In the footsteps of Saint Francis, over a hundred delegates from all continents gathered in the Cittadella Laudato Si’ conference centre, with a sizable group of online participants (including yours truly) connecting remotely. As delegates arrived in Assisi, (including Canadians Maylanne Maybee and Marion Lucas-Jeffries) they were offered a memorable gift: a glorious rainbow, a reminder of Noah’s Covenant: “when the bow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature” (Genesis 9:16).

As explained by host Rev. Tonio Dell’Olio in his welcoming remarks, the Cittadella also was the venue of the historic 1956 International Congress of the liturgical movement in the lead up to the Second Vatican Council (a council that changed the worship life of mainline churches forever).

In Canada and elsewhere, September 1 has emerged as an important Christian celebration of Creation. It goes by various names, such as the “Feast of Creation,” “Creation Day,” or the “World Day of Prayer for Creation.” The feast is not just about celebrating “Creation as the created world,” as gifted by God to us, but more importantly it is about celebrating “Creation as foundational mystery” of our Christian faith. It is a moment to thank and praise the Creator, the One named in the Nicene Creed as “Creator of heaven and earth.”

Countless Christian communities join the celebration annually, which is frequently moved to the first Sunday of September for pastoral practicalities, (or in my ministry, for four weeks, Sept 1 – Oct 4, St. Francis Day). It has become one of the most encouraging signs of ecumenical unity and a life-giving response to the “signs of the times” that we can all discern. Yet, despite its growing popularity in popular piety and ecumenical collaboration, the liturgical calendars and lectionaries of Western Churches make no reference to this important celebration. Truthfully, the Feast of Creation is an opportunity to celebrate the Triune God as Creator, something well beyond a simple programmatic event.

Supporting the initiative, Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby speaks of “reflecting on the mystery of Creation as the foundational event of salvation history…. Creation Day has inspired us to come together in prayer and action – to safeguard, sustain and renew the life of the Earth. That is why, inspired by the Orthodox Church’s leadership, the Anglican Communion enthusiastically supports this ecumenical process to explore adding the Feast of Creation to our liturgical calendars.”

My colleague Dr. Rachel Mash, Co-lead of the Anglican Communion delegation addressed the gathered delegates: “It has been fascinating to see how the Feast of Creation has grown organically with little shoots coming up in different ways in different places!… We took a Resolution to the Anglican Consultative Council in New Zealand in 2012…. There are many, many shoots that we are not even aware of, where God is touching hearts and lives and liturgists! And now we stand at a kairos moment.”

Ernst Conradie, University of the Western Cape, South Africa notes: “Creation is not only the foundational event in salvation history” (seeing creation as part of salvation history); the purpose of salvation is to bring God’s work of creation to fruition…. A ‘Feast of Creation’ should not be reduced to God’s work of creation in the beginning although that is certainly included. It cannot be reduced to the beauty of God’s creation, nature conservation or references to plants and animals either…. In fact, a focus on destructive forces is appropriate so that a dialectic between cross and resurrection can be maintained.”

Joris Geldhof, Liturgical Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven welcomes the addition of a feast: “The thread of a feast of creation can be safely woven into the tapestry of the liturgical year. Given the time in which we live, and the unique ecumenical opportunities in the symbolic year 2025, it would constitute a meaningful addition to the liturgy. More than that, however, the feast would help understand other aspects and dimensions of liturgical feasts and seasons…”

Christopher Irvine, Alcuin Club and Mirfield Liturgical Institute, views an addition to our calendar in distinctly practical terms: “Such a feast, by focusing on and making explicit the theme of creation, could raise awareness of the theme of creation across the whole range of liturgical provision…. What is necessary here is to avoid speaking of an ‘event’ (as a past happening in time) and speak more deliberately of God’s creative activity; that is, God’s making in both bringing and holding in being, moment by moment, all that exists.”

So in a nutshell, a clear direction of travel was set: There is a strong desire for Western Churches to jointly embrace Creation Day (or a similar name and title) as an official liturgical feast. It will take time for sufficient consensus to build but there are things which can be done as soon as 2025. Groups have already met ecumenically and regionally; a Canadian group is now forming to move the project forward through appropriate decision-making channels. To the south of us a formal resolution will come before this year’s General Convention in The Episcopal Church to encourage and support development of a more detailed proposal.

There is also energy, even a sense of urgency, to update the prescribed texts of the Revised Common Lectionary through an ecumenical liturgical body (the Consultation on Common Texts CCT) which was represented at the seminar.

As many presenters stressed: this is a kairos moment, an opportunity to shape our liturgy, our public and our private worship in this time of ecological crisis. Is it too much to suggest that a special focus on God-as-Creator-in-Christ, empowered by Holy Spirit will help us live differently amidst creation. I think not. My prayer remains:

Creator. From the breadth and depth of creation, we thank you. Amen.

Rev. Kenneth J. Gray is a retired Anglican priest, photographer, musician, and activist living in Kamloops, BC