Growing and Living in Harmony with the Earth: A Liturgy Guide

“Growing and Living in Harmony with the Earth”

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 Friends Forest Area, the SPMCI chorale will lead the preparatory song. There is also a portable altar that projects life growing in harmony with the earth. The presiding pastor will recognize 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)

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 members 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 one of 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. They purify 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 organisms 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 depths of the fertile earth which manifest your cosmic presence.

Voice 2: We pray, O God our Parent, that the 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.

Prepared By: Rev. Jeric C. Cortado, Acting Dean of the College of Theology, Southern Philippines Methodist Colleges, Inc., Kidapawan City, Philippines.