Creationtide, sometimes referred to as the Season of Creation, is a period in the annual church calendar where we think about God as Creator, and Sustainer of all life. Creationtide takes place between 1 September and 4 October, and therefore tends to be in the period leading up to Harvest Thanksgiving.
The theme this year is ‘Let Justice and Peace Flow’, and the symbol is a mighty river. This comes from Isaiah 43:19 – ‘Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware
of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.’ When we join the river of justice and peace with others, hope is created instead of despair.
Prophet Amos cries out: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24) and so we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity.
As the people of God, we must work together on behalf of all Creation, as part of that mighty river of peace and justice.
A prayer for Creationtide
Holy God, earth and air and water are your creation, and every living thing belongs to you. Give us the will and the courage to simplify the way we live, to reduce the energy we use, to share the resources you provide, and to bear the cost of change.
Information about Creationtide
The New Testament Bible Readings for this Sunday are Romans 12:9-21 and Matthew 16:21-28. Paul contrasts living together in the Messiah with living alongside the world. He balances both the marks of a true Christian and on how Christians should try to respond. Tom Wright helps us with a link to Creationtide; “Because we believe in a creator God who made a good and lovely world, we believe that everything which defaces and distorts, damages or spoils part of that creation …is … evil. The question is, what are we going to do about it?”
Matthew brings a strong challenge, not only to Peter, to us too in our discipleship journey. “ Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” And there’s a promise for us alongside.
Some rich food for thought as we start our Creationtide journey together.