Worship Materials
Worship is one of the more important activities we offer to God as the Body of Christ. Our worship services reflect our understanding of who God is, of who Jesus is. Within worship, our children see, hear and learn what is central to their parent's faith. Within worship we sometimes are blessed with a particularly powerful sense of God's presence. And our worship services are the one regular time for the whole community to gather. For all these reasons and more, we believe that our worship services need to celebrate God's creation, include a Biblical understanding of creation care.
The Creation Sunday worship resources provided here are organized in the following manner. Click on any title to jump to that section.
- Introit
- Calls to Worship
- Processional Hymns or Hymns of Praise
- Invocations
- Worship Hymns
- New Testament Lessons
- Old Testament Lessons
- Responsive Readings
- Prayers of Confession
- Offertory Hymns
- Prayers of Thanks
- Children’s Sermons
- Sermon Outlines
- Hymns of Commitment
- Benedictions
You will find that a prayer or hymn that we have put in one worship category would work just as well in another. Have fun creating your service! May it be one filled with joy and gratitude. The peace of Christ be with you.
- Introit
Morning Has Broken
Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
Bring O Morn, Thy Music (mentions oceans) - Calls to Worship
Example A
Praise the LORD, my soul! O Lord, my God, how great you are! You have spread out the heavens like a tent. You have set the Earth Firmly on its foundations. May the glory of the LORD last forever! May the LORD be happy with what He has made! Praise the LORD, my soul! Praise the LORD! (Ps. 104: 1-2, 5, 31, 35b).
Example B
Leader: We gather together this day to show God's love to one another, to worship Jesus Christ, and express gratitude for God's beautiful creation. Let us read together Colossians 1:15-20.
All: Christ "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."
Leader: May we worship this Christ in spirit and in truth.
Example C
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. (Psalm 148: 1-5)
Example D
The world belongs to God, the earth and all its people. How good and how lovely it is to live together in unity. Love and faith come together, justice and peace join hands. If the Lord's disciples keep silent these stones would shout aloud. Lord, open our lips, and our mouths shall proclaim your praise. Let us worship God. (Source: Peacemaking Through Worship II.)
Example E (health emphasis)
Ps. 103:1-5 - “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.”
Example F (oceans and land emphasis)
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth (Ps. 96:1-3,11-13).
Example G (endangered creatures emphasis)
How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures (Ps. 104:24). Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth (Ps. 108:5).
Processional Hymns or Hymns of Praise
- Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- This Is My Father's World
- All Creatures of Our God and King
- Praise the Lord! Ye Heavens, Adore Him
- Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me (The Sailor's Hymn)
- Invocations
Example A
Loving God, you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing, giving them their food in due season. We thank you for sustaining such a rich and bountiful earth; we thank you for sustaining us. Encourage in us our assumption of appropriate responsibility. Grant us gratitude at the richness you provide. In Christ's name. Amen. (Taken from Simpler Living, Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective (SLCL), edited by Michael Schut)
Example B
Our God, we praise you for the wonders of your creation. It is very good! May we proclaim our gratitude for the beauty of nature and the blessings of humankind! Help us to look at those around us with eyes of joy and compassion. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. (From "The Environment" Life Search Series, Abingdon Press.)
Example C (health emphasis)
Almighty God, our Creator, today we wish to especially remember and thank you for all the gifts of your good creation. As the Psalmist reminds us, "the earth is the Lord's, and all the fullness thereof." (Psalm 24: 1) We thank you for the gift of our very lives, the lives of our loved ones, the lives of everyone present here.
We thank you for the gift of clean air, for the breath we take each moment, for the food we are blessed with, food grown with the gift of sunlight, rain, soil and hard work. Thank you for the world around us which you have made. And thank you for the health and vitality of our minds and bodies. We know that we are ultimately dependent on you, for in you "we live and move and have our being," as Paul says in Acts 17.
