LITURGIES FOR AN ECO CHURCH

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,the world, and those who live in it.

Psalm 24.1

Some material included in this service is copyright:© The Archbishops' Council 2000, 2006

© Matthew Rushton 2016All rights reserved.

ForewordThe Right Reverend Trevor Wilmott

Bishop of Dover

I welcome this opportunity both to celebrate and commend these new resources which Matthew Rushton has given to the life of the church. Green is not only the colour of ordinary but also the colour of growth. I hope and pray that these resources will bring enrichment both to individual and community but perhaps more importantly remind us that this world is God’s gift for us all to cherish and sustain

+Trevor

Introduction

These resources have been prepared in particular for those engaging with the Eco Church and Eco Diocese initiative. They have been written with the first anniversary celebrations in mind but could also be used to celebrate another milestone in the process of becoming an Eco Church, or as part of a study day or meeting concerning issues of environmental care.

There is a standalone liturgy for an Eco Church built around an act of commitment to take seriously the church’s calling to consider and take action on environmental issues. Elements of this basic liturgy are then presented within orders of Morning/Evening Prayer and Holy Communion, together with other liturgical materials that can be used or adapted as appropriate. There is also an ‘Eco Litany’ for devotional use on its own, or as part of prayers of penitence or intercession.

Two particular themes are evident in these materials:

In these liturgies, communities are encouraged to ‘green’ the worship space. Green is the colour closely associated with ‘Ordinary Time’, which is not ‘ordinary’ at all, but rather ‘ordered’ time. This is the period during the church’s year which does not celebrate a specific aspect of the mystery of Christ – unlike the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, which have their own distinct focus and characteristics – but allows the church to consider the mystery entire, attending to the passage of time, humanity’s place within creation, and God’s purposes for the world. Ordinary Time also contains some of the specific opportunities to celebrate God’s generosity to and in the earth, and our responsibilities as part of creation. This is an opportunity to reinforce and rediscover the significance of the colour green within our worshipping life. We would love you to focus on using some green material for liturgical use. Perhaps there is a green altar frontal, vestment, lectern fall or communion cloth that could be brought back into use, or something new could be made, perhaps by a Sunday School or community club. Alongside green furnishings, it may be that lighting or technology could be utilised for ‘greening’ the space, symbolically, to focus our prayers and praise on the abundance of creation and the representational nature of the colour green for God-given life and the flourishing of nature, as well as highlighting the struggles of those for whom green is a rare colour in their environment.

Eco Church identifies five areas of a church’s life that are a focus for potential change and reflection: worship, church buildings, use of land, community and global relationships and awareness, and lifestyle. Those five areas inform and structure these resources, particularly in relation to the Act of Eco Commitment and the Eco Litany, to focus our worship on the aims and intentions of the Eco Church initiative.

Much of the content of these resources is original, having been prepared specifically for this purpose. Use has also been made of other resources in Common Worship, including New Patterns for Worship (Prayers of Penitence and Extended Preface in the order for Holy Communion) and Times and Seasons (blessing). In addition to these resources, reference can be made to the resources for ‘Creationtide and Environment’ issued by the Church of England, particularly in relation to appropriate readings, hymns/songs, and further reading. https://www.churchofengland.org/media/2555436/creationtide_and_environment_resources.pdf

We offer you these resources in the hope that they will enhance the life of your church as you spend this time reflecting on God and his creation, and on our place within that creation. We worship a God who has made the heavens and the earth, and who has created us and placed us in this world to tend it and look after it. We recognise that much in this world has gone wrong because of our own activities and we desire to work to put that to rights, and to join in with God’s plans for salvation, through the blood of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit: plans that encompass all that he has made.

The Reverend Matthew Rushton Dr Ruth ValerioPrecentor,

Canterbury CathedralChurch and Theology Director,

A Rocha UK

A LITURGY FOR AN ECO CHURCH

Gathering

The Lord be with you.And also with you.

