Creation Justice Ministries
September 13, 2026 Special Service on Creation Justice Ministries
Suzanne Shrader of Warsaw UMC
Invocation
Creating God, Your breath moved over the deep, bringing forth order from chaos. Your breath entered the first human and brought forth life. Through our inhales and exhales, you are present within our very bodies. Make us aware of your presence within and around us. With every breath we take, remind us that we are made in your image and we are the recipients of your original blessing.
With the air that we breathe, remind us also of our reciprocal role within Creation and our dependence and interdependence on the trees, the algae, the grasses, and the other photosynthesizers who produce what we receive. Keep us aware of your other creatures who share the air with us. As we inhale, allow us to feel kinship with others who inhale, including those who live near us or far from us, whether navigating on land, emerging through oceans, rivers, and streams, or soaring in the skies.
Encourage us to live as part of the whole of Creation, not in a false sense of ruling over it. For only you are the Creator,
who has loved and breathed life into your Creation since time immemorial and who will love and sustain it well beyond our earthly lives. All honor and glory are yours, O God of all Creation.
Be with us as we worship together. may our worship be a sweet fragrant offering to you, O Lord, for you are our rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
WEDDING
Scripture Genesis 2: 4 -25
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground,
6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[g] and then closed up the place with flesh.
22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23 The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”
24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
This is the word of God for us, the people of God ….
Thanks be to God.
Let us pray –
Creator God, Breath of Life, Breath on us once more. Into the context of each of our lives, bring forth your love for sharing, your joy for celebrating, your purpose for motivating, and your mercy for healing. Stir among us, bringing energy to our worship. Surprise us with your presence. Encourage us for your ways. Make possible all good things, which you bless.
As we gather to hear your word proclaimed, may we also hear your call to us to go! Go into the uncertainty of the journey ahead, trusting that of this we can be certain: God is with us, and we are sent out together. We are not alone.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
Intro
Suzanne Shrader of Warsaw UMC
Chair of MRD UWF Social Action
Director VA Conf board for Creation Justice
And a Jurisdictional Director and
a National Director for Creation Justice Ministry
for the UMC
and my good friend
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSPIRING MESSAGE
PASTORAL PRAYER
Creating God, You continue to create in us, according to your original blessing. Even though we have not always been good stewards: We have not always tilled and kept the land; we have not always lived in right relationship to your other created beings.
Even though we received your blessing and did not pass it to those we were entrusted to keep free from harm, you have remained steadfast in love.
We praise you for your faithfulness, and we ask your forgiveness for our shortcomings. Help us learn from our mistakes. Grant that we may live in such a way that the water and air would be healed, that the cycles of life and death and resurrection would carry on for generations to come.
As Friends in Christ, know this: the mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting, and we are reminded of your ever-surpassing grace – for it is in Jesus Christ that grace is offered and we are forgiven.
O God, hear our prayers and answer them as you know is best for us.
We know that those who call upon your Name rejoice. Help us as we pray for these …..
our police officers, EMTs & firefighters, all in our military service & their families, our nation, our church, all unspoken prayer concerns, Victims of the wildfires and floods,
people of Ukraine & Russia, the Middle East, Cuba & Venezuela, all victims of violence
And others we carry in our hearts ……………
Give us a new peace this day. Help us to pray and listen for you.
Now may we boldly pray together the prayer you taught us - - saying
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us, not into temptation
but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.