Creation Care Prayers
Christians have been writing prayers, poems, and hymns about our relationship to God and nature since the earliest days of the church. My favorite is “A Prayer for the Earth,” from Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, and I’ve gathered others below.
“All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace.”
Overviews
If you want general advice about how to go about planning a climate-themed prayer service, I’d start with this Eco-Prayer Guide from Citizens for Public Justice, or the Prayer Guide that Young Evangelicals for Climate Action put together for a Day of Prayer a few years ago.
Themed prayers
Young Evangelicals for Climate Action has written prayers focusing on political leaders, those suffering from the climate crisis, and the need for repentance. I also like Green Christian’s prayer against consumerism, called the “Joy in Enough” confession.
Collections
If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, several groups have collections you can browse and pull from, like the Christian Reformed Church’s Creation Care Prayers, Interfaith Power and Light’s Sample Prayers, Earth Ministry’s prayer list for worship services, and a lectionary-friendly list from a group called Let All Creation Praise. I also like this 30-day devotional called Stewardship of Creation.