Lord, fill us with the knowledge of your willthat we may bear fruit in every good work.

Colossians 1.9-10

A hymn/song is sung, music is played, or silence is kept, during which the worship space may be ‘greened’ – with an altar cloth, a lectern fall, changed lighting, projected image, or other green display brought in or revealed

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,how majestic is your name in all the earth;you dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish;in your hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being;As your Son made the multitude to sit down on the green grassand fed them with the bread of life,make us to lie down in green pasturesand lead us beside still waters;so that, like a tree planted by water, which does not fear the heat but whose leaves shall stay green,we may be refreshed and sustained in you,and honour the everlasting covenant you have established with your creation, for you have seen that it is very good.Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.Blessed be God forever.

Psalm 8.1; Job 12.10; Ezekiel 17.24; Psalm 24.1; Mark 6.39; Psalm 23.2;

Jeremiah 17.8; Genesis 19.17

WordA psalm, reading(s), and/or canticle(s) follow

Act of Eco CommitmentNoah made sacrifice to the Lord God, and the Lord said in his heart ‘I will never again curse the ground because of humankind.’ Genesis 8.21As we offer our own sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving, we pledge ourselves to honour the everlasting covenant between God, the creator of all things who loves the world, and the creation which responds in joyful praise.

Let us pray.Lord God, the earth is yours and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; Psalm 24.1hear our prayer, accept our service and receive our pledge:May our worship honour your generous gifts; may we explore together our responsibilities to the creation of which we are a part, in preaching and teaching, in prayer and praise:for the earth is yours and all that is in it.May our church buildings be houses of prayer, temples to your glory, and signs of the renewing power of your grace to sustain and refresh all life; may our use and development of the resources we have inherited be an example of careful nurturing of discipleship and fruitful witness:for the earth is yours and all that is in it.May we allow the land we occupy to flourish in your care; may we share and protect both open space and managed earth, and build community with and through the land and all it sustains: for the earth is yours and all that is in it.May we live as the body of Christ, fostering relationships within our local and global communities, and raising awareness of how our actions affect our brothers and sisters across the world, having a particular care for the poorest and most vulnerable: for the earth is yours and all that is in it.May we show in our lives what we claim in our words, revealing in our discipleship our love for you, for each other, and for your world, following your command to bear fruit that will last: John 15.17for the earth is yours and all that is in it.Lord God, we pledge ourselves to your service in caring for your creation,that your kingdom may grow from the seed of hope into a tree of righteousness and justice for the world,and the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 8.21Amen. Prayers

Prayers of thanksgiving and intercession may follow, ending with

The Collect

O Lord our God, who brought your people into a good land,and sends showers of blessing that the earth shall yield its increase;flourish within us your gift of faiththat, in our worship, our churches, our communities, and our lives, we may honour and renew your creation and join in obedience with the wind and the waters, the wilderness and the desert, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, and all created things to give glory and praise to the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation, Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Amen.

Deuteronomy 8.7; Ezekiel 34.26; Mark. 4.41; Isaiah 35.1 Job 12.7; Colossians 1.15

Filled with awe at the wonders and works of God,as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptationbut deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yoursnow and for ever.Amen.

The service concludes with a blessing or the Grace

AN ORDER FOR MORNING OR EVENING PRAYER

FOR AN ECO CHURCH

Preparation

MORNING PRAYER:O Lord, open our lipsand our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

EVENING PRAYER:O God, make speed to save us.O Lord, make haste to help us.

Fill us with the knowledge of your willthat we may bear fruit in every good work.

A hymn/song is sung, music is played, or silence is kept, during which the worship space may be ‘greened’ – with an altar cloth, a lectern fall, changed lighting, projected image, or other green display brought in or revealed

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,how majestic is your name in all the earth;you dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish;in your hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being;As your Son made the multitude to sit down on the green grassand fed them with the bread of life,make us to lie down in green pasturesand lead us beside still waters;so that, like a tree planted by water, which does not fear the heat but whose leaves shall stay green,we may be refreshed and sustained in you,and honour the everlasting covenant you have established with your creation, for you have seen that it is very good.Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.Blessed be God forever.