Be with us here today. May we grow in our love for each other and for you, and may we seek a better understanding of our blessings, our responsibilities, and our opportunities to serve and preserve this world and all those who live in it. We pray all these things through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Example D (oceans emphasis)
Dear Lord, we gratefully acknowledge you as Creator and Owner of all. In your mercy, forgive us our sins and remain among us now. We proclaim your intention that all of Your creation, all your land, seas, and animals, sings to your glory. We acknowledge our responsibility to you, our Creator, to care for all you have made. Open our hearts to a greater understanding of your love for all your creatures, stir our hearts, and empower us to action through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Example E (endangered creatures)
Dear Lord, we praise you for the beauty, extravagance, and integrity of all your creation. We praise you for being the sustaining life of all things. Thank you for your living gifts that delight and sustain us. Be among us now, sustainer of all life, and grant us strength and courage to be faithful stewards of all your creatures so that all creation will proclaim your glory as You intend. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Worship Hymns
- All Things Bright and Beautiful
- Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
- I Sing the Almighty Power of God
- We Sing the Greatness of Our God
- How Great Thou Art
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- This Is My Father's World
- All Creatures of Our God and King
- Morning Has Broken
- Hail to the Lord's Annointed (mentions oceans)
- The God of Our Salvation Hears (mentions oceans)
New Testament Lessons
- Jesus Christ and Creation
- Christ as Creator and Reconciler of all of creation - Colossians 1: 15-20; I Cor. 8: 6.
- Christ as Creator and Sustainer of all of creation - Hebrews 1:1-4.
- Christ as Creator - John 1: 1-3.
- God sending Christ for the whole cosmos; John 3:16.
- Christians' responsibility to care for creation
- Christians are to preach the good news of Christ's reconciliation to all of creation. Mark 16:15, Col. 1:15-20.
- We help show God's glory on earth by helping creation sing the Creator's praises. Revelation 4:11, Revelation 5:13, Revelation 21:5-6
- The Holy Spirit will help us. Romans 8:26-27
- We are to teach others. Mark 1:16-18
- There are consequences for destroying the earth. Revelation 11:18.
- Creation is waiting for Christians to fulfill their stewardship obligation. Romans 8:18-22.
- Creation-care is people-care, too
- One way we express love for our neighbor is to care for the creation that God has provided for them and that they depend on. Luke 10:27, Luke 6:31, Matthew 7:12.
- There are consequences to ourselves and to others if we do not care for God's creation. Revelation 11:18, Matthew 25:44-45.
- Creation-friendly Lifestyles
- Begin now to heal the rest of creation from the damage caused by pollution and overconsumption in preparation of Christ’s final reconciliation in the future - Rom. 8, especially verses 18-23 (see also Schaeffer, Pollution and the Death of Man, Chapter 5).
- The story of the rich young man as an invitation by Christ to free us from that which keeps us from fully following Christ - Mark 10:17-27.
- True contentment comes from the presence of Christ in our lives, not through overconsumption which harms us spiritually and the poor and the rest of creation physically - Heb. 13:5.
(For additional New Testament texts see both our Scriptures page and the Human Health: Major Biblical Themes and Texts section below.)
- Jesus Christ and Creation
Old Testament Lessons
- All creation praising God
- Psalm 148
- portions of Psalm 104
- Psalm 96:11-13
- God's care for the creation
- Psalm 119: 89-91
- Psalm 65:9-13
- The earth is the Lord's
- Psalm 24: 1
- Psalm 95:3-5
- Genesis 1, the creation story
- Nehemiah 9:6 (mentions oceans)
- Job 38:2,4,8-11 (mentions oceans)
- Job 12:7-10 (mentions oceans)
- Creation affected by humanity's sins
- Hosea 4: 1-3
- Ezekiel 34:17-18
- Genesis 3:17-19, 23
- Isaiah 24: 4-6
- Leviticus 18:24-26,28
- Isaiah 5:8
- The final goal of creation: a new heaven and new Earth.
