← Back to Worship Resources

Celebrating Creation

Description

Here are worship resources that celebrate creation and our Creator God, and explore our role as caretakers of creation.

Scripture

Genesis 1
Psalm 8
Psalm 19
Psalm 104
Job 37-40
John 1:1-5
Colossians 1:15-20
Hebrews 11:3

Prayers

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We thank God for the world he has made,
and for all his love and care.

For the warmth of the sun,
Father in heaven
we give you thanks and praise.

For the rain which makes things grow,
Father in heaven
we give you thanks and praise.

For the woods and the fields,
Father in heaven
we give you thanks and praise.

For the sea and the sky,
Father in heaven
we give you thanks and praise.

For the flowers and the animals,
Father in heaven
we give you thanks and praise.

For families and holidays,
Father in heaven
we give you thanks and praise.

For all your gifts,
Father in heaven
we give you thanks and praise.

Amen.

~ from New Patterns for Worship, copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2002. Available on the Church of England’s Common Worship website.
http://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts.aspx

Prayer Litany (based on Psalm 104)

Praise the Lord!
O Lord my God, how great you are!
You placed the world on its foundation
so it would never be moved.
You clothed the earth with floods of water—
water that covered even the mountains.
At your command, the water fled;
at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away.
Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed.
Then you set a firm boundary for the seas,
so they would never again cover the earth.
You make springs pour water into the ravines,
so streams gush down from the mountains.
They provide water for all the animals—,
even the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds nest beside the streams
and sing among the branches of the trees.
You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home,
and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
You cause grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for people to use.
You allow them to produce food from the earth—
wine to make them glad,
olive oil to soothe their skin,
and bread to give them strength.

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your creatures.
They all depend on you to give them food as they need it.
When you supply it, they gather it.
You open your hand to feed them,
and they are richly satisfied.

May the glory of the Lord continue forever!
May the Lord take pleasure in all he has made!

~ Christine Longhurst

Prayer of Praise and Confession (inspired by Psalm 8)

Wonderful Creator God,
the whole earth declares your greatness.
Your glory glows in the heavens and is seen in the
moon and the stars which you have set in place.

What are we that you care for us?
Yet you have made us only a little lower than yourself
and crowned us with glory and honor.
You have given us responsibility to care for the sheep and cattle,
for wild things, for all creatures that swim and fly.

Forgive us for destroying rather than restoring
and for polluting rather than nurturing.
Help us to declare your glory and the glory of your world.

Amen.

~ from The Micah Challenge. Posted on Rev. Abi’s Long and Winding Road blog.
http://vicarofwadley.blogspot.com/

Spoken Resources

Call to Worship (adapted from Psalm 148)

Praise God from the heavens!
Praise Him from the skies above!
Praise God, angels and all the hosts of heaven!
Praise Him, sun and moon, and shining stars!
Praise God, all creatures great and small,
Praise Him, animals and birds, reptiles and fish!
Praise God, kings of the earth and people everywhere,
Praise Him, men and women, young and old!
Let all the earth bring praise to the Lord,
at whose word creation came into being.
We gather to praise and worship our God!
~ Christine Longhurst

The Story of Creation for Child-Like Hearts

(Consider having one person tell the story while another performs the actions.)

