An Outline for Worship with Examples and Options for Adaptation and Use
Prepared by the National Council of the Churches of Christ
Worship Preparations
Scripture
But ask the animals and they will teach you;
the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being. (Job 12:7-10)
But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. (2 Peter 3:13)
Praising/Adoring
May ground below
air above
sea around
be hallowed
filled with the Three-in-One
God of Life
Christ of Love
Spirit of Peace.
May all cry, "Glory!"
before the Three-in-One
God of Life
Christ of Love
Spirit of Peace.(Source: The Hymnal: A Worship Book, Brethren Press, Elgin, IL, 1992, #682. By Linea Reimer. Used by permission.)
The Daily Round
The heavens bespeak the glory of God.
The firmament ablaze, a text of his works.
Dawn whispers to sunset
Dark to dark the word passes; glory glory.
All in a great silence.
no tongue's clamor--
yet the web of the world trembles
conscious, as of great winds passing.
The bridegroom's tent is raised,
a cry goes up: He comes! a radiant sun
rejoicing, presiding, his wedding day.
From end to end of the universe his progress
No creature, no least being but catches fire from him.Daniel Berrigan
(Source: Earth Prayers, edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon, 1991, p. 339. Reprinted by arrangement with HarperSanFrancisco, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.)
Creation of a New Day
Imagine an infant nursing at his mother's breast. His mother grows weak. But the infant continues suckling, allowing her no rest, until she is dead.
Then the infant must die, too.Humankind is such an infant.
We must remember that we are not God's only child. If we are indeed the steward of divine purpose, we must act on earth as angels of mercy, not angels of destruction. We must consecrate the great accumulated wisdom of Science--so often the servant of greed--to the service of Life.
We must say, do, and be everything possible to realize the goal of the Environmental Sabbath: an ecological society, one in which people live responsibly and cooperatively within and with the rest of Creation. We cannot let our mother die. We must love and replenish her.
On this day we restore the Earth!
(Source: adaptation from "Eco-Church: An action Manual," by Albert Fritsch with Angela Iadavaia-Cox, Resource Publications, Inc., 1992, p. 29. Used by permission.)
Praise of Creation
Leader: O God, We come as your people to adore you; You are the ground of all that is.
People: You hold us in being, and without you we could not be.
Leader: Before we were born, before time began, before creation came into being, you were.
People: When time is finished, when creation is no more, You will still be. Nothing can take your power from you, Creator.
Leader: And in your presence, we can only be silent before the mystery of your being;
People: for now words of ours can do justice to your glory, your words will bring peace and love to us.
All: Amen
(Source: World Council of Churches' World Convocation on Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation, Seoul, Korea, March 1990. Used by permission.)