Season of Creation: Living Waters

August 30 through October 4, 2026

Celebrating the Season of Creation

The Season of Creation is a recent addition to the Episcopal church's liturgical year. With Christians around the world, we celebrate the beauty and dignity of God's Creation, acknowledge our role in its growing distress, repent our failures as its stewards, and pray for the wisdom and will to become its healing and life-giving servants, as God has intended from the beginning. With all God's creatures, we humans are woven into the web of all creation, one integral part among many. God gave us particular responsibilities for the well-being of the natural world that is our home.

Where did this Season come from?

In 1989, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I designated September 1st as an annual "Day of Prayer for Creation" in the Orthodox Church. Other denominations were invited to participate. Soon the World Council of Churches (WCC) extended the celebration to a "Season of Creation" from September 1st (or the closest Sunday to it) through the Sunday of the Commemoration of St. Francis (this year the actual feast day, October 4). Actions at the Episcopal Church's General Convention have highlighted the dangers of climate change and Episcopal Bishops have encouraged celebration of the season. The WCC has chosen as this year's theme, "Living Waters".

Season of Creation Worship at St. Barnabas

Working with the themes of the liturgical year is a large part of the Worship Planning Group's Ministry, along with Mother Celeste, our music staff and choir, and our Parish Life Ministry. In our Season of Creation worship, you'll notice Scripture readings, hymns, prayers, music and adornments of the liturgical space related to the care of creation. Eucharistic Prayer C from The Book of Common Prayer, which has the most expansive imagery related to the cosmos and our position within it, grounds our celebration of the Eucharist in the wonders and gifts of the Creation.

Special Events

Formation Opportunities

Sundays, September 20 & 27, 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM

• Sunday, September 20: God's Purpose for Humanity in the Creation Narratives

• Sunday, September 27: Living Waters: Expanding our Understanding of Baptism

Living Waters Quiet Morning

Saturday, September 26, 9 a.m. to Noon

Take time to reflect and pray with others. Mother Janet will lead this quiet morning designed to help you listen to what God is saying to you through the created world.

The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

Sunday, October 4

• Feast Day celebration at 10 a.m.

• Blessing of the Animals at 2 p.m. in the courtyard.