What does it mean to care for creation?
The earth is warming faster than ever before, leading to melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels. Extreme weather events have now become the norm, with multiple earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and snowstorms continuously rocking the planet. As sea levels rise, millions of persons will be displaced from their homes, increasing migration and resulting in more conflict as people and nations adjust. Rising temperatures mean changing ecosystems, which wreak havoc on agriculture systems, leading to increased food insecurity. Most of the changes disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable people. Small consumer choices are only a tiny part of what our response to this crisis must be. We need big systemic changes in how we live, how we use our energy, and how we live with our global neighbors.
Learn more about Care for Creation
Learn more about the theological foundations for this practice.
Foundational essay |
Introduction video |
Care for Creation practices
Care for Creation is a spiritual practice that has far wider implications than pulling our recycling bin to the curb once a week. How do we share a gospel of hope in the face of such despairing realities? Can the good news of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection provide us a way forward? These ideas for practicing this practice are probably not new to you, but this month, we claim these practices as acts driven by Christian faith rather than choices based solely on environmentalism. Intentionally reflect on your role as God’s steward of creation in each activity presented here.
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Other ways to Care for Creation
EVEnts
See all of our upcoming events at www.fpclex.org/upcoming-events.
IN WORSHIP
Here's more about how we'll explore the practice of "Care for Creation" in worship this month.
April 7: Appreciate God's Abundance
We begin our practice of Care for Creation with this recognition that the world God created is beyond our understanding, full of beauty, abundant in its miracles. When we stop to notice it, we can approach creation with something even beyond appreciation.
April 14: Till
Our biblical ancestors, including Jesus, had no idea about climate change as we understand it today. Yet, as people who lived off the land in agricultural societies, they were aware of where their food came from and how to treat the land and other creatures in order to protect their own long-term survival and well-being.
April 21: Share the Planet
We all share one planet, one creation. We can decide to live together in harmony or fight each other to our peril.
April 28: Restore Creation
It’s easy to give in to despair when facing the reality of climate change. What good is it if not enough can happen to alter our course? Yet part of being a follower of Jesus is holding on to hope, not a false hope that the earth will somehow magically cool, and the danger will pass, but a hope that is beyond all that.
April 7: Appreciate God's Abundance
We begin our practice of Care for Creation with this recognition that the world God created is beyond our understanding, full of beauty, abundant in its miracles. When we stop to notice it, we can approach creation with something even beyond appreciation.
April 14: Till
Our biblical ancestors, including Jesus, had no idea about climate change as we understand it today. Yet, as people who lived off the land in agricultural societies, they were aware of where their food came from and how to treat the land and other creatures in order to protect their own long-term survival and well-being.
April 21: Share the Planet
We all share one planet, one creation. We can decide to live together in harmony or fight each other to our peril.
April 28: Restore Creation
It’s easy to give in to despair when facing the reality of climate change. What good is it if not enough can happen to alter our course? Yet part of being a follower of Jesus is holding on to hope, not a false hope that the earth will somehow magically cool, and the danger will pass, but a hope that is beyond all that.
ADULT FORUM
You can participate in the Adult Forum class in-person or on Zoom. More details are here.
April 7 & 14: “God’s Creation Needs the Church; God’s Church Needs Creation: Biblical Foundations for an Earth-Ethic”
Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade, associate professor of preaching and worship at Lexington Theological Seminary, will help us engage the Bible by rooting in God’s Creation to deepen and expand our faith. We will explore how the church can proclaim and enact justice for God’s Creation in the face of the many threats to the world God has made. By reading the Bible through a “green lens,” we will be inspired to make a difference for our planet, our churches and communities, and for our future.
April 21 & 28: "Our Holy Mountains – Creation Care in Appalachia"
Over two weeks, we will be exploring the importance of environmental justice in Kentucky. The first week we will learn about the effects of climate change and how we can make a difference in our individual lives and as community. In the second week we will explore how our local area has been impacted by exploitative practices and how change begins with conversations with our neighbors.
Matt Strange serves as Missioner for Outreach with Christ Church Cathedral and is an aspirant for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Lexington. Matt has been heavily involved in climate advocacy work, including: the inaugural Ecojustice Fellowship of the Episcopal Church, serving as a delegate to COP 28, the UN’s conference on climate change, and is an ambassador for Blessed Tomorrow, an interfaith coalition of EcoAmerica.
April 7 & 14: “God’s Creation Needs the Church; God’s Church Needs Creation: Biblical Foundations for an Earth-Ethic”
Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade, associate professor of preaching and worship at Lexington Theological Seminary, will help us engage the Bible by rooting in God’s Creation to deepen and expand our faith. We will explore how the church can proclaim and enact justice for God’s Creation in the face of the many threats to the world God has made. By reading the Bible through a “green lens,” we will be inspired to make a difference for our planet, our churches and communities, and for our future.
April 21 & 28: "Our Holy Mountains – Creation Care in Appalachia"
Over two weeks, we will be exploring the importance of environmental justice in Kentucky. The first week we will learn about the effects of climate change and how we can make a difference in our individual lives and as community. In the second week we will explore how our local area has been impacted by exploitative practices and how change begins with conversations with our neighbors.
Matt Strange serves as Missioner for Outreach with Christ Church Cathedral and is an aspirant for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Lexington. Matt has been heavily involved in climate advocacy work, including: the inaugural Ecojustice Fellowship of the Episcopal Church, serving as a delegate to COP 28, the UN’s conference on climate change, and is an ambassador for Blessed Tomorrow, an interfaith coalition of EcoAmerica.
VIDEOS
Use these videos from our "Follow Me" curriculum resources to spur your own thought, or as discussion starters in your household, small group, and beyond.
