Imagine watching a wave of commitment to honor God’s Creation sweep across The Episcopal Church. It would be a thrill, right? That’s what it’s like for me, anyway, as I note that fifty dioceses – almost half the dioceses in our Church – have now authorized the 2024 edition of Season of Creation: A Celebration Guide for Episcopal Parishes.

On June 20, when the worship guide was officially released, Episcopal News Service reported that 42 dioceses had approved it for use during this year’s Season of Creation (Sept. 1-Oct. 4). Over the summer, eight more dioceses authorized it, too:

The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Reddall,
Diocese of Arizona

The Rt. Rev. Paula E. Clark,
Diocese of Chicago

The Rt. Rev. Robert Skirving,
Diocese of East Carolina

The Rt. Rev. John H. Taylor,
Diocese of Los Angeles

The Rt. Rev. Marty Stebbins,
Diocese of Montana

The Rt. Rev. Barry L. Beisner,
Missionary Diocese of Navajoland

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Jonathan H. Folts,
Diocese of South Dakota

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Shannon MacVean-Brown,
Diocese of Vermont

It’s been a joy to see how an effort I began two years ago with my gifted colleague the Rev. John Elliott Lein has borne fruit! The first version (2022) of our worship guide was authorized by a handful of dioceses; last year’s version (2023) was endorsed by 28 dioceses; this year, a full 50 dioceses have stepped forward.

Not only that – delegates at the Episcopal Church’s 81^st General Convention voted this summer to pass a resolution that supports the adoption of an ecumenical Feast Day of Creation in our liturgical calendar. This resolution sprang from the ecumenical summit held in Assisi last spring, where, as part of the Anglican delegation, I learned about this mighty effort to incorporate an ecumenical Feast of Creation into the lectionary of Western Churches. I helped to draft the resolution, and I live in hope that progress on its fulfillment will be announced next year, when Churches around the world mark the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE.

But that’s not all – as Episcopal News Service just reported, many new resources are available right now to help us celebrate Creation Season, including the highly-anticipated new Creation care curriculum, Love God, Love God’s World.

In this perilous era of climbing heat, massive floods, and widespread drought, when the web of life is faltering and Americans are locked in a razor-thin contest between Presidential candidates with wildly diverging views on climate change, environmental justice, and what it means to be a caring, responsible human being, I give thanks that our Church is proclaiming with fresh energy the fullness of our salvation in Christ, which includes God’s whole Creation.

May our prayers for Earth and all her communities be strong, and may they ignite resolute, effective, concerted action – including voting – to protect and heal the world that God entrusted to our care.

###

The new 2024 Liturgical Guide may be reviewed and downloaded here: https://newcreationliturgies.org/season. Bishops may authorize the materials all the way to Sept. 1.  The names of endorsing dioceses listed on the pdf file will be updated until Sept. 1.
To authorize, contact season@newcreationliturgies.org.

###