The Word of GodPsalmodyPsalm 65, or another appropriate psalm, is said

Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; ♦to you that answer prayer shall vows be paid.To you shall all flesh come to confess their sins; ♦when our misdeeds prevail against us, you will purge them away.Happy are they whom you choose and draw to your courts to dwell there. ♦We shall be satisfied with the blessings of your house,even of your holy temple. With wonders you will answer us in your righteousness,O God of our salvation, ♦O hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.In your strength you set fast the mountains ♦and are girded about with might.You still the raging of the seas, ♦the roaring of their waves and the clamour of the peoples.Those who dwell at the ends of the earthtremble at your marvels; ♦the gates of the morning and evening sing your praise. You visit the earth and water it; *you make it very plenteous.The river of God is full of water; ♦you prepare grain for your people, for so you provide for the earth.You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; ♦you soften the ground with showers and bless its increase.You crown the year with your goodness, ♦and your paths overflow with plenty.May the pastures of the wilderness flow with goodness ♦and the hills be girded with joy.May the meadows be clothed with flocks of sheep ♦and the valleys stand so thick with corn that they shall laugh and sing.

Glory to the Father and to the Sonand to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning is nowand shall be for ever. Amen.

First Reading

Canticle

A Song of Francis of Assisi, or another suitable canticle is said

e.g. - for MORNING PRAYER no.45 p597 - for EVENING PRAYER no.74 p632

(Common Worship: Daily Prayer)

Most High, all powerful, good Lord, ♦to you be praise, glory, honour and all blessing.

Only to you, Most High, do they belong ♦and no one is worthy to call upon your name.

May you be praised, my Lord, with all your creatures,especially brother sun, ♦through whom you lighten the day for us.

He is beautiful and radiant with great splendour; ♦he signifies you, O Most High.

Be praised, my Lord, for sister moon and the stars: ♦clear and precious and lovely, they are formed in heaven.

Be praised, my Lord, for brother wind; ♦for air and clouds, clear skies and all weathers,by which you give sustenance to your creatures.

Be praised, my Lord, for sister water, ♦who is very useful and humble and precious and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, for brother fire,by whom the night is illumined for us: ♦he is beautiful and cheerful, full of power and strength.

Be praised, my Lord, for our sister, mother earth,who sustains and governs us ♦and produces diverse fruits and coloured flowers and grass.

Be praised, my Lord, by all those who forgive for love of you ♦and who bear weakness and tribulation.

Blessed are those who bear them in peace: ♦

for you, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, for our sister, the death of the body, ♦from which no one living is able to flee;woe to those who are dying in mortal sin.

Blessed are those who are found doing your most holy will, ♦for the second death will do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give him thanks ♦and serve him with great humility.

Second Reading

ResponsoryO Lord, how manifold are your works!In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power.O Lord, how manifold are your works!For you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.O Lord, how manifold are your works!In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Psalm 104.26; Revelation 4.11

MORNING PRAYER:

Gospel Canticle Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

Refrain: God saw everything that he had made,and indeed, it was very good. Genesis 1.31

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, ♦who has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, ♦born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets God promised of old ♦to save us from our enemies,from the hands of all that hate us,To show mercy to our ancestors, ♦and to remember his holy covenant.This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: ♦to set us free from the hands of our enemies,Free to worship him without fear, ♦holy and righteous in his sightall the days of our life.And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,To give his people knowledge of salvation ♦by the forgiveness of all their sins.In the tender compassion of our God ♦the dawn from on high shall break upon us,To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1.68-79

Glory to the Father and to the Sonand to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning is nowand shall be for ever. Amen.