- Isaiah 11:6-9
- Isaiah 32:15-17
- Isaiah 65:17, 21-22
- Psalm 72:18-19
(For additional Old Testament texts see both our Scriptures page and the Human Health: Major Biblical Themes and Texts section below.)
- All creation praising God
- Responsive Readings
Example A
LEADER: O LORD, our LORD, how majestic is your name in all the Earth! (Ps. 8:1)
PEOPLE: You said, "Let there be light," and there was light (Gn. 1:3).
LEADER: You said, "Let the water be filled with many kinds of living beings, and let the air be filled with birds" (Gn. 1:20).
PEOPLE: You blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters, and let the birds fill the skies" (Gn. 1:22).
LEADER: You make the springs flow in the valleys, and rivers run between the hills. They provide water for the wild animals (Ps. 104:10-11).
PEOPLE: From the sky you send rain on the hills, and the Earth is filled with your blessings (Ps. 104:3).
LEADER: LORD, you have made so many things! How wisely you made them all. The Earth is filled with your creatures (Ps. 104:24).
PEOPLE: When you turn away, they are afraid; when you take away your breath, they die and go back to the dust from which they came. But when you give them breath, they are created; you give new life to the Earth (Ps. 104:29-30).
ALL: O LORD, our LORD, how majestic is your name in all the Earth!
Example B (Psalm 148: 1-13)
LEADER: Praise the Lord.
PEOPLE: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
LEADER: Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
PEOPLE: Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
ALL: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.
LEADER: He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.
PEOPLE: Praise the Lord from the Earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,
LEADER: You mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
PEOPLE: Kings of the Earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on Earth, young men and maidens, old men and children.
ALL: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exulted; his splendor is above the Earth and the heavens.
Example C (Portions of Job 38)
LEADER: Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm:
PEOPLE: Where were you when I laid the Earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
LEADER: Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
PEOPLE: On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone -- while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
LEADER: Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb
PEOPLE: When I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness...?
LEADER: Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place?
PEOPLE: Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?
LEADER: Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail?
PEOPLE: What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the East winds are scattered over the Earth?
LEADER: Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorms, to water land where no man lives, a desert with no one in it?
PEOPLE: Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in the thicket?
ALL: Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42: 1)
Example D (Job 12:7-10) (endangered creatures emphasis)
LEADER: But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
PEOPLE: Or the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
LEADER: Or speak to the Earth, and it will teach you,
PEOPLE: Or let the fish of the sea inform you.
LEADER: Which of all these does not know that the handle the Lord has done this?
PEOPLE: In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all humankind.
Example E (health emphasis)
LEADER: Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
PEOPLE: We are here to praise the LORD and remember God’s good gifts. He forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases and satisfies our desires for good things.
LEADER: We remember that Jesus healed all the sick.
PEOPLE: We remember that Christ came that we might have abundant life, life to the full.
ALL: Praise the LORD, who creates us, sustains us, and reconciles us, praise his holy name.
- Prayers of Confession
Example A
Jesus, we come before you today wanting to be your people. Yet we are often lost and do not reflect your image in us. We confess we are seduced by the lure of greater wealth and the accumulation of stuff; help us find true contentment in your presence and your grace. We know you are the Creator and called all of creation good; we confess hard hearts in the face of what is happening to your creation. Fill our hearts with your love for all things. We confess that we are sometimes overwhelmed with the disparity between rich and poor and that we do not know how to respond. Help us to build your kingdom of peace and justice. We praise you for your mercy and your power, and ask your forgiveness. May we have the strength to repent, to turn around; heal us we pray. In your name. Amen
Example B
Gracious God:
For the times we have failed to think of the harm done to air, water, land, plants, and animals,
Christ have mercy.
For failing to conserve energy, Lord have mercy.
For ignoring our civic responsibilities, Jesus have mercy.
For allowing ourselves to be saturated by the allurements of a consuming culture, Christ have mercy.
