Resolution to the
ANNUAL CONVENTION DIOCESE
OF NEW JERSEY
RESOLVED: That
the ____ Annual Convention of the Diocese of New Jersey commends
to the diocese and congregations the celebration of a liturgical
Creation cycle of the Pentecost Season from St. Francis’
Day to Advent, for the purpose of affirming the sacredness of
God’s creation, of spreading hope about God’s reconciling
work in creation and an understanding of environ-mental stewardship
and ecological justice, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Liturgy
Commission of the Diocese be encouraged to study materials on
the Creation Season and make them available to congregations,
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Diocesan
Convention through its delegation propose a similar resolution
to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church meeting in
2009, and recommend that the Standing Commission on Music and
Liturgy of the Episcopal Church consider a form for such a Creation
cycle to be included in the next issue of the Book of Occasional
Services.
Explanation:
God the Creator has made the universe
with all its marvelous order, its atoms, planets, galaxies and
the Earth with its infinite complexity of living creatures.
Our Gracious God has filled all living creatures with plenteousness
and generativity, and has blessed human beings with the task
of the stewardship of the creation upon Earth.
Since 1991, many Episcopal Churches
in the United States have celebrated a "Creation Cycle
of the Pentecost Season" to honor God the Creator with
worship, music and praise for these gifts of life. This practice
has spread to churches and cathedrals in the Episcopal Church,
and also to Australia where it has become a national religious
observance.
In June of 2008, The Archbishop of
Canterbury, Rowan Williams, joined ecumenical leaders in England
in calling for the celebrating of a liturgical period annually
in all churches of the United Kingdom to "be dedicated
to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of
sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate
change."
In affirming the Creation Cycle of
the Pentecost Season, the Diocese of New Jersey would be taking
leadership in the Episcopal Church in the promotion of this
important liturgical innovation.
Proposer:
Rev. Dr.Franklin Vilas, Pastoral Associate,
St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea, Point Pleasant Beach
Co-Sponsors:
Rev. Joan Anders, Rector, Christ Church,
Tom’s River
Rev. Margaret Hodgkins,
Rector, St Andrew’s Church, New Providence
Rev. Jeffrey Kirk, Rector, Church of
the Atonement, Laurel Springs
Rev. Lisa Mitchell, Rector,
Christ Church, Shrewsbury
Rev. Joseph Parrish, Rector,
St. John’s Church, Elizabeth
Rev. C. John Thompson-Quartey,
Rector, St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea, Point Pleasant Beach,
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