Rogationtide & Earth Day Resources
Rogationtide - April 28, 29 & 30, 2008 : From the Latin word rogare, meaning “to ask,” the three days before Ascension Day was the traditional time for farmers to pray for their crops as a new season of growing had begun. We no longer live in a society dominated by agriculture and fishing. Rogation represented the dependence upon God from the very beginning of the production cycles-on the farm, on the boat. Even though our societal focus has shifted, the dependence has not. In our industrialized, service-oriented world, we continue to be dependent upon the Lord for all that we have and all that we are.
Click here to see ideas & more information on ways to celebrate Rogationtide
Earth Day - April 22:
Since the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, Earth Day has been an annual event for people around the world to celebrate the earth and renew our commitment to building a safer, healthier and cleaner world for all of us. It is a wonderful opportunity to embrace all of God's creation, raise awareness and pray for "this fragile earth, our island home." (Eucharistic Prayer C)
Symbols of Production On Rogation Sunday (no longer identified in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, although the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday following it are), the Sixth Sunday of Easter, the offering of the people could include a small symbol of the means of production of each person participating, i.e., a computer chip, a sales contract, a prescription pad, a tool, an appointment book, a pencil. A new mother could offer a diaper! The baptismal font might be appropriate for them to be placed, connecting our offering of our labor to our baptism. Along with the offering of bread, wine and alms, the symbols are also offered (and later returned to their owners). |
Episcopal Ecological Network: http://eenonline.org/action/earthday.htm Alternatives for Simple Living: http://www.simpleliving.org/ Resources from the National Council of Churches http://www.ncccusa.org/
Environmental stewardship: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/1829_ENG_HTM.htm
Earth Day Sunday, April 22, 2007: The Food that Sustains Us The Food that Sustains Us is the theme of the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program's observation of Earth Day Sunday. It is also coordinated with the Congressional farm bill, which according to Cassandra Carmichael, Eco-Justice Program director for NCC,“has the potential to deliver justice, not only to God’s creatures, land, water, and air, but also to rural communities, small and midsized farmers, and people living in poverty. We, as people of faith, should strive for a farm bill that is just and sustainable.” A resource to help congregations engage in the Earth Day Sunday theme, Our Daily Bread: Harvesters of Hope and Gardeners of Eden, acknowledges the brokenness of the United States’ current food production and consumption practices, and explores food and farming ideas that can be restorative to God’s creation and deliver justice to all people. All of these materials can be found at http://www.nccecojustice.org/faithharvestworship.html The following resources are from Sharon Ely Pearson, Christian Formation Specialist from Church Publishing. are many resources and websites to assist in the planning of your education offerings and worship celebrations on this day:
Lessons Plans from the NCCC Eco-Justice Network! The Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches (NCC) has announced their Earth Sunday theme for 2006, "Through the Eye of the Hurricane: Rebuilding Just Communities". An eight-page background resource, downloadable from their web site at http://www.nccecojustice.org/KatrinaDownload.ht ml provides key facts and liturgical suggestions for engaging the issues in congregations. On April 22, 2006 The Earth Day Network will launch a sustained, three-year campaign, “Climate Change” to educate consumers, corporations and governments worldwide on the urgent need to take concrete steps on climate change now – before it’s too late. They have created a educational resource for congregations, “Religious Earth Day in a Box” at www.earthday.net/resources. |