Creation Care Sunday, April 18th

I’d like to get the word out about a new annual event at St. Paul’s--Creation Care Sunday on April 18th, to be held just before the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22. Both Sunday morning services will focus on appreciating and nurturing God’s creation all around us and two further events are planned.

I’ve put together a PowerPoint presentation for the Sunday forum that I’m calling “A New Earth”; Images of Hope for a World in Crisis.” Two groups that I’m deeply involved with are sponsoring it (that way if the event really bombs no one will be stuck with all the blame!—yuk, yuk—sorry!): Simpler Living and the Cathedral Center for the Performing and Visual Arts. You can check both of them out at the cathedral website. We’re going to look at images from Western art (Renaissance through today) whose hopeful messages might guide us as we seek to create a more sustainable, less consumerist, and—yes—more Christian lifestyle. As an artist, I really liked the idea of doing something for Earth Day with the visual arts, but I wanted to stay away from the more clichéd green images. Come on by at 9 a.m. in the Guild Room, Sunday the 18th and see if I’ve succeeded.

Grace van Thillo (and the rest of us at SL) invites you to join Simpler Living volunteers and St. Paul’s families to gather near St. Paul’s Sixth Ave. gate at 10:10 a.m. (just after my forum) and then walk/process over to Balboa Park’s Earth Day Celebration to watch the children’s parade. Children must be accompanied by a family member. Please wear your St. Paul’s T-shirts, and we’ll carry streamers and hopeful messages that children have written and drawn. The parade occurs at the same time as the 10:30 service so we urge those participating to attend the 8:00 a.m. service. After the parade, families can discover the Earth Day booths and activities, and more can join in after the service as well. In particular, the Episcopal Church’s Camp Stevens and St. James-by-the-Sea will have creation care exhibits and opportunities.

Please join us for all of these events as we at St. Paul’s honor and celebrate the Lord’s creation on Sunday, April 18th!


Phil Petrie, Co-Convener, Simpler Living
simpler.living@gmail.com