Young Family
Pray It!
Prayer for the Earth
Gather outdoors on your deck or near a garden. Bring holy water and a copy of this prayer. Hang a wind chime, streamers, or pinwheels to designate this space as "holy ground." The response to all of the leader prayers is "All that is living, sing praise!"
Leader: We gather to show our respect for the earth and to thank God who has made it our home planet.
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Leader: The place where God meets with us is holy ground, a sacred space. Truly, the entire earth is holy. God's greatness and goodness fill the world.
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Leader: Let the earth, generous to builders, sing praise!
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Leader: Let the earth, offering seed to farmers, sing praise!
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Leader: Let the earth, giving food for the hungry, sing praise!
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Invite your children to name other creatures or elements of creation that can sing praise such as insects, birds, rain, lakes, etc. Conclude with the following:
Leader: Blessed are you, Lord our God, Creator of the universe. Let all the earth, and all who dwell on it, praise and glorify God now and forever. Amen.
Gather outdoors on your deck or near a garden. Bring holy water and a copy of this prayer. Hang a wind chime, streamers, or pinwheels to designate this space as "holy ground." The response to all of the leader prayers is "All that is living, sing praise!"
Leader: We gather to show our respect for the earth and to thank God who has made it our home planet.
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Leader: The place where God meets with us is holy ground, a sacred space. Truly, the entire earth is holy. God's greatness and goodness fill the world.
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Leader: Let the earth, generous to builders, sing praise!
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Leader: Let the earth, offering seed to farmers, sing praise!
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Leader: Let the earth, giving food for the hungry, sing praise!
ALL: All that is living, sing praise!
Invite your children to name other creatures or elements of creation that can sing praise such as insects, birds, rain, lakes, etc. Conclude with the following:
Leader: Blessed are you, Lord our God, Creator of the universe. Let all the earth, and all who dwell on it, praise and glorify God now and forever. Amen.
Read It!
The Lorax
Read the Dr. Seuss book The Lorax or watch the movie as a family. Go to the Dr. Seuss website for some great discussion questions that focus on the "Care of Creation" introduced at the May session. Conclude with the Prayer for the Earth found under Pray It! on this website. Read the speech by Chief Seattle found on the May main page. This speech could have been the motivation for the themes in The Lorax! Go to this website, especially for parents, for more printable activities and other family friendly "care of creation" ideas.
Read the Dr. Seuss book The Lorax or watch the movie as a family. Go to the Dr. Seuss website for some great discussion questions that focus on the "Care of Creation" introduced at the May session. Conclude with the Prayer for the Earth found under Pray It! on this website. Read the speech by Chief Seattle found on the May main page. This speech could have been the motivation for the themes in The Lorax! Go to this website, especially for parents, for more printable activities and other family friendly "care of creation" ideas.
Share It!
Who's Under Your Carbon Footprint?
Did you know that climate change effects the poor and marginalized the most? Watch the video below to learn more about why our church cares so much about climate change..
Calculate YOUR carbon footprint and learn more at the Nature Conservancy website.
Did you know that climate change effects the poor and marginalized the most? Watch the video below to learn more about why our church cares so much about climate change..
Calculate YOUR carbon footprint and learn more at the Nature Conservancy website.
Do It!
The Story of Stuff
Watch this short animated film (about 9 min) about the life cycle of material goods and excessive consumerism. Talk about ways that you can do with less stuff. This conversation needs to begin with gratitude for what we have and an awareness of how little most of the world owns and consumes compared to the U.S. Unload some of your excess stuff by making donations to St. Vincent de Paul or recycling centers.
Watch this short animated film (about 9 min) about the life cycle of material goods and excessive consumerism. Talk about ways that you can do with less stuff. This conversation needs to begin with gratitude for what we have and an awareness of how little most of the world owns and consumes compared to the U.S. Unload some of your excess stuff by making donations to St. Vincent de Paul or recycling centers.