Refrain: God saw everything that he had made,and indeed, it was very good.

EVENING PRAYER:

Gospel Canticle Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Refrain: God saw everything that he had made,and indeed, it was very good. Genesis 1.31

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed; ♦the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.

He has mercy on those who fear him, ♦from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm ♦and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

Casting down the mighty from their thrones ♦and lifting up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things ♦and sent the rich away empty.

He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, ♦to remember his promise of mercy,

The promise made to our ancestors, ♦to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

Glory to the Father and to the Sonand to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning is nowand shall be for ever. Amen.

Refrain: God saw everything that he had made,and indeed, it was very good.

PrayersIntercessions are offered for the Church and for the world

This Collect or the Collect of the day is said

O Lord our God, who brought your people into a good land,and sends showers of blessing that the earth shall yield its increase;flourish within us your gift of faiththat, in our worship, our churches, our communities, and our lives, we may honour and renew your creation and join in obedience with the wind and the waters, the wilderness and the desert, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, and all created things to give glory and praise to the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation, Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

The Lord’s PrayerFilled with awe at the wonders and works of God,as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptationbut deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yoursnow and for ever. Amen.

The ConclusionMay Christ abide in us that we may bear much fruit. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.Thanks be to God.

HOLY COMMUNIONFOR AN ECO CHURCH

The Gathering

In the name of the Father,and of the Son,and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.

The Lord be with youand also with you.

The president introduces the service

A hymn/song is sung, music is played, or silence is kept, during which the worship space may be ‘greened’ – with an altar cloth, a lectern fall, changed lighting, projected image, or other green display brought in or revealed

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,how majestic is your name in all the earth;you dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish;in your hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being;As your Son made the multitude to sit down on the green grassand fed them with the bread of life,make us to lie down in green pasturesand lead us beside still waters;so that, like a tree planted by water, which does not fear the heat but whose leaves shall stay green,we may be refreshed and sustained in you,and honour the everlasting covenant you have established with your creation, for you have seen that it is very good.Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.Blessed be God forever.

Prayers of PenitenceHuman sin disfigures the whole creation,which groans with eager longing for God's redemption.We confess our sin in penitence and faith. cf Romans 8.22,23

We confess to you our lack of care for the world you have given us.Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.We confess to you our selfishness in not sharing the earth’s bounty fairly.Christ, have mercy.Christ, have mercy.We confess to you our failure to protect resources for others.Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.May the Father of all merciescleanse you from your sins,and restore you in his imageto the praise and glory of his name,through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen. from New Patterns for Worship p470-471

Gloria in Excelsis Glory to God in the highest,and peace to his people on earth.Lord God, heavenly King,almighty God and Father,we worship you, we give you thanks,we praise you for your glory.Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,Lord God, Lamb of God,you take away the sin of the world:have mercy on us;you are seated at the right hand of the Father:receive our prayer.For you alone are the Holy One,you alone are the Lord,you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.Amen.The Collect

The president introduces a period of silent prayer and says this Collect or the Collect of the Day

O Lord our God, who brought your people into a good land,and sends showers of blessing that the earth shall yield its increase;flourish within us your gift of faiththat, in our worship, our churches, our communities, and our lives, we may honour and renew your creation and join in obedience with the wind and the waters, the wilderness and the desert, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, and all created things to give glory and praise to the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation, Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Liturgy of the Word

Reading(s)At the end This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

A psalm may follow the readings and/or other hymns/songs may be used

Gospel ReadingAlleluia, Alleluia.You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power. For you created all things.Alleluia.

When the Gospel is announcedHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to N.Glory to you, O Lord.

At the end This is the Gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

The Creed We believe in one God,the Father, the Almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all that is,seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,the only Son of God,eternally begotten of the Father,God from God, Light from Light,true God from true God,begotten, not made,of one Being with the Father;through him all things were made.For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Maryand was made man.For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;he suffered death and was buried.On the third day he rose againin accordance with the Scriptures;he ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit,the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,who has spoken through the prophets.We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.We look for the resurrection of the dead,and the life of the world to come.Amen.

