“Growing
and Living in Harmony with the Earth”[1]
A SERVICE OF MORNING PRAISE, PRAYER AND TREE
PLANTING
5:00 a.m. at the Riverbank near
the SPMCI Calamansi Orchard
GATHERING
As the community will gather at the riverbank near the SPMCI
Calamansi Orchard, the SPMCI chorale will lead the preparatory song. There is
also a portable altar that project life growing in harmony with the earth. The
presiding pastor will recognized the presence of every participant.
“BLESS THE LORD”
BLESS THE LORD, MY SOUL, AND BLESS GOD'S HOLY NAME. BLESS THE LORD, MY
SOUL, WHO LEADS ME INTO LIFE. (3X)
“DAYGON TA ANG DIOS, UG DAYGON
’YANG NGALAN,
DAYGON TA ANG DIOS, NAG- GIYA KANATO” (3X)
DAYGON TA ANG DIOS, NAG- GIYA KANATO” (3X)
CALL TO PRAISE
AND PRAYER
Pastor: God of all beginnings, you
created humankind in your own image, male and female.
People: O, God our Parent, help us to
be redeemed in that image as integral components of the ecosystem.
Pastor: God of all beginnings, you
created the elements that made the earth and all the lives in it.
People: O, God our Parent, help us to
nourish our interdependence.
Pastor: God of all beginnings, you
created male and female with equality and equal dignity to become stewards over
the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing
that moves upon the earth (Genesis 2:28).
People: Help us, O God our Parent, to
weave our relationship with other creations, nourishing interdependence of all
forms of life, and give value to each part of the ecosystem with unique role
and function
All: Amen.
MORNING PRAISE
SINGING “MORNING
HAS BROKEN”
BAGONG UMAGA’Y, BAGONG LIWANAG;
HUNI NG IBON NA KAY LIYAG.
ATING AWITAN, BAGONG PAGSIKAT;
SIKAT NA DULOT NG WIKA NIYA.
TUBIG NA ALAY NG KALANGITAN,
AY HAMOG SA HALAMANANG TANGKAY.
ATING PURIHIN,
BANLAW SA LUPANG, SUMISIKOL SA PAGDAAN NIYA.
BAWAT UMAGA’Y BAGONG PAG-ASA,
DULOT NIYANG BUHAY SA KALULUWA.
BATIS NA LAYA’T KAHINAHUNAN AY
DUMADALOY SA LIKHA NIYA.
SCRIPTURE LESSON
REFLECTION
RITUAL OF TREE
PLANTING
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
At this moment,
the presiding pastor will share The Story of the Planter.
While
walking along the road, a traveller saw a community planting fruit trees. The
traveller asked them: “How long will it take for these trees to bear fruit?”
“Seventy years” replied by one of the member of the community. The traveller
then asked: “Are you so healthy enough that you expect to live that length of
time and eat its fruits?” Then another member of the community answered: “We
found a fruitful world, because our ancestors planted it for us. Likewise we
are planting for our children and for the next generation.”
Then the
presiding pastor will continue to the introductory statement of the ritual.
Pastor: We are gathered together in
this portion of land of the Southern Philippines Methodist Colleges, Inc. to
manifest our commitment as responsible stewards of creation. Thus, the planting
and parenting of trees is our values and our life.
People: All creation is the Lord’s,
and we are responsible for the way in which we use and abuse it. Water, air,
soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be
valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because
they are useful to human beings.
Pastor: Trees are very important to
our life and to our environment. It purifies the air, conserve water, preserve
the soil, the energy resources and support the sustenance of our life.
People: God has granted us stewardship
of creation. We should meet these
stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect.
Pastor: Today, as we plant trees, we
are reminded that the Earth does not belong to us but we belong to the Earth.
We are connected and interdependent with other creations. We are stewards of
God’s creation. Thus, we have to grow and live in harmony with the Earth.
A hymn will be sung by the community, then, the presiding pastor
will lead the blessing of the seedlings. After each prayer, the leader will
conclude: Lord, in your mercy, and
all will respond through a song:
O
LORD, HEAR OUR PRAY’R. O LORD, HEAR OUR PRAY’R. WHEN WE CALL, ANSWER US. O
LORD, HEAR OUR PRAY’R. O LORD, HEAR OUR PRAY’R. COME AND LISTEN TO US.
Pastor: O God our Parent, who created
the elements that made the earth and all the lives in it. We come to you in
this morning praise, prayer and tree planting for you are the giver and
sustainer of our existence and of all that lives.
The presiding pastor
will hold hands, palms down, over the seedlings or trees.
Pour
out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these trees that we are about
to plant in this portion of the SPMCI land.
By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one
with other creations. Thus, our lives and these trees along with other living
organism in this land will manifest your love and grace to all.
Voice 1: We pray, O God our Parent,
that the roots of these trees will draw nourishment from the deeps of the
fertile earth which manifest your cosmic presence.
Voice 2: We pray, O God our Parent,
that trunk of these trees will grow strong that could endure the harsh forces
of nature and abusive human interventions, and able to support its branches and
leaves which manifest you caring presence.
Voice 3: We pray, O God our Parent that
you continually strengthen our commitment of parenting these trees. Thus, we
and the trees will both prosper in fulfilling to the utmost purpose of our
existence here on earth, to be the Christic presence to one another.
Leader: May these trees that we are
going to plant, O God, manifest your presence, compassion, power and
inspiration to all. Thus, make us continually grow and live in harmony with the
earth. Amen.
Then the trees
will be planted to the designated place. A Final Blessing will be given by the
Presiding Pastor while tree planting is on-going. Then the participants will
proceed to the SPMCI Canteen for a Breakfast Fellowship.
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