Season of Creation: An Introduction

Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth.

– Pope Francis, Laudato Si, para. 92

On Sunday, we begin our celebration of this year’s Season of Creation. The Season of Creation is an annual Christian celebration that calls Christians from all over the world and from every tradition to pray and respond to Creation. We are all siblings, united by God’s love and by Creation’s nourishment. We are also united by our joint responsibility to listen and care for our common home. Here is a welcome extended to us by the organizers of this year’s Season of Creation: 

Welcome to this year’s Season of Creation. Thank you for bringing your community together for this special season of ecumenical solidarity.

Each year from September 1 to October 4, the Christian family unites for this worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our common home. It is a special season where we celebrate God as Creator and acknowledge Creation as the divine continuing act that summons us as collaborators to love and care for the gift of all that is created.

As followers of Christ from around the globe, we share a common call to care for Creation. We are co-creatures and part of all that God has made. Our well-being is interwoven with the well-being of the Earth. We rejoice in this opportunity to safeguard our common home and all beings who share it. This year, the theme for the season is “To hope and act with Creation”.

Amid the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, many are beginning to despair and suffer from eco-anxiety. As people of faith we are called to lift the hope inspired by our faith, the hope of the resurrection. This is not a hope without action but one embodied in concrete actions of prayer and preaching, service and solidarity.

I look forward to celebrating this season together as a community. The theme verses, Romans 8:19-25, refer to Creation groaning for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed. As part of our series, we will have two guest speakers, Jodi Spargur and Krista Boyes, one settler and one indigenous, two women who both connect reconciliation with First Nations people with hope and collaborative action with Creation. They are answers to Creation’s groans and seeds of hope in my own life. 

Deep peace and blessing,

Anne

Rev. Anne Baxter Smith
Pastor, Southpoint Church

Six-Week Season of Creation

Sun Sep 1
(1) Together, We Hope
Rev Anne Baxter Smith
Rom 8:20-21, part 1

Sun Sep 8
(2) Together, We Act 
Rev Anne Baxter Smith
Rom 8:20-21, part 2

Sun Sep 15
(3) Together, We Learn 
 Is 11:1-9 Jodi Spargur

Sun Sep 22
(4) Together, We Care 
ALL In service

Sun Sep 29
(5) Together, We Heal
All OUT service: No gathering at the Sunnyside building!

Sun Oct 6
(6) Together, We Love
Gen 2: 1-9 Krista Boyes

New to Southpoint?

At Southpoint, it all begins with God’s love. Just as a plant grows, it receives sunshine, so we grow as we receive God’s love. At Southpoint, we are growing in our capacity to love God, ourselves, one another, and Creation.

We seek to be a community of grace that is intentional yet organic, spacious yet authentic, grace-filled yet accountable. * We are fully welcoming. *

We encourage relationships rather than run programs, yet we recognize the importance of intentionality and structure as we nurture life together.

As a community, we seek to put our love in action. We value helping out on Sunday mornings, sharing food, and showing up in hard times. We keep our church life simple so folk have time to build relationships with family, friends, and neighbours. We encourage folk to serve in tangible ways within the wider community. We rent space rather than own a building, allowing us to do more with less, supporting missions at home and abroad.

Curious to know more?

These six slides express what motivates our ministry (best viewed on a monitor). Here’s the bio of our Pastor, Rev. Anne Baxter Smith.

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