Looking Back at the Season Of Creation and Courage

The Church of the Incarnation celebrated the Season of Creation and the Season of Courage between September 1 and October 6, the Feast of St. Francis.This joint celebration brought together a deep reverence for God’s creation and the courage needed to take strong actions to care for it.

During the Season of Creation, worship was infused with liturgical elements that reflected honor for God as Creator, thanksgiving for the gift of Creation, of which we are a part, and lament for ways we have been hurtful to God’s creation.The Season of Creation liturgy, approved by Bishop Megan Traquair, was the source of many liturgical enhancements to worship.The Incarnation Prayers of the People team created beautiful prayers for worship to honor Creation.

The Season of Courage was experienced as an exhibit in the courtyard that presented 15 courage stories by clergy and laity in the Diocese of Northern California.The stories reflect courageous acts involving social justice and care of creation at different churches and in different communities. At the conclusion of the exhibit, there was a Prayer Tree inviting prayers for courage from those who seek God’s blessing.

During the Seasons of Creation and Courage there were a number of forums which provided opportunities for gaining greater understanding of the value of each Season and how they intersect.

• On Sept 15 Rev. Stephen Shaver and Miriam Casey provided an overview of the origins of the Season of Creation and the Season of Courage.
• On September 22 Deacon Phina Borgeson presented a forum on Beyond Genesis: Ecology in Dialogue with Scripture.
• On September 29 Bob Wohlsen and Miriam Casey shared scripture readings, Bible stories and how courage is referenced in our prayers and liturgy. Participants shared their courage stories.
• The October 6 forum presented by Robert Aguero and Cathy Wolf focused on what we can do in our homes to be more energy efficient and reduce our use of fossil fuels.There was also an afternoon community event to highlight an opportunity for advocacy regarding food production in Sonoma County.
• A meaningful closure of this special season occurred in worship on October 13 when the prayers that had been placed on the Prayer Tree were blessed.

Thanks to the Season of Creation and Season of Courage Team:Robert Aguero, Deacon Phina Borgeson, Miriam Casey, Bob Wohlsen, Cathy Wolf