I'm looking forward to share Creation Care Sunday with St. Paul's friends together in worship this special day - a new tradition at St. Paul's Cathedral. Over the years as an educator, during environmental activities with children and adults, I always had to stop short in the (so-called) secular world of giving credit where credit is due! That is in public, I spoke of "the wonder" of nature, but could never complete the sentence . . . yet, children and adults' spontaneous connection to God and creation often took place. On one hike with college students, several asked permission to sing a song about Jesus along an oak grove trail.
Now through our Simpler Living Ministry, it's with a grateful heart to be able to share the goodness of God's creation together. We began in the children's classes on Sunday, April 11. Children gave many ideas about all that IS God's creation; and then they talked about how they're caring or want to care for this creation. They drew pictures and wrote their ideas and we threaded these ideas on ribbon streamers.
At 10:10AM Sunday, April 18th children with their families, and others who choose to, will meet at the 6th Ave. gate, and we'll process over to Balboa Park's Earth Day children's parade and events with their hopeful messages. We'll begin the walk with this prayer:
For Joy in God's Creation
O heavenly Father, who filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all of your works; that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP p. 815)
Join us!
-Grace van Thillo
P.S. The Simpler Living Ministry is also part of California Power and Light, an Interfaith Creation Care group meeting at various congregations, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and throughout San Diego. More on this to come.
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