Week 1: Appreciate God's Abundance
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Week 2: Till
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Week 3: Share the Planet
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Week 4: Restore Creation
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Further video resources on Care for Creation:
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These videos are meant especially for kids and/or their parents.
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BoOKS & OTHER RESOURCES
Books
Websites & articles
Podcasts
Children's book recommendations
- Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Parenting for a Better World: Social Justice Practices for Your Family and the Planet edited by Susanna Snyder and Ellen Ott Marshall
- For the Beauty of the Earth: A Lenten Devotional by Leah Schade
- Creation and Last Things: At the Intersection of Theology and Science by Gregory Cootsona
- The Meaning of Creation: Genesis and Modern Science by Conrad Hyers
- Creation Care Discipleship: Why Earthkeeping Is an Essential Christian Practice by Steven Bouma-Prediger
- Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating by Norman Wirzba
- Singing the Psalms with My Son: Praying and Parenting for a Healed Planet by Wilson Dickinson
Websites & articles
- “Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice,” a paper adopted by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in 1990
- Climate solutions for your community from Blessed Tomorrow
- Climate solutions for your workplace or congregation from Blessed Tomorrow
- Care for creation resource hub from One Home, One Future
- Let's Talk Climate from Blessed Tomorrow (webcast discussion for the best thinking on climate change)
Podcasts
- The Bible for Normal People: Pete and Jared on Genesis
- The Bible for Normal People: Debra Rienstra - Eco-Theology: Beyond Stewardship
- The Bible for Normal People: Chris Hoklotubbe - The Bible and Native American Spirituality
Children's book recommendations
- What a Wonderful World by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
- Big Momma Makes the World by Phyllis Root
- 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World by Melanie Walsh
- When God Made the World by Matthew Paul Turner
- The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth by EarthWorks Group and Sophie Javna
- One Earth: People of Color Protecting Our Planet by Anuradha Rao
- Creation by Gerald McDermott
- Gwendolyn’s Pet Garden by Anne Renaud
- All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon
- How Does a Seed Sprout?: Life Cycles with The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- A Very Big Problem by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
- Outside In by Deborah Underwood
ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN
Eat the Rainbow
Here's an April eating challenge! Fill half your plate at each meal with colorful fruits and vegetables, locally grown when possible. It’s good for you and good for our climate!
Appreciating God's Creation
Each day of the week, invite family members to notice the elements of creation you encounter. Then when you are
together, take turns sharing your creation inventory for the day. Wonder what your life might be like without one or
more. Give thanks for God’s creation!
Seed Bombs
Make seed bombs with wildflower seeds to introduce more native plants for pollinators (bees, birds, and bugs) to do their
job. To learn about seed bombs, watch the video “Unleash the Power of Seed Bombs: Guerilla Gardening at
Its Best!” Then make some seed bombs that you can toss in dirt patches in your neighborhood. Use the directions provided in the previous video or watch the video “DIY Seed Bombs—Easy Spring Craft Project" to see how to make them with colorful paper using molds. You can also roll the paper and seed mixture into balls as well.
Here's an April eating challenge! Fill half your plate at each meal with colorful fruits and vegetables, locally grown when possible. It’s good for you and good for our climate!
Appreciating God's Creation
Each day of the week, invite family members to notice the elements of creation you encounter. Then when you are
together, take turns sharing your creation inventory for the day. Wonder what your life might be like without one or
more. Give thanks for God’s creation!
- Monday: light, dark, time
- Tuesday: sky and waters above and below
- Wednesday: land and vegetation (plants, trees, flowers, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and such)
- Thursday: sun, moon, stars, and seasons
- Friday: creatures in the skies (birds and such) and creatures in the waters (fish and such)
- Saturday: creatures on the land (animals and such) and humans
- Sunday: rest
Seed Bombs
Make seed bombs with wildflower seeds to introduce more native plants for pollinators (bees, birds, and bugs) to do their
job. To learn about seed bombs, watch the video “Unleash the Power of Seed Bombs: Guerilla Gardening at
Its Best!” Then make some seed bombs that you can toss in dirt patches in your neighborhood. Use the directions provided in the previous video or watch the video “DIY Seed Bombs—Easy Spring Craft Project" to see how to make them with colorful paper using molds. You can also roll the paper and seed mixture into balls as well.
ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH
Seed Bombs
Make seed bombs with wildflower seeds to introduce more native plants for pollinators (bees, birds, and bugs) to do their
job. To learn about seed bombs, watch the video “Unleash the Power of Seed Bombs: Guerilla Gardening at
Its Best!” Then make some seed bombs that you can toss in dirt patches in your neighborhood. Use the directions provided in the previous video or watch the video “DIY Seed Bombs—Easy Spring Craft Project" to see how to make them with colorful paper using molds. You can also roll the paper and seed mixture into balls as well.
Pick a Solution
Check out this guide with climate solutions for your home and neighborhood. Pick one or two and commit to practicing them throughout April. When the month is done, reflect with your family: how did it go? Can you sense the impact this made on the climate? What are long-term actions you and your family can take to address our changing climate and your impact on it?
Make seed bombs with wildflower seeds to introduce more native plants for pollinators (bees, birds, and bugs) to do their
job. To learn about seed bombs, watch the video “Unleash the Power of Seed Bombs: Guerilla Gardening at
Its Best!” Then make some seed bombs that you can toss in dirt patches in your neighborhood. Use the directions provided in the previous video or watch the video “DIY Seed Bombs—Easy Spring Craft Project" to see how to make them with colorful paper using molds. You can also roll the paper and seed mixture into balls as well.
Pick a Solution
Check out this guide with climate solutions for your home and neighborhood. Pick one or two and commit to practicing them throughout April. When the month is done, reflect with your family: how did it go? Can you sense the impact this made on the climate? What are long-term actions you and your family can take to address our changing climate and your impact on it?