Creationtide is observed annually in the Episcopal Church (and within most churches that are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion). Running during month of September and concluding in early October on the Feast Day of Saint Francis, this season calls us to renew our commitment to care for God’s Creation. Each year, the National Episcopal Church chooses a theme, and this year we draw our inspiration from the Prophet Isaiah.

“The Fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks, till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest". (Isaiah 32:14-18)

The work of peace cannot be separated from the work for environmental justice. All God’s children are entitled to the peaceful dwelling place Isaiah calls us to - free from rising sea levels, polluted air, and unclean water. And so, like the Prophets who came before us, we are called to reconcile with the whole world around us. We are called to reconcile with the Earth, to atone for the damage we have done, and repent - to turn, to change our way. The way we have lived in the past cannot continue if we hope to preserve this fragile island home of ours. We must change.

And so, while none of us alone can solve the daunting challenges in front of us, we CAN be seed-planters. Jesus asks nothing more, and nothing less, than this. We are called to be early adopters of the Kingdom of Heaven, to live our lives as living embodiments of the Kingdom. We may not see the full fruit of our labor, but we are nevertheless called to do the work. In honor of this, we are inviting you to choose an Inconvenient Creationtide practice, a practice that requires a little extra work, a practice that means going out of your way, disrupting your routine a little bit. This is the practice of the early adopters, the seed planters. And invite others to join you. They need not be members of our church. Let us see how many people we can inspire during this season of Creation.

Share your chosen practice on the message board below, and take a moment to see what other people are doing. As you move through this Creationtide, come back to this message board and share updates on your progress. Share stories, share photos, share the details of your experience. If you would like to bring Creationtide into your daily prayer, you can sign up to receive daily Creationtide devotionals by clicking here. And for more information and resources from the national Episcopal Church, click here. Let us have a Blessed Creationtide.