EARTH DAY
  
MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Worship Planning Notes

1. Include either of these two statements on your bulletin/order of worship cover:

And God stepped out on space,
And He looked around and said,
“I’m lonely—
I’ll make me a world.”
                         —James Weldon Johnson

 “Creation is God’s holy gift to us and as stewards,
we must use this gift for the good of humankind and the glory of God.
The God of creation and the God of salvation are the same God,
and creation and redemption must not be divorced from each other.”
—Warren W. Wiersbe

2. Earth Day provides a wonderful opportunity to bring together neighboring churches of the same or various faiths for a combined service focused on fostering unity around our responsibility to all of God’s Earth and to ensuring that the poor do not suffer environmental injustices.
3. Develop a community coalition to spend a day cleaning up the neighborhood nearest your church or a disadvantaged neighborhood.

1. Invocation or Litany
Prelude Music
(a) Earth. By Hans Zimmer. Instrumental. This song can also be used during the Invitational or following the Benediction.

Meditation for Gathering
(c) For the Beauty of the Earth. By Folliott S. Pierpoint
Spoken word:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise
this our grateful [hearts] of praise.
For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies
For the love which from our birth
over and around us lies.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our grateful [hearts] of praise.
Amen.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) All Creatures of Our God and King. By Francis of Assisi. Tune, (Lasst Uns Erfreuen)  
by Norman Johnson

(c) Now Thank We All Our God. By Martin Rinkart. Tune, (Nun Danket) by Johan Cruger

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs   
(a) Wade in the Water. Spiritual

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) The Heavens Are Telling. By Donald Lawrence

(c) Majesty. By Jack Hayford

(d) Holy, Holy, Holy. By Gary Oliver

(e) Holy, Holy, Holy. By Byron Cage

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Music
(a) Restore to Me. By Aaron Lindsey and Joann Rosario

6. Anthems
(a) Hymn to the Creator of Light. By John Rutter. For SATB a cappella choir

7. Modern Songs      
(a) Blue Skies. By Grant Cunningham and Matt Huesmann

8. Song or Instrumental for the Offertory Period 
(a) Restoration. By Marvin Winans

(b) The Wonders of His Hands. By Geron Davis

9. Prayer or Song for the Period of Prayer  
Prayer, Spoken
(a) Forgive Us for Spoiling the Earth

God, you gave us the earth and divided it from the waters which you also gave. You gave us sunlight and moonlight. You gave grass and moving creatures, fowl that fly, whales and all fish and creatures that inhabit water. You gave us cattle, beast of the earth, and all herb bearing seeds and fruit-bearing trees. When you gave it to us it was all good!

But we have overused and not saved. We have torn down and not replenished. Forgive us for having spoiled the earth.

We have been careless and unconcerned. We have used your resources to satisfy our greed. Forgive us Lord for having spoiled the earth.

We have ignored the signs although you have given them to us in abundance. Instead, we have argued over what should be done, ignored what should be done and done too little of what we could do. Forgive us for having spoiled the earth.

We repent at this moment. We repent because we want to change our ways. We repent because we intend to learn what we can do to show our appreciation as stewards of your earth. We do not want you to be ashamed for having entrusted us with your earth. We repent because we intend to change our ways and become better conservers, replenishers, and advocates for the earth, beginning this day, beginning with where we live. This is our sincere desire. Amen

Sung
(b) A Prayer of St. Patrick. By John Rutter

10. Sermonic Selection         
This Is My Father’s World. By Malthie D. Babcock. Tune, (Terra Beata) by Franklin L. Sheppard. This song can sung by the choir or congregation and can also be accompanied by a video (see 13(b)).

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Creation Sings. By Fernando Ortega. Piano solo. This selection can also be used for the Prelude.

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental         
(a) Lord, Bless Thy Word to Every Heart. By Pearl Waggoner Howard. Tune, (Benediction) by Stanley Ledington

(c) God of Wonders. By Marc Byrd and Steven Hindalong

13. Audio Visual Suggestions
(a) Use screen shots of planet Earth, the sky, trees and greenery, the sun, rivers, oceans, and mountains to run while the instrumentalist is playing the prelude “Earth” (see 1(a)). The images can also be used as a background during announcements. Try these online sources:

• SermonSpice.com: www.sermonspice.com. Type in “Earth” in search for videos or video loops.
• Faithvisuals.com: www.faithvisuals.com. Type in “creation” in search for video loops. Suggestions: Nature Loop 1, 2, 3.

(b) Video: “This Is My Father’s World.” By Fernando Ortega. This video can be played during the Prelude, during the Offertory, or at the end of the worship service.

9. Prayer or Song for the Period of Prayer   
Prayer, Spoken
(a) Forgive Us for Spoiling the Earth. By Martha Simmons

13. Audio Visual Suggestions
(a) (See above.)

(b) Video: “This Is My Father’s World.” By Fernando Ortega. This video can be played during the Prelude, during the Offertory, or at the end of the worship service.
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