For not living more simply so others could simply live, Lord have mercy.
For failing to ask forgiveness, Jesus have mercy.
For not being thankful for the many gifts God has given, Christ have mercy.
(Adapted from Eco- Church: An Action Manual by Albert Fritsch, Resource Publications.)Example C (endangered creatures emphasis)
UNISON: Creator of the universe, everything that we have comes from you. Abundantly you provide for our needs. Even before we speak, you know the deepest desires of our hearts. Graciousness and goodness are your nature. Here to return our backs on what is good. We greedily snatch the gifts you hold out to us and hoard them for ourselves alone. We trample upon the works of your hands. Selfishness and greed mark our footsteps. We leave a trail of waste and destruction behind us. What is meant for good, we use for evil . Forgive us, gracious God, and give us a special concern for your world.
LEADER: The good news is this: in Christ we are reconciled and re-created.
PEOPLE: Praise be to God.
LEADER: Let us this day take the time to enjoy our relationship with our Creator made possible in our Savior Jesus Christ and to appreciate the goodness of the creation.
PEOPLE: We declare this day to be a Sabbath unto God, a day of rest for all creation.
(Source: Healing and Defending God's Creation: Hands on! Practical Ideas for Congregations, Volume 1, Presbyterian Church.)Example D (health emphasis)
Gracious One, we come before You seeking your mercy. Christ, we acknowledge that you are our Savior, you are the Great Physician, healer of body and soul. We acknowledge that we have sinned against you by hurting others. We recognize that pollution hurts others by impacting their health and we have participated in activities that produce pollution. We pray that you help us to repent. Help us find ways to reduce our pollution and that which our society creates. Empower us to travel the road of repentance. Amen.
Offertory Hymns
- This Is My Father's World
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- Now Thank We All Our God
- Hail to the Lord's Annointed
- Prayers of Thanks
Example A
Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, thank you for the gift of all life, mysteriously held together in and through Jesus Christ. For the everyday miracle of sun, air, water and soil becoming green, living things; for seeds and soil, green stem and air, fruit on vine, falling fruit rotting on moist ground, new seed again, we give you thanks. For your care and sustenance we are grateful. Be with us here, may our hearts be open to you and one another. May the seeds of your truth take root in our hearts. In Jesus' name. Amen. (Simpler Living, Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective, Schut)
Example B
Creator God, we rejoice in all life! We rejoice in this beautiful world! Thank you God for deserts, dry and forbidding yet bursting with life at even the hint of rain. Thank you for mountains, stunning and humbling. Thank you for forests, deep and quieting. Thank you for prairies, vast and ennobling. Thank you for oceans, teeming and unknown. Thank you for farmland, rich and bountiful. Thank you for clean air, life-giving yet unseen. Thank you for clean water, sparkling and clear. Thank you God for giving us your life.
Example C (endangered creatures emphasis)
Creator God, we rejoice in all life! We rejoice in this beautiful world! Thank you for all its people: the nomadic herder, the harried stock-broker, the patient farmer, the coffee-grower, the careful hunter, the loving teacher, the reindeer shepherd. Thank you for all life: for grizzly bear and tiger-lily, for humpback whale and field mouse, for Douglas fir and eastern hemlock, for sugar maple and flying squirrel, for Joshua tree and kangaroo.
Thank you God for giving us your life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Example D (health emphasis)
Gracious One, all good gifts are from you. All that we have is yours. Jesus, you came that we might have abundant life, a life filled with your grace and your spirit. Thank you for physical and spiritual health. Thank you for those who love us and help keep us healthy and fill our lives with joy. Bless these monetary gifts, these tokens of our gratitude for all your many blessings, including the blessing of health. Amen.
