Meet in the parking lot of Gallagher School, 1850 W. 65th St, at the NW corner of W 65th and Bridge Ave. Health precautions: Please wear your masks and maintain distancing. Bring work gloves, but we’ll have some in case you forget. Bags provided. Click HERE for Facebook event page.
About the Easter Litter Pilgrimages
During Lent, we invited people to examine our actions that have caused ruptures in our
relationships. We are called to restore our relationships with God the creator, with our sisters
and brothers in our one human family, and with all of God’s creatures dwelling within our
common home. We must carve out time to renew, repair, and restore these sacred
relationships.
As Genesis 9:15 reminds us, God’s covenant is not only with humans but with “every living
creature.” The word “creation” itself evokes meanings that transcend artificial divides between
the “human” and “nature.” “Creation” signals the truth of our interconnected reality. When we
use the word “creation” (instead of “eco” or “environment”), we demonstrate our humble self-awareness that we are part of the created order. Moreover, we recognize that our Creator is
constantly working with us to redeem and sustain all of creation. 1
Why a pilgrimage?
As people of faith, we are a community of pilgrims, on journey together towards life in all its
fullness. The journey can be transformative—a way to discover ourselves anew in new
relationships with God’s creation and with each other. As pilgrims, we walk together (safely
distanced apart) and invite others along the way to journey with us for the healing and
reconciliation of the suffering and brokenness of this world. 2
Practically speaking…
We will pick up several dozen garbage bags of trash and recyclables that would otherwise find
their way into the storm drains and end up in our river and beautiful Lake Erie. Our great lake is
the source of drinking water for 11 million people. Let’s do our part to protect her.
Prayer for Stewardship of Creation
Creator God, grant us the will to move forward on our pilgrimage to generate transformative
changes in our hearts, our minds, our congregations, our neighborhood, and our world. Guide
and inspire us so that our pilgrimage will open us to one another through dynamic and
considerate interaction, joining together for the care of Your amazing creation that fills us with
wonder and awe. God of life, lead us to be living instruments of Your justice, Your peace, and
Your renewal of all creation. Amen.
Prayer for a Sabbath for Our Planet
At Your word, Earth brought forth plants yielding seed and trees of every kind bearing fruit. The
rivers, mountains, minerals, seas and forests sustained life.
In Your wisdom, you granted a Sabbath—a blessed time to rest in gratitude for all that you have
given; a time to liberate ourselves from vicious consumption; a time to allow the land and all
creatures to rest from the burden of production.
But these days our living pushes the planet beyond its limits. Our demands for growth and our
never-ending cycle of production and consumption are exhausting our world.
The forests are leached, the topsoil erodes, the fields fail, the deserts advance, the seas acidify,
and the storms intensify. We have not allowed the land to observe her Sabbath, and the Earth
is struggling to be renewed.
During this season, we ask you to grant us courage to observe a Sabbath for our planet.
Strengthen us with the faith to trust in your providence. Inspire us with the creativity to share
what we have been given. Teach us to be satisfied with enough. And as we proclaim a Jubilee
for the Earth, send Your Holy Spirit to renew the face of creation.
In the name of the One who came to proclaim good news to all creation, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
“All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements, and talents.” – Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ , par. 14 3
Citations
1- United Church of Christ – Environmental Ministries
2- World Council of Churches – an invitation to the pilgrimage of justice and peace
3- Laudato Si’ (Praise be to you, my Lord): On Care for Our Common Home (May 2015)
Click here to learn more about Creation Care and how you might contribute to this ministry.
Our May litter pilgrimage will be Saturday, May 15, 10-12noon. Meet in the school parking lot
of St Malachi.