Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Creation Sunday is a unique part of our ministry intended to help churches and individuals develop an understanding of the Christian joy and responsibility of caring for Christ's creation.
Over the past several decades many churches have begun to celebrate the gift of God's creation on the Sunday that falls closest to Earth Day, which is always on April 22. This once a year emphasis we call Creation Sunday. We encourage churches to celebrate Creation Sunday when it best suits their circumstances. (For 2006 we are suggesting April 23.)
Our Creation Sunday resources available here are biblically
based and designed to help busy pastors, worship leaders,
and teachers celebrate Creation Sunday at their church. We
add resources every year - especially resources tailored to
each year's theme.
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Besides resource suggestions, what you have below are the "ingredients" or "raw materials" that we hope will prove helpful to you in creating a sermon or worship service or lesson. They are provided to spark your thinking and creativity.
Do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further service to you. Please help us by letting us know if you plan to celebrate Creation Sunday and whether our materials prove useful to you. een@creationcare.org
Resources Available
Theme for the Year
Each year we suggest a theme for Creation Sunday. Here you will find the theme for the year and any special resources or suggestions related to the theme.Creation Sunday 2007: Loving Our Neighbors
Caring for
creation is part of Jesus' command to
"love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matt.
22:37ff) After all, loving God entails respecting, admiring, and
caring for what he has made. But Jesus followed his first command
with a call for us to love our neighbors as ourselves. This, too,
is a part of creation care, because people, though made in the
image of God, are still a part of Creation! Loving our neighbors
was one of the primary motivations for many of us as we come to the
creation care conversation.
Creation Sunday 2006: Climate Change
The same love for God and neighbor that compels us to preach salvation through Jesus Christ, protect the unborn, preserve the family and the sanctity of marriage, and take the whole Gospel to a hurting world, also compels us to recognize that human-induced climate change is a serious Christian issue requiring action now.
Creation Sunday 2005: Protecting God's Endangered Creatures.
God's word calls on all His creatures to praise Him. But God's other
creatures cannot praise Him if we extinguish them from the earth. The
current rate of species extinctions is far greater than the natural
rate. The Bible calls us to protect God's endangered creatures.
Creation Sunday 2004: God's Oceans
Oceans occupy 70% of the Earth's surface, and are home to over 90% of all
life on Earth. But somehow, when we talk about the Earth, we usually are referring
to just that 30% of the Earth's surface we call land.
Creation Sunday 2003:
"What Would Jesus Drive?"
This year we invite you to explore the
relationship between Jesus' Lordship and our transportation choices.
Creation Sunday 2002:
Celebrating Christ’s Reconciliation of All of Creation
Pollution and environmental degradation present all Christians with new
opportunities to love God by loving what God loves, to be faithful
disciples of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, as we strive to be his
ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5: 14-21).
Creation Sunday 2001: Human Health:
Major Biblical Themes and Texts
Since pollution impacts human health, these themes and texts are
provided to help with worship or Christian education activities
that recognize this important connection. Check out our other website,
www.healthyfamiliesnow.org,
for additional resources related to health.
Other resources
Worship Materials and
Sermon Outlines
Included here are three or more examples of each component of a
typical worship service, including sermon outlines, calls to worship,
prayers of thanks, Old and New Testament lessons, and more.
Illustrations for Sermons and Teaching
Adult Education Resources and Suggestions
Children's Resource Suggestions
Educational Exercises and Activities for All Ages