Example E (oceans emphasis)
Dear Lord, you create and sustain all things. We thank you for the extravagance of your love, which you show us in the abundance of your creation. We thank you for the wonder of your oceans, for all the creatures who call the oceans their home, and for the clean, fresh air and rain you bring to us through the daily cycling of water and air. We pray that you bless your oceans and bless us as their stewards. Lord Christ, it is in your precious and holy name we pray. Amen.
- Children's Sermons
Example A (endangered creatures emphasis)
Ask the children who has heard of Noah. What did God ask him to do? (Build a big boat, or ark.) What did God tell Noah to do with the ark/boat? (Put animals of every kind in it). Why? (To save them from the flood). Who knows what happened? (God made it rain for forty days and nights, and water covered the earth. Only the people and animals in Noah's boat survived.) God wanted to save the animals, so God had Noah build the ark. Today, the animals on earth are threatened. God wants us to save the animals (and plants) today just like Noah did (Gen. 9:8-17, Rom. 8:19-23). What are some ways we can be like Noah and help God save the animals today? (Plant flowers or a tree to attract butterflies and wildlife. Take care of our pets. Use reusable containers for lunch. Get a reusable water bottle. Turn off the light when you leave the room. Open your window instead of putting on the air conditioning — that saves energy. Put on a sweater instead of asking for more heat. Ask your parents to snip your six-pack bottle holders so animals don't get caught and die in them. Take your bike or walk instead of asking for a ride — pollution from cars harms animals. Ask your parents to not use chemicals on the lawn or garden — these chemicals can hurt animals. Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or wash your hands — wasted water hurts animals that live in rivers and streams. Recycle cans, bottles, and paper.) End with thanking God for all the wonderful creatures he created, and reminding the children that we can each do our part to save the animals like Noah did.
Example B (oceans emphasis)
Ask the children if any of them have seen the movie Finding Nemo. Where do Nemo and his dad live? (in the ocean) Tell them that lots of God's creatures live in the oceans. What else lives in the oceans (dolphins, whales, fish, turtles). Do they know that most of God's creatures live in the oceans? (Over 90% of all life on earth lives in the oceans). The Bible tells us we are to take care of God's other creatures. How can we can help take care of all the creatures in God's oceans? (not throw litter on the beach or in the water, don't dump trash in the creek at home, ride your bike instead of ask your parents for a ride - auto pollution causes global warming, which threatens the existence of coral reefs and other oceanic species). God wants us to care for these other creatures too, and there is lots each of us can do. End with a prayer thanking God for all the fish and other creatures in God's oceans and praying that we each do our part.
Example C (health emphasis)
Have the children hold their breath for as long as they can and then raise their hands when they've exhaled and breathed in again. Now imagine what it would be like if right as you were taking that breath a person stronger than you came along and put his hands over your nose and mouth to prevent you from breathing, or punched you in the stomach and knocked the wind out of you. Think how desperate you would be for a breath. That's what it can be like when you have asthma. Who knows someone with asthma? Is it any fun when they get an asthma attack and have trouble breathing? One of the things that brings on an attack of asthma is dirty air or air pollution. Where does air pollution come from? It comes from cars and trucks that use gasoline and from power plants that use coal to create electricity. The Bible tells us that Jesus healed people who were hurt or sick. Do you think Jesus would want us to help children with asthma by reducing our pollution? How can we do that?
Sermon Outlines
These are found on a separate page: sermon outlines.
Hymns of Commitment
- How Great Thou Art
- Great is Thy Faithfulness
- This Is My Father's World
- Fairest Lord Jesus
- Cast Thy Bread Upon the Waters
- Benedictions
Example A
As we leave this place, may our worship continue. May we go out with joy and be led forth with peace. May we have ears to hear the mountains and hills bursting into song around us; may we have eyes to see the trees of the field clapping their hands. And may we join with them in joyful gratitude and praise to God our creator. (Mike Schut)
Example B
Jesus, our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer has been here with us. May His spirit stay close beside us, may we open our eyes to the beauty and gift of His creation, may we be filled with gratitude and act with love and mercy. Christ's peace be with you.