our hearts to your Spirit, that we may love as you have loved us.
Prayer of Confession
Creator God, we confess we have not honored your Creation;
we have not loved it as you have loved us.
We have thought ourselves separate, not part of your Creation.
Forgive our ignorance and arrogance,
our greed and destructiveness.
Bring us again into the oneness of your Creation;
forgive us, heal our fears and transform our desires,
and shepherd us to be good stewards
of the gift of life.
Readings
1. [from Psalm 104, paraphrased]
Sung Response: Praise be to God, the Almighty, who rules in Creation.
Bless the Holy One, O my soul.
O Holy One, my God, you are great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
wrapped in light as your robe.
You stretch out the heavens like a tent;
You make the winds your messengers,
fire and flame your ministers.
You set the earth on its foundations,
and dress it with oceans and land .
You make the springs bubble forth in the valleys;
they flow between the hills,
giving drink to every wild animal.
By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation;
they sing among the branches. R
You cause the grass to grow for the cattle
and plants for people to use,
to bring forth food from the earth,
and wine to gladden the heart.
oil to make the face shine,
and bread to strengthen the human heart.
The trees of God are watered abundantly;
in them the birds build their nests.
O God, how wonderful is your working!
In wisdom you create this whole miracle.
Every living being looks to you to give them their food in due season;
when you open your hand they are filled with good things.
When you take away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
when you send forth your spirit they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
May your glory, O God, endure forever.
I will sing to God as long as live.
I will sing praise to God while I have being. R
2. [From Psalm 148]
Praise God! Praise the Holy One from the heavens;
praise God in the heights!
Praise God, sun and moon;
praise God, all you shining stars!
Let them praise the name of the Creator,
who commanded and they were created.
Praise the Eternal One from the earth,
you sea creatures and all deeps!
Fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling God’s command!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
Rulers of the earth and all peoples!
People of every gender, age and race together!
Let them praise the name of the Loving One,
for God’s name alone is exalted.
God’s glory is throughout earth and heaven.
Praise God!
Response / Creed / Affirmation
We believe in God, Creator of all, who is creating even now, bringing all things into existence, whose Word is made flesh in all Creation, whose presence is embodied in all living beings.
We follow Christ, who perfectly embodied God’s love. He taught and healed; he fed the hungry and embraced the outcast. He was at one with all Creation: even the seas upheld
him, and the wind and the waves listened to his voice. He was crucified, but even in death life blessed him: God raised him from the dead, the Ruler of Life.
We live by the Holy Spirit, the breath of life in us and all creatures: the power to love, to forgive, to create, to give life. We trust in this grace that makes us one with all Creation. And by the power of that Spirit we devote ourselves in covenant faithfulness to humble reverence and grateful service to all Creation, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
All Things Bright and Beautiful
[ Words: Refrain and v. 1 Cecil Alexander; vv. 2-4 Steve Garnaas-Holmes]
(Refrain) All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful: the Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings,
God made their glowing colors, and made their tiny wings.
The animals that guide us and bear our heavy loads
remind us of the God who walks with us on all our roads. (Refrain…)
The creatures who befriend us and love us faithfully
make God’s pure love, that never tests, so clear and plain to see. (Refrain…)
With many kinds of glory, all fish and bugs and birds
call forth our thanks and wonder and praise beyond all words. (Refrain…)
Heavens Are Telling (Tune: Morning Has Broken)
[Ps. 19.1]
Heavens are telling, galaxies singing,
your Word compelling, “Let there be light.”
All living beings shine with your glory;
all we are seeing is your delight.
God, your love flows in every direction,
filling and blessing every dark place.
Even the shadows shine with your presence,
even the darkness hums with your grace.
Everything moving moves by your Spirit:
flight of the birds and dance of the stars,
migrating whales and flow of the river;
breath of the wind is breath that is ours.
Bless every creature, bright with God’s glory;
bless every feature, fin, fur and wing.
Each is completing God’s wondrous story;
each is God’s greeting; praises they sing.
Join in the Circle (Tune: Be Thou My Vision)
God, we are one with the water and land,
made from the dust of the earth by your hand:
one in your Spirit that in us all sings,
one with Creation, and all living things.
Giver of Life, God, our Source and our Womb,
in selfish greed we abuse and consume.
Heal us, forgive us, and bring us new birth;
bring us back home to our place in the earth.
Maker, Sustainer and Healer of all,
Servant of Love, may we honor your call:
“Join in the circle, and flourish and live:
take, bless and share, now, this life that I give.”
O Great Creating God (Tune: This Is My Father’ World)
We sing in awe, O God: each wondrous, living thing,
earth, stars and sun you made as one, and all your praises sing.
O great creating God, creating still, in grace
these gifts you give, and let us live on earth, this holy place.
We breathe as one, O God, one Body with all earth,
one flesh, one blood, one common good, one love that gives us birth.
O great creating God, your cry goes out, unheard,
for when we bruise or we misuse your earth, we scorn your Word.
We cry in grief, O God. Creation’s wounds we mourn:
by war and greed, disease and need, the web of life is torn.
O great, creating God, forgive our prideful sins
for we have scarred your earth and marred the gift where life begins.
We live in hope, O God, and bear your holiness:
in Christ we turn our hearts and learn to heal and serve and bless.
O great creating God, in grace creating still,
may we renew this world with you, in peace with your good will.
The River of God (Original Song)
[A dialogue between cantor/song-leader and congregation]
Cantor:
Praise is due to you, O God, our Beloved.
To you alone we devote our lives.
O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
Congregation (Refrain):
The river of God is full of water.
Praise to you, O God!
By mighty deeds you deliver us.
You are the hope of all people on earth. …Refrain
Morning and evening resound with joy.
We are silent in awe. —Refrain
You bless the earth and water it,
granting the blessing of bountiful growth. …Refrain
Meadows and wilderness overflow,
wearing their finest in joy. …Refrain
When the depth of our sin overwhelms us,
you forgive all our transgressions.
How blessed we are, O God,
that you hold us near your heart. …Refrain