Breadcrumb
Creation Time
Time for Creation from 1st September to 4th October (the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi) is a special period in the liturgical calendars of a growing number of Churches in Europe.
In 1989 the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios suggested that 1 September, the first day of the Orthodox Church’s year, should be observed as a day “of protection of the natural environment.” Ten years later the European Christian Environmental Network widened this proposal, urging churches to adopt a Time for Creation stretching from 1 September to the feast of St Francis on 4 October.
In this period we remember the gift of Creation and our relation to it. Celebration of this Time and its place in the cycle of Christian prayers and worship was commended by the 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu 2007, which recommended that the period “be dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change”.
The ECEN has been active and instrumental in promoting and encouraging Christians to pray together in the spirit of ecumenical cooperation and to promote action to care for Creation since its inception.
In 2015 Pope Francis decided that 1st September be the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in the Catholic Church.
All around Europe and increasingly in other parts of the world, Christians are writing liturgical material with a Creation theme. ECEN collects this material for use in Creation Time and throughout the year. It is now being made available on the website for you to browse and use in your church.
Available creation time materials:
Creation Time 2024
Season of Creation Celebration Guide 2024
GLAM: Tempo del Creato 2024 - Disuguaglianze, il sogno obbliga la persona a pensare
Creation Time 2023
Season of Creation Celebration Guide 2023
GLAM: Tempo del Creato 2023 - Conversion - abbracciare di cambimiento (Conversion - embracing change)
Creation Time 2022
Season of Creation Celebration Guide 2022
FCEI-GLAM: Tempo del Creato 2022 – Empatia
MEÖT: The place on which you are standing is holy ground - Listen to the voice of creation. Materials for the celebration of Creation Time 2022. (In Hungarian)
Eco-Congregation Scotland: Season of Creation 2022
Creation Time 2021
Season of Creation Celebration Guide 2021
(Forthcoming:)
- FR
- ES
- PT
- IT
- PL
ACK Deutschland: "Damit Ströme lebendigen Wassers fließen" - Ökumenischer Tag der Schöpfung 2021
FCEI-GLAM: 'Bodies: visible, invisible, in community, inhabited by the Spirit (in Italian)
OEKU: SchöpfungsZeit 2021 - Damit Ströme lebendigen Wassers fliessen
JPIT - Eco-Congregation Scotland: Season of Creation (Activities, Discussion Questions, Poems, Prayers, Reflections, Services)
MEÖT: Where do you live? - Renewing God's Oikos. Materials for the celebration of Creation Time 2021. (In Hungarian)
Church and Environment Program (Belarus): Opening of ecological trail 'Kiselivici' and of the ecological path 'The Way of Silence
Creation Time 2020
Season of Creation Celebration Guide (2020)
- FR: Celebration Guide Jubilé pour la Terre
- DE: Handreichung Jubeljahr für die Erde
FCEI-GLAM: Tempo del creato 2020 'Acque marine, fonte di vita' (in Italian)
ACK Deutschland: "WEINklang" und Materialien für den Tag der Schöpfung 2020
OEKU: SchöpfungsZeit 2020 - Und siehe, es war sehr gut
MEÖT: Creative Uncertainty ("Teremtő bizonytalanság") - Materials for the celebration of Creation Time 2020 (in Hungarian)
Eco-Congregation Scotland: The Word for the World Today - Creation Time 2020
Thematic resources for Creation care from the Lausanne Movement Global classroom. Short videos
Creation Time 2019
Season of Creation Celebration Guide
Invitation from Faith Leaders to celebrate 2019 Season of Creation
Season of Creation website in different languages:
- EN: SeasonofCreation.org
- ES: TiempodelaCreacion.org
- PT: TempodaCriacao.org
- IT: TempodelCreato.org
- FR: SaisondelaCreation.org
- PL: CzasDlaStworzenia.org
Oeku: Fünf vor Zwölf für das Klima, Nationale Klimademo am 28. September, Pressemitteilung
ACK: Ecumenical Day for Prayer for the Care of Creation 2019 - Order of Service
A Song for the Season of Creation - Sheet music, rehearsal files, and recordings
FCEI-GLAM: Dossier Tempo per il Creato 2019
Eco-Congregation Scotland: Creation Time 2019
MEÖT: Thanksgiving and Responsibility ("Hála és felelősség") - Materials for the celebration of Creation Time 2019 (in Hungarian)
ARGE Schöpfungsverantwortung Time of Creation - Dossier for the Time of Creation 2019, Zeit der Schöfpung - Dossier für Schöpfungszeit 2019 (in German)
Creation Time 2018
Click here to see previous ECEN Creationtime collections
Creation Time 2017
Creation Time 2016
"Ein Ohr für die Schöpfung - Themenreihe fünf Sinne" - 2016
Creation Time 2014
Creation Time 2012
"Trees and forests shall rejoice" - 2011
Creation time - 2010
"Turn, then, and live" - 2009
"Choose Life" - 2008
"Biblical Meditations and Prayers" - 2006
"Rhythm of Creation and Rhythm of Life" - 2005
"Preserving water, land and air" - 2004
"Our Responsibility to Future Generations" - 2003
"Contributions to Celebrate the Creation" - 2001 (English), (German)
"Gottesdiensvorschlag für den Tag der Schöüfung" - 2000 (German)