And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” - Genesis 1:20 NRSV
photo credit: Gabrielle Poli
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The ocean, teeming with sea life, vibrant coral communities, and vast beauty, is part of God’s beautiful creation. When God created the ocean, God declared it good. We receive the oceans’ bounty on our tables and experience the ocean’s beauty as we participate in recreational activities.
As God’s stewards, we are called not only to enjoy the ocean, but also to care for it as a sacred gift from God. Because we are people of God, we are to maintain the bounty of the oceans’ waters and the integrity of oceanic systems that contain beauty and support an abundance of life. |
photo credit: Gabrielle Poli
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An Ocean prayer (Adapted from Psalm 130)
Out of the depths We cry to you, O Lord
Lord, Hear Our voice!
From the depths of the ocean that covers this planet, We cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
For the health and resilience of your sacred marine sanctuaries, from tide pool to sea floor, we cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
For the breeding grounds of fish and the playgrounds of dolphins, we cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
For the safety of crab, kelp, jellyfish, and shark to make their home, we cry to you O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
For oceans free of plastic and the things we humans deem as trash, we cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you!
Our souls wait for the Lord, more than those who wait for the morning. Forgive our indifference to your creation and make us good stewards of your seas.
Hope in the Lord!
With the Lord there is steadfast love and great power to redeem. Amen.
Out of the depths We cry to you, O Lord
Lord, Hear Our voice!
From the depths of the ocean that covers this planet, We cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
For the health and resilience of your sacred marine sanctuaries, from tide pool to sea floor, we cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
For the breeding grounds of fish and the playgrounds of dolphins, we cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
For the safety of crab, kelp, jellyfish, and shark to make their home, we cry to you O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
For oceans free of plastic and the things we humans deem as trash, we cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, Hear Our Voice!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you!
Our souls wait for the Lord, more than those who wait for the morning. Forgive our indifference to your creation and make us good stewards of your seas.
Hope in the Lord!
With the Lord there is steadfast love and great power to redeem. Amen.
Why do we work on ocean issues?
In the first chapter of Genesis, God first separates the waters into those from above and those from below by forming the solid dome called the sky. Then, god creates the earth out of the waters. Only after the water is in place does God put vegetation, animals, and other creatures on the earth. Genesis 1:20 teaches the creation literally comes out of the waters. This ancient narrative is uncannily similar to modern understanding. Science confirms that life as we know it first arose in the water, and in particular, the oceans. Care for God's oceans is an expression of reverence for the cradle of life out of which God created all.
Videos
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Christian Leadership Spotlight |
In the News |
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Protecting Climate is a God-Given Duty (The Greenville Reflector) 12.18.20 by Casey Perry, Director of Camp Caroline
Christmas is a time to imagine how people can work together to address threats to a warming climate (The Invading Sea) 12.24.20 by Pastor Kipp Nelson 'For Us The Ocean is Part of Who We Are' (NowThis Earth) 03.05.21 by Rev. Mariama White-Hammond |
