Prayer
How do we pray for God’s creation and for the climate?
Here are some simple suggestions:
Firstly, we pray together, in and with creation, not just for creation. Scripture is clear that the whole creation prays without ceasing: rivers, mountains, birds, animals, even rocks can cry out! As we pray outdoors, in creation, we become aware of this orchestra of worship that constantly rises up to God. Our individual prayers are part of a great chorus, strengthened as we pray with other believers (online or in person), with creation, and with the great company of saints.
Next, we pray with lament, grief and weeping, especially amidst today’s climate crisis and the disappearance of precious biodiversity. Creation is groaning and God’s Spirit joins in with groans too deep for words (Romans 8). The Bible is full of lament and we join in, throwing ourselves on our faces before God, pleading and longing for his justice and salvation. Hope is born of the desperation of lament, knowing that God alone can change things.
Then, we pray with discernment, passion and persistence. Prayer is not a list of requests to a heavenly Santa Claus, nor a political agenda bracketed with ‘Dear Lord’ and ‘Amen’. It is a conversation with our loving, listening Father, where we implore using our minds, our hearts and our body language. As we pray, we listen for God’s Spirit prompting and changing our own ideas, We pray boldly, because we know we are connecting to the God before whom nations are like dust or drops of water (Isaiah 40:15).
Finally, we pray with adoration and expectancy. The early Christians in Rome, violently persecuted and living underground, are pictured in the catacombs standing with faces and palms upwards. We can rejoice, even in the midst of a creation in crisis, because God’s character and promises do not change, and Jesus’ resurrection guarantees future hope for the renewal of creation. Lifting our faces in worship, we receive the hope-fuelled vision we need to continue in prayer and action for God’s beloved and beleaguered creation.
Dave Bookless, for the LWCCN Family
From ‘The Pollinator: Prayer for God’s Creation, 2 Dec 2020’
A Rocha’s At Your Service
A Rocha International’s At Your Service is a repository of creation care resources for churches. If you teach, preach or lead worship, this is for you. ‘At Your Service’ has been designed for Christian groups who want to explore the biblical basis of caring for God’s earth. You’ll find sermon ideas, Bible studies, prayers, songs, children’s activities and much, much more.
Other Prayer Resources
Karakia for our Climate is a partner organisation of the Eco Church NZ project and a Christian youth-led network seeking to invite Christian communities in Aotearoa to prayerfully engage in climate action. They create prayer resources like the ones below.
The Puriri Prayer and the Kawakawa Prayer - Prayers inspired by native trees written by John Staniland from St Mark’s Swanson and co-chair of the A Rocha Auckland local group.
Prayers with a creation care theme - Prayers written by Silvia Purdie , co-convenor of the A Rocha Christchurch local group. Includes prayers of praise, prayers of confession, prayers of blessing, prayers for a planting day, prayers based on Scripture, and prayers of dedication.
Prayers for Southern People: Poems and Prayers for Christian Worship and Devotions. By Joy Kingsbury-Aitken - Lay preachers, clergy and worship leaders, are you looking for new prayers and liturgy to refresh your worship and engage your congregations? Do you want worship-tested liturgy that honours southern hemisphere seasons? Does your congregation enjoy responsive prayers? Part 2 of the book features themed Sunday services for the Season of Creation.
The Season of Creation is an annual celebration of prayer and action to protect creation. It is celebrated by Christians of all traditions, and the leaders of faith traditions have encouraged the faithful to participate. The season begins September 1, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and runs through October 4, the Feast of St. Francis, who is the patron saint of ecology in many traditions. Check out their website for the latest Season of Creation resources - which are updated annually.
Climate Intercessors has a page of prayer resources including Prayer Guides and Prayer Collections that you can use.
Caritas NZ has a prayer booklet with prayers focused around the theme of water and climate change. This resource was written for the Just Water: Climate Change in the Pacific series.
CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development has some prayers for the world and the environment on their website.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace offers this prayer: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor.
Christian Reformed Churches’ Climate Witness Project - Creation Care Prayers.
26 Prayers for the Climate and Ecological Emergency written by Rev. Jon Swales. Some of the prayers have accompanying videos.
Laudato Si’ Movement Prayer Book - 62 prayers. 25 countries represented. The Laudato Si’ Movement Prayer Book features moving prayers from around the globe and will help you and your loved ones experience the ecological conversion that St. Pope John Paul II first mentioned and Pope Francis echoed in Laudato Si’. This life-changing book also represents the diversity of Laudato Si’ Movement, with its multicultural richness and representation of different branches in our Church. Download it here: https://mail.laudatosimovement.org/landing/prayerbook
Prayer Ideas
Spend some time in a place of natural beauty. Be quiet and use all your senses to discover something you had never noticed before. Give God thanks for that thing. Meditate on Scripture and ask God to speak to you through something that you see, hear, feel or smell.
Laudato Si’ Movement offer some guide on Contemplation with Creation: Contemplation helps us to better hear creation’s song by opening us to gratitude and awe. Contemplation allows us to open to the cries of the earth and poor, by increasing our capacity to be with the suffering of others. Contemplation finally helps us to hear creation’s call to us to respond to the healing of our earth by quieting the mind to better discern what is ours to do.
Join others in prayer
Karakia For Our Climate is a group of followers of Jesus, looking to empower the Church in supporting those who are lobbying for climate justice. They believe that the Church has the unique opportunity to intercede for the people of Aotearoa and invite others to join them in this.
Climate Intercessors is a network of people around the globe and from many Christian expressions who want to join together to pray the prayers commensurate to the reality and urgency of the climate crisis, particularly in the run-up to COP26.
Creation Care Prayer Network is a network of communities committed to the healing of our common home. The network is connected through prayer and Eucharastic adoration and coordinated by Global Catholic Climate Movement.
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