Prayers of IntercessionThe prayers usually include these concerns: the Church; the world; those who suffer; the communion of saints

The ‘Eco Litany’ may be used in place of the Prayers of Intercession

The Liturgy of the Sacrament

The PeaceAs the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, so shall the word that goes out from the mouth of the Lord not return empty, but accomplish the Lord’s purpose and succeed in that for which it was sent.For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace.

from Isaiah 55.10-12The peace of the Lord be always with you.And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

All may exchange a sign of peace.

Preparation of the TableThe table is prepared and bread and wine are placed upon it

This or another prayer is used

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:through your goodness we have this bread to set before you,which earth has given and human hands have made.It will become for us the bread of life.Blessed be God for ever.

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:through your goodness we have this wine to set before you,fruit of the vine and work of human hands.It will become for us the cup of salvation.Blessed be God for ever.The Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord be with youand also with you.

Lift up your hearts.We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.It is right to give thanks and praise.

Father, we give you thanks and praise for your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.He is the image of the unseen God,the first-born of all creation.He created all things in heaven and on earth:everything visible and everything invisible,thrones, dominions, sovereignties, powers, all things were created through him and for him.

He is the radiant light of your glory:he holds all creation together by his word of power.

He is first to be born from the dead.All perfection is found in him,and all things were reconciled through him and for him,everything in heaven and everything on earth,when he made peace by his death on the cross.

The Church is his body,he is its head.He takes his place in heavenat your right hand,where we worship you with all of your creation, singing:

from New Patterns for Worship, p474-475

Holy, holy, holy Lord,God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.

We praise and bless you, loving Father,through Jesus Christ, our Lord;and as we obey his command,send your Holy Spirit,that broken bread and wine outpouredmay be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.

On the night before he died he had supper with his friendsand, taking bread, he praised you.He broke the bread, gave it to them and said:Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;do this in remembrance of me.

When supper was ended he took the cup of wine.Again he praised you, gave it to them and said:Drink this, all of you;this is my blood of the new covenant,which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did,in him we plead with confidence his sacrificemade once for all upon the cross.

Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation,we proclaim his death and resurrectionuntil he comes in glory.

Great is the mystery of faith:Christ has died:Christ is risen:Christ will come again.

Lord of all life,help us to work together for that daywhen your kingdom comesand justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.

Look with favour on your people,gather us in your loving armsand bring us with all the saintsto feast at your table in heaven.

Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father,for ever and ever.Amen.

The Lord’s PrayerFilled with awe at the wonders and works of God,as our Saviour taught us, so we prayOur Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptationbut deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yoursnow and for ever.Amen.

Breaking of the BreadThe president breaks the consecrated bread

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.Though we are many, we are one body,because we all share in one bread.

Agnus DeiLamb of God,you take away the sin of the world,have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,you take away the sin of the world,have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,you take away the sin of the world,grant us peace.

Giving of CommunionThe president says this or another invitation to communion

God’s holy giftsfor God’s holy people.Jesus Christ is holy,Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.

The president and people receive communion

Prayer after CommunionSilence is kept

The president says the post-communion prayer

Lord God of all creation, as your Son, when he had fed the multitude, instructed the disciples to gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost, so gather us, whom you have fed in this holy sacrament, fill us with love for your living world, and refresh us and the whole creation to serve and praise you for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

All say

Almighty God,we thank you for feeding uswith the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.Through him we offer you our souls and bodiesto be a living sacrifice.Send us outin the power of your Spiritto live and workto your praise and glory.Amen.

The DismissalAll stand

Act of Eco CommitmentNoah made sacrifice to the Lord God, and the Lord said in his heart ‘I will never again curse the ground because of humankind.’ Genesis 8.21As we offer our own sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving, we pledge ourselves to honour the everlasting covenant between God, the creator of all things who loves the world, and the creation which responds in joyful praise.

