Creation Stewardship
We acknowledge that we are in strange and unprecedented times, but also recognize the importance of continuing, as able, to celebrate our anniversary year as something we can do together while we are apart.

This year, the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast is celebrating its 50th Jubilee Anniversary. Each month of 2020, we have chosen a particular focus that honors our life in Christ in very special ways and highlights our theme of Remember, Reorient, Renew. We've also created a toolkit full of resources to help you celebrate with us. All of our resources for the year are available on our website at www.diocgc.org/jubilee-celebration.
For the month of May our focus is on Creation Stewardship. Navigating our way through the Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenge to us all worldwide - physically, socially, mentally, economically and spiritually. Oddly enough our quarantining has led to a respite for our island home and nature is recuperating in ways that many could never have imagined, perhaps inspiring us to re-examine our environmental safeguarding habits.

As a whole Episcopal church, we have promised to place the care of God's Creation at the heart of our common life. Together, we have taken up church-wide action in order to treasure the integrity of Creation and to sustain and renew the life of the Earth. As a diocese, we can commit to joining in this promise by making changes in our daily lives that support the care of God’s great gift for generations to come.
Collect for Our Jubilee Year
Lord God of all creation, fill us with your grace as we remember your kindness and goodness towards us, through providence and through struggle; and let the trumpets proclaim the year of Jubilee, a year of the Lord’s favor, as we dedicate ourselves to reorient our mission efforts to renew your Gospel in our midst. May your Spirit inspire us, we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Special Prayers for Creation
For Stewardship of Creation ( The Book of Common Prayer , p. 259)
O merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature: Make us always thankful for your loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your good gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for Joy in God’s Creation ( The Book of Common Prayer , p. 814)
O heavenly Father, who has filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Additional "Green" Prayers
This resource lists a number of prayers centered on creation that can be used in worship or daily devotion. Find them here.
May 24 - Diocesan-wide Tree Planting Sunday
Our original plan was to invite churches to host a tree planting event on their campus with their whole congregation participating. Since gathering together is not possible during this time, here are a couple of alternate ideas to make the tree planting happen:
  • With the approval of clergy and/or vestry, have a family plant a tree on the church grounds. Video the event to share virtually with the rest of the congregation.
  • Plant a tree at your own home.

Be sure to take a picture that can be referenced 50 years from now when we celebrate our 100th anniversary!

Did you know that you can order trees online to be delivered right to your door? A quick search on the internet will give you many options from which to choose.

We've created a special liturgy to be used when planting your tree. You can find it here.
Options for Participation
Sing Hymn 651 ( Hymnal 1982) each Sunday in May 2020.

Host a Holy Hike. Visit HolyHikes.org for more information, including how to start a chapter in your area. 

Establish a community garden (when the timing becomes appropriate), either as a congregation or with community partners. 

Participate in our “48 Steps to Living Sustainably - Actions We Can All Take.” Find it here.

Copy and distribute the included “Rule of Life” card to your family and friends. Find it here.

Host a forum on Climate Change when we are able to gather again - or virtually! If able, host forum on Youth Sunday with youth making presentations. Visit www.episcopalchurch.org/creation-care for resources.

Host a spiritual prayer pilgrimage modeled after the Camino to Santiago. 
Haden Tirey of St. John's Episcopal Church in Monroeville, Alabama, shares how her congregation is using using the theme of Creation Care.

Feel free to share a brief video with us on how your church is using the Jubilee Toolkit. Send video or link to communications@diocgc.org.
Creation Care and The Episcopal Church
From The Episcopal Church: "In Jesus, God so loved the whole world. We follow Jesus, so we love the world God loves. Concerned for the global climate emergency, drawing on diverse approaches for our diverse contexts, we commit to form and restore loving, liberating, life-giving relationships with all of Creation."

The Episcopal Church’s Covenant for the Care of Creation is a commitment to practice loving formation, liberating advocacy and life-giving conversation as individuals, congregations, ministries and dioceses.

Upcoming Events
Our in person gatherings have been suspended through May 31, but we hope you are able to participate in virtual events with people in your community or stay in touch by phone.
Next Month...
The theme for June is called Liturgy & Worship. Our liturgy is the church's public worship of God. The term is derived from Greek words for "people" and "work"; therefore, church's public worship of God is the work of the Christian people. The life of Christ active in the church by the Spirit is expressed through our liturgy. Our hope in June will be for a return to corporate worship. To make sure we do that safely and responsibly, Bishop Russell has formed the Returning Home Task Force [ find his announcement here]. Please pray for this team as they discern our next steps.

Gratitude
Our thanks to the 50th Jubilee Anniversary subcommittee on outreach, justice and stewardship who put together the creation care toolkit: Thack Dyson, Ed Richards, Erin Rockwell, Haden Tirey, Cynthia Tucker and Kammy Young.
Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast | www.diocgc.org/jubilee-celebration