Earth Day Sunday 2016  Care for God's Creatures
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DOWNLOAD EARTH DAY SUNDAY 2016:
​Care for God's Creatures
Denominational versions: Alliance of Baptists * American Baptist * ELCA * ​Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) * ​PC(USA) * UCC * UMC
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Each year, Creation Justice Ministries offers materials to help churches recognize Earth Day. Earth Day Sunday can be recognized April 17 or 24.
The resource is written to be useful year-round. Additional opportune moments to use this resource include September 1, recognized by Orthodox and Catholic communions as the World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation, or in October, during the Season of Creation and close to the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.
HYMNS
All Creatures of Our God and King (YouTube) 
His Eye is On the Sparrow (YouTube) 
​A Place in the Choir (YouTube) 
​O God, Your Creatures Fill the Earth (Link)
​Mother Earth, Our Mother Birthing (Link) 

​SERMON RESOURCES, SAMPLE SERMONS
Sermon preparation materials by Rev. Carol Devine, Green Chalice Minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
​Hebrew Word Study: Dominion by Chaim Bentorah
​Animal Blessing Sermon by David Rhodes, ELCA

ANIMAL BLESSING SAMPLE ORDERS OF WORSHIP
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Animal Blessing Template
Presbyterian-Baptist Animal Blessing Order of Worship
​ELCA Blessing of the Farm Animals
Jewish-Christian Blessing of the Animals Program
​Season of Creation Blessing of the Animals

VIDEOS
  • Blessing of the Animals in Washington, DC: A two-minute video showing highlights from an animal blessing on Capitol Hill
  • Caring for God's Marine Creation is a Christian Value: See some of the 600+ species living in highly biodiverse areas of the coast of New England, currently being proposed as the first marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • How Wolves Change Rivers: This four-minute video gives an example of how God's web of creation is interconnected. It tells the story of how re-introducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park changed the landscape.
  • How Whales Change Climate: This five-minute video gives an example of how God's web of creation is interconnected, even to the point where creatures can mitigate climate change.
  • ​Biomimicry: Biomimicry is the practice of looking deeply into nature for solutions to engineering, design and other challenges. This 20-minute film covers how mimicking nature solves some of our most pressing problems, from reducing carbon emissions to saving water. 
  • Ecosystem Services:  God's creation is priceless. Yet, some economists are estimating the financial value of gifts God's creation give us. This helps planners understand what is lost when the web of life is disrupted. This 10-minute video from the California Academy of Sciences is a good primer on the concept of ecosystem services.

MORE RESOURCES
TAKE ACTION - Let us know if you take action: info@creationjustice.org.

Be mindful that you are a creature.
Mindfulness that we are part of an interdependent web of life is the first step to reconciling with fellow creatures. Go outside. Start a nature journal. Local wildlife and watershed groups can help, as well as our nation’s parks, which you can find at findyourpark.org. Consider connecting with ministries such as Adventures for the Wild at Heart, and Center for Spirituality in Nature.

Count and observe creatures.
Scientists need help understanding what is happening to God’s creatures. Species observation is a ministry you can offer as an individual or as a faith community. Learn how to plan a Bio Blitz to count and observe creatures.

Create habitat.
  • Build a bat house. The Organization for Bat Conservation offers instructions on how to install bat habitat on church and home property.
  • Plant a garden to feed pollinators. The National Wildlife Federation’s Sacred Grounds Program offers instructions and technical support to plant important food and habitat for bees, butterflies and more. ​We also recommend the Gardening for Wildlife guide.

Stand with people protecting their ecosystems
Stand with the Gwich'in people of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in their effort to protect their ancestral home and the porcupine caribou on which they rely. Learn more at http://creationjustice.org/arctic

Pray and speak for threatened and endangered species. God’s creatures need human allies to raise awareness, as well as talk to policy-makers.

Get on Social Media: Howl, roar, hoot, splash, and hiss for God’s threatened and endangered species. Take a short video or vine of animal noises to “speak for” a creature you care about. Post to #BlesstheAnimals and #EndangeredSpecies. Be sure to tag Creation Justice Ministries @CreationJustice so we can share it, too.
 
Host a Blessing of the Animals: Animal blessings can be done any time of year, but many Christian communities organize them in honor of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi in October. Share photos at #BlesstheAnimals
 
Join an Endangered Species Roundtable Event
Together with the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, Creation Justice Ministries is co-hosting endangered species roundtables in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, July 17, St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday, July 31, and Washington, DC on Wednesday, November 30. 

Contact policy-makers. Policy-makers at every level need to hear about protecting God’s creatures. Contact your members of Congress about the Endangered Species Act.
NEWS CLIPS