An intro to creation centred worship

Posted on July 26, 2024

Table laid with lining paper and covered in leaves flowers and things found in the churchyard

These notes were put together for workshops at the Diocesan Eco Day in Chichester Diocese, June 2024. They give an intro to outdoor/ creation-centred worship with ideas formed at St Edward’s Church, in our garden church setting.

There is so much history of connecting to God in creation – think St Francis who focussed on all of creation, Julian of Norwich who saw a vision the love of God in a hazelnut, John the Baptist who ministered in the wilderness, and many words in the Psalms such as:

‘Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!’
Pslam 148: 3-4

Likewise, ecotheology is the study of the whole household of God – including all of creation.

There are many different ways of connecting God in creation, prayer walks, mindfulness in nature, forest church, messy church outdoors, creation season, forest bathing, and much more.

Where?

If you do want to worship outside, ask yourself what space do you have? A corner of the churchyard, local park or woodland, beach, someone’s garden, the South Downs? Use the resources that God has put in your local area.

Do be aware of any permissions – if you are meeting regularly in an area do you need permission? Things like fires/ BBQs are often prohibited on public land. Can you go for a nature walk rather than gather somewhere?

Think about accessibility. And of course health and safety – do a risk assessment!

You can easily do eco themed worship indoors if outdoor space is an issue or if the weather is bad (we tend to go outside unless it really is monsoon weather – in 2 years we’ve been inside only twice). This could be one off events eg: for harvest or creation tide – you don’t have to do every month/week.

What to Include?

The locality – firstly think about what you have around you and what gifts do you have in your church or team? Do a brainstorm of ideas to get you going. Here are some things we focus on:

Themes – Think about themes for each event such as an annual cycle, the seasons, key events in the church calendar or wider events. What works in your context? What is growing locally, or in people’s gardens?

The Bible – have a Bible focus, it’s very easy to become quite ‘pantheistic’, or focussed on a creator God alone. Think about where Jesus is in creation too, or how is the Holy Spirit at work?

Teaching Slot – use your theme to expand on nature based ideas and link to your Bible passage.

Craft /activities – work very well for all age gatherings. Again, think about being seasonal or using what you have in your local area. What can benefit nature – eg: bird feeders. Got a larger space – can you do a big ‘art attack’ design? What works for a season eg: candleholders at Candlemas?

Eco Friendly – try to think seasonally, reduce waste, avoid single-use plastic, do activities that use natural materials.

Themes & ideas

Here’s a small selection of ideas, have a look at the resources section further down, for where to look for more.

The seasons – Spring (new life, insects/ bees, equinox), April (wind), Summer (longest day/ solstice, butterfly hunt), Autumn (changing of seasons, needed for things to thrive, equinox), Winter (Advent, Christmas, snow and ice, ice sculptures, solstice)

The elements – Earth, water, fire, air

Liturgical festivals or seasons – Epiphany (stars, or gifts of creation), Candlemas (candles, light – link to St Brigid), Easter, Pentecost (wind or fire), Rogation tide, Creation tide, Lammas (bread making – Jesus is the bread of life), Advent etc

Vicar with a flower crown — Flower crowns for Christ the King

Bible links – Creation of the world (Genesis 1), God’s provision (Psalm 104, eg: foraging, nature hunt, the foodchain), The body of Christ and things working together (1 Cor 12, eg: link to mycelium), Seeds and growth (Genesis 1:29, planting seeds), Adam was made from the dirt (Gen 2, mud and clay)…

Events – World Environment Day, Churches Count on Nature, RSPB bird count, The Big Butterfly Count, Earth Hour, World Bee Day, World earthworm Day, Apple day, National Tree Week, Bonfire night – there are so many just google them!

Activity/craft – Treasure hunt, butterfly or wildflower recording, decorate jars with found things, finds table, printing with nature items, wax rubbings of trees, Advent spiral or big art attacks, planting seeds, making crowns from flowers and greenery, Christmas wreaths, paper windmills, beeswax candles, recycling junk models, bird feeders…

Food – think seasonally, and if you can what can you cook on a fire? jacket potatoes, marshmallows, apples & cinnamon, toast/ crumpets, damper bread, sweetcorn, elderflower cordial, wild garlic scones.