A Heart for Creation

Every day we learn more about the environment and our interaction with it. The science and details are complex and wonderful – but what is clear is that our relationship with the environment is out of balance and that human behaviour must change. We need to learn to live gently and more in harmony with God’s creation.

But how do we change? Religious traditions and mystics have used prayer and meditation to bring about change for centuries. Prayer is the powerhouse that inspires us and keeps us from burning out. Prayer helps us to transform our mindsets and to act from a more rooted place.

A Heart for Creation offers prayers, worship resources and reflections to help individuals and groups effect change. From our love for God and love for creation we can grow in our care for the earth as exhorted in the Bible.

Chris Polhill’s previous books include Eggs and Ashes: Practical and Liturgical Resources for Lent & Holy Week (with Ruth Burgess), and A Pilgrim’s Guide to Iona Abbey (Wild Goose Publications).

Gracious God,
share with us
your heart for creation.
That we may cherish all life,
working together to heal
the damage we have done.
Knowing that in all our struggles
you are beside us,
to inspire, strengthen
and transform us.
Amen

Chris Polhill

Review from Reverend Peter Doodes, for Christian Ecology Link:

This book has the subtitle "Worship resources and reflections on the environment". It has sections entitled 'Celebrating creation', 'Lamenting the damage to creation', 'Action for change', 'The struggle to change' and 'Transformation', these being intermingled with examples of change in and outside the Church, beautiful and humorous poetry (I loved the one `Praise God for veg boxes'), thought provoking drama, prayer and reflections. I especially enjoyed `To fly or not to fly, that is the question'.

The book is quite simply outstanding. It is relevant, serious in its content and yet humorous and easy to read. It can just as easily be used for private prayer/reflection as well as a very useful work of reference; I had no idea until I read part of `A six week challenge' that the sparrow population in London had dropped by 70% in six years.

I have ordered several copies that I will be sending as presents to friends who will, I know, find this book just as useful and inspirational as I do. I am certain that you will love it and find it as just as hard to put down as I do!

Reverend Peter Doodes
for Christian Ecology Link