Let us pray.Lord God, the earth is yours and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; Psalm 24.1hear our prayer, accept our service and receive our pledge:May our worship honour your generous gifts; may we explore together our responsibilities to the creation of which we are a part, in preaching and teaching, in prayer and praise:for the earth is yours and all that is in it.May our church buildings be houses of prayer, temples to your glory, and signs of the renewing power of your grace to sustain and refresh all life; may our use and development of the resources we have inherited be an example of careful nurturing of discipleship and fruitful witness:for the earth is yours and all that is in it.May we allow the land we occupy to flourish in your care; may we share and protect both open space and managed earth, and build community with and through the land and all it sustains: for the earth is yours and all that is in it.May we live as the body of Christ, fostering relationships within our local and global communities, and raising awareness of how our actions affect our brothers and sisters across the world, having a particular care for the poorest and most vulnerable: for the earth is yours and all that is in it.May we show in our lives what we claim in our words, revealing in our discipleship our love for you, for each other, and for your world, following your command to bear fruit that will last: John 15.17for the earth is yours and all that is in it.Lord God, we pledge ourselves to your service in caring for your creation,that your kingdom may grow from the seed of hope into a tree of righteousness and justice for the world,and the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 8.21Amen. Blessing and Dismissal

May God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,who is the source of all goodness and growth,pour his blessing upon all things created,and upon you his children,that you may use his gifts to his glory and the welfare of all peoples;and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.Amen.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons p604

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord of creation.In the name of Christ. Amen.

Eco Litany

God the Father, source of all living things,have mercy on us.

God the Son, redeemer of the created order,have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, conceiver of hope on earth and in heaven,have mercy on us.

From false worship, shallow prayers and failure to honour your created world:good Lord, deliver us and take away from the earth our disgrace.

Isaiah 25.8From self-centred interpretations of your Holy Word:good Lord, deliver us and take away from the earth our disgrace.

From all complacency and arrogance, and for exalting ourselves above you:good Lord, deliver us and take away from the earth our disgrace.

From profligacy and seeking our own comfort above others:good Lord, deliver us and forgive our greed.

From wasteful use of light, heat, energy and water:good Lord, deliver us and forgive our greed.

From laziness and reluctance to make necessary changes to routines:good Lord, deliver us and forgive our greed.

Give us wisdom to tend the land for the benefit of all.Have mercy on us and protect the earth’s abundance.

Encourage us to take risks and stand against self-interest in allowing the earth to flourish. Have mercy on us and protect the earth’s abundance.

Grow our generosity that we may share our space with our communities.Have mercy on us and protect the earth’s abundance.

Open our eyes to the sufferings of our neighbours across the world

and enlarge our hearts to helping those in need.Have mercy on us and restore the world’s hope.

Remove from us all cowardly despair and political expediency.Have mercy on us and restore the world’s hope.

Show us our common inheritance and responsibilities and challenge our false divisions and prejudice.Have mercy on us and restore the world’s hope.

Expose in us all hypocrisy and unfulfilled promises.Lord, hear us and renew your creation.

Connect our good intentions to change our behaviour with our realised actions to care for our environment.Lord, hear us and renew your creation.

Makes us faithful disciples through word and deed and witness as we share in your abundance and serve your world.Lord, hear us and renew your creation.

Holy Creator, Holy and life-giving Word, Holy and sustaining Spirit, have mercy on us.

Pardon our offences against your gifts in creation,and forgive us for squandering your abundance; refresh us and remake us,that, when all things are renewed,we will go out in joy and be led back in peace,we will join with the mountains and hills and burst into songs,we will clap our hands with the trees of the field,and join with the whole creation in eternal praise,in the new heaven and new earth, and for all eternity.Amen.

Trisagion; Isaiah 55.12; Revelation 21.1