Enjoying God as we delight in his creation
Honouring God by caring for his creation
Engaging with God as we pray for his creation.
From 1 September to 4 October each year Christians and churches around the world unite to thank God, pray, and care for our common home. It’s a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through praise, thanksgivings, repentance, celebration, and commitment together. The Season of Creation starts on the World Day of Prayer for Creation and finishes on the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, a Saint known for his love and care for creation.
This year we unite around the theme “To hope and act with Creation” with the symbol “The firstfruits of hope”, inspired by Romans 8:19-25.
To enable our church family at Syndal Baptist Church to participate in this celebration, the Creation Care team invites you to join in three activities, and to make use of the daily bible reflections prepared for this Season.
The Bible reflections can be found below and the events are:
Sunday 8 September: “Walk-to-Worship Sunday” where we will plan to walk, cycle, scoot, car-share, or use public transport for a least some of the journey to church
Saturday 14 September, 11am: Mini litter-pick of the church car park, grounds, and immediate area followed by lunch together
Saturday 21 September, 1.30 – 3.30pm: Bushwalk at Blackburn Lakes Sanctuary with a local guide followed by afternoon tea.
All are welcome to these, and we ask that you register for the visit to Blackburn Lake Sanctuary so we can cater for you. Anyone under 16 will need to be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Activities to engage with
Walk to Worship Sunday - Sunday 8th September
To start the Season of Creation, let’s try something different to help us “see” and notice God’s creation on Sunday 8th September.
We all know that fuel emissions have a negative effect on the environment, so join us in reducing the kilometres driven by yourself and your family getting to and from church.
Get out of your car and into His world!
Try using public transport, walking part of the way, or using a bike, scooter or even roller-skates! Car pool if you can.
The Creation Care team will try to add up the kilometres saved and let the church community know the outcome – come and find us when you arrive at church to let us know how far you have come.
It will be good for the environment, and likely good fun for you too.
Mini Clean-Up Syndal - Saturday 14th September
Our second activity during the Season of Creation has been promoted by the large amount of rubbish we found in our own car park during Clean-Up Australia Day in March!
The Creation Care team is meeting in the SBC car park at 11am on Saturday 14 September to carry out a focussed litter-pick.
This will clean-up the church car park, other outdoor areas, and the immediate surrounds. We don’t think this will take long, and we’ll have lunch together in a local eatery afterward.
What to bring (if you have them):
Gardening gloves
Two plastic bags (one for general waste, one for recycling)
Drinking water
Appropriate weather protection – hat, sunscreen, waterproof etc.
There is no need to register – just turn up! Anyone under 16 will need to be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Walking Tour of Blackburn Lake Sanctuary - Saturday 21st September
Blackburn Lake Sanctuary is one of the most significant natural bushland reserves in our area and is a haven for local birds, other animals and native plants. The Creation Care team welcomes everyone from all congregations to join together for a guided walking tour from one of the Blackburn Lake Sanctuary’s own volunteers, followed by afternoon tea.
Date: 21/092024
Time: 1:30 – 3:30pm
Meet at Blackburn Lake Sanctuary Visitor Information Centre accessible from the main carpark off Central Road Blackburn
What to bring: Yourselves, friends and family, walking shoes, water bottle if needed, protection from weather – raincoat / umbrella / sunscreen / hat.
Please register via the button below to assist with catering.
Families are very welcome; however we have been asked not to bring dogs into the Sanctuary.
Register Now
Resources to grow with
Daily Reflections
The Creation Care team invites you into a time of contemplation and reflection during this season, seeking afresh the wisdom contained in Scripture relating to the natural world and how we interact with it. The team has prepared a daily Bible resource with some companion questions to guide individuals or small groups through this Season.
Grow Together
Our Creation Care Team have put together a series of 3 Life Group studies which you can use to grow in your understanding of God's care for his creation.
You can download the resources below.
1st September - World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
Join Christians from around the world in praying for God's creation and our role in caring for it.
We have written a prayer which you may wish to guide you as you pray on the 1st September, or throughout the Season of Creation from 1 September to October 4th.
Download Prayer
History of The Season of Creation
September 1 was proclaimed as a Day of Prayer for Creation for the Eastern Orthodox Church by Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I in 1989. It was embraced by other major Christian European churches in 2001, and by Pope Francis for the Roman Catholic Church in 2015.
In recent years, many Christian churches have begun celebrating the “Season of Creation” (also known as Creation Time) between September 1 and October 4, the Feast of St. Francis that is observed by some Western traditions. St. Francis is the author of the Canticle of the Creatures, and the Catholic saint of those who promote ecology.
Several statements from the past few years have called the faithful to observe this month-long season, such as those of the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines in 2003, the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu in 2007 and the World Council of Churches in 2008.
Text taken from seasonofcreation.org
To find out more about the Season of Creation worldwide, visit the website linked below.
Find Out More
Creation Care Highlights of 2023
Scroll through some of the things which have happened in the area of Creation Care in 2023 below.
Clean Up Australia Day 2023
Sorting collected rubbish on Clean Up Australia Day, Sunday 5 March
Valley Reserve Walking Tour
23 of us explored Valley Reserve on 9 September. Check out the photo gallery below.
Solar Energy
We continued to generate electricity from SBC’s solar panels
What is Creation Care about?
We love to worship the Creator God. We believe that one of the ways God reveals himself is through his creation, and that he has commissioned us to care for this world he lovingly made.
Our Creation Care team exists to help us, as God's church, to better enjoy God's creation and better care for it.
Valley Reserve Walk Photo Gallery
As part of our Season of Creation activities in 2023, a number of people gathered for a walking tour of our local 'Valley Reserve'. During the walk, people were invited to take photos which captured expressions of God's creativity in nature. Below are some of the photos taken by the group.