Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina
Looking for inspiration as you prepare your Earth Day service? Here are some great resources:
Old Turtle by Douglas Wood speaks to the young and young at heart about our sacred relationship with all beings and God. It is a beautiful story that calls us to better love our neighbor—all creatures great and small, human and otherwise.
Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth includes a wealth of essays from spiritual leaders across religious traditions including Vandana Shiva, Joanna Macy, Richard Rohr, and the late Thich Nhat Hanh. It’s a beautiful compilation, full of wisdom and guidance.
The Green Good News: Christ’s Path to a Sustainable and Joyful Life is a beautiful and powerful book by Rev. Dr. Wilson Dickinson. Speaking specifically to a Christian context, this book considers how Christians can create joy, hope, and right relationship by reclaiming the radical love and way of Jesus.
Creation-Crisis Preaching: Ecology, Theology, and the Pulpit by Rev. Dr. Leah Schade speaks specifically to the act of preaching and how those delivering sermons or other reflections can embody our ecological moment. It’s a creative, compelling, practical, and deeply informative text.
These are just a few of the awesome books out there that can help you on your path of caring for creation—and offer teachings to share with your congregation, family, and larger community. We hope they speak to you as they’ve spoken to us!
You may also want to check out Earth Sabbath resources from NCIPL, this webpage and resource from Creation Justice Ministries regarding planning your service in a Christian context, and these resources from our CCA toolkit for creation care (including prayers, liturgy, and hymns from various traditions). Happy Earth Day!