In the beginning, the world was dark, and there was no shape.
(Put hands over eyes and shake head "no.")
God moved over the water.
(Move arms left to right in front of body.)
Then God spoke and said, "Let there be light."
(Cup hands around mouth.)
And there was light!
(Arch hands over head like you are making a big sun.)
And God said, "This is good!"
(Make a “thumbs up” sign.)
God separated the day from the night.
(Push arms away from sides of body.)
God separated the heavens from the earth.
(Push one arm up and one arm down vertically away from body.)
God separated the water from the land.
(Push arms away from front of body as if pushing something away from you.)
And God said, "This is good!"
(Make "thumbs up” sign.)
God made plants to grow.
(Squat down, put hands and arms together over your head, and slowly stand upward and reach high.)
God made the stars at night.
(While hands are still high over head, open hands and fingers wide, and wiggle fingers.)
And God said, "This is good!"
(Make “thumbs up” sign.)
God made the fish in the sea, and the birds in the air.
(Put hands together, fingers closed, and move them like a fish tail swimming; then put arms out at sides and flap like a bird.)
And God said, "This is good!"
(Make "thumbs up" sign.)
God made animals on the land.
(Let children imitate different animals they know--bunnies hopping, dogs barking, etc.)
And God said, "This is good!"
(Make "thumbs up" sign.)
Then God made people in God's own image.
(Smile and point to self, then look to heavens.)
God said to the people, "Take good care of my world!"
(Point finger and shake it in front, as if shaking it at someone.)
And God said, "This world is good!"
(Make "thumbs up" sign and have all say "This is Good!”)

~ posted on KAIROS Water Worship Service
www.kairoscanada.org

Benediction

May the blessing of God, Creator of heaven and Earth,
rest upon you and upon all that God has made;

May the Risen Christ Jesus transform your life and your vision,
so that you may live in reconciliation with all things; and

May the power of God’s Holy Spirit move over this whole Earth,
like the breath of Spring,
to renew the Earth and all its people,
so that all creation may join together in praise to God’s holy name!

Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless you now and forever. Amen.

~ written by Kim Winchell, in Living Earth: Creation Waits with Eager Longing. Posted on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America website.
http://www.elca.org/

Songs

Traditional Hymn: I Sing the Mighty Power of God

Worship Together #251

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord that filled the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Your wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky!

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Your glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Your throne;
While all that borrows life from You is ever in Your care;
And everywhere that I may be, Lord, You are present there.

~ Isaac Watts, alt.

Contemporary Hymn: Morning Has Broken

Morning has broken, like the first morning.
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlight from heaven.
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetnes of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning.
Born of the one light Eden saw play.
Praise with elation, praise every morning;
God's recreation of the new day.

Morning has broken, like the first morning.
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.

Tune suggestions:
BUNESSAN

Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0TInLOJuUM

Contemporary Song: All Creatures of Our God and King

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him alleluia
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him O praise Him
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heav'n along
O praise Him alleluia
Thou rising moon in praise rejoice
Ye lights of evening find a voice
O praise Him O praise Him
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him alleluia
Praise praise the Father praise the Son
And praise the Spirit three in One
O praise Him O praise Him
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

O alleluia alleluia
O alleluia alleluia
O alleluia alleluia
O alleluia alleluia
Alleluia

~ Brent Milligan, David Crowder, St. Francis of Assisi, William Henry Draper. Text copyright © 2002 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing), sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing), Moon & Musky Music. CCLI Song #3608102. If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Listen to it here:
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=564108

Contemporary Song: Almighty Creator

Almighty Creator
You spoke and there was light
There was light
And by Your great power
You spoke and there was day
And there was night
And You made all things to
Show Your glory
Formed all things to bring You praise

And You’ve created me to worship You
And You’ve created me to love You
And You have made me to delight in You
All glory to Your name!

The mountains, the oceans
All creatures great and small
In the earth
All nations, all peoples
Of all colors came to be
By Your Word
And you shed your blood for
Our salvation
So You could make us anew

Listen to it here: http://sovereigngracemusic.org/Songs/Almighty_Creator/15

Images

~ Orpheus with Birds and Beasts, Roelandt Jacobsz Savery, 1622

Notes

This worship resource was created/compiled by Christine Longhurst. You are welcome to use it free of charge, and where appropriate, please note the source. If you are printing any of the resources for distribution, please print the source as well. The content of the worship resource does not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, which oversees the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. For more worship resources by Christine Longhurst, see http://www.re-worship.blogspot.ca or http://www.faithmatters.ca.

← Back to Worship Resources