Worship Resources

Climate Prayers and Sample Sermons

Included below are prayers and sermons on climate care to give an idea what others have said on the subject. Also in this section are links to other collections of sermons as well as websites that may be of use to anyone writing a sermon on environmental issues. The written sermons are arranged in reverse chronological order. If you have suggestions for this page or a sermon you think should be included here, please e-mail us at info@interfaithpowerandlight.org.

IPL’s Faith Climate Action Week website also has many Worship Resources: sermon prompts, sample print and video sermons listed by religion, prayers and blessings, faith statements on climate change, faith specific study guides, music, youth and children’s resources, theatrical productions, etc. Access them here.

IPL’s Youtube page has many brief video prayers for the Earth from many different faith traditions. Access them here.

Multi-faith Climate and Environmental Prayers and Blessings

Prayer for our Earth from Pope Francis Encyclical ( English and Spanish)

A General Climate Blessing
Sister Joan Brown
NM Interfaith Power & Light

St. Francis Sunday
The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham
St. Mary the Virgin
San Francisco, CA

A Wish for the Earth
by Elizabeth Levie
Student at University High School, San Fransisco
in celebration of IPL’s 15th Anniversary

Love God, Love Your Neighbor
The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham
Sermon preached at  St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
San Francisco, CA

A Place Called Hope (video link)
The Rev. Kim Morrow
Nebraska IPL Executive Director
Minister of Sustainability
First-Plymouth Congregational Church, UCC
Lincoln, NE

Nowhere to Run
by Rev. David Thompson
URI

Our Neighbor Earth
The Rev. Dr. Dan De Leon
Friends Congregational Church, UCC
College Station, TX

Healing That Affects Us All
The Rev. Shirley Oskamp
Church of the Wildwood; Tinmouth Community Church
Chittenden, VT; Tinmouth, VT

What would Jesus Do About Air Pollution?
Pat Hoerth
Perry First United Methodist Church
Perry, OK

The Power of Water
The Rev. Nancy Rockwell
The Congregational Church in Exeter, UCC
Exeter, NH

Getting Clean
Stephen Miller
Cristo del Valle Presbyterian Church
Albuquerque, NM

Valentine from God
Gladys Gifford, ALP
South Park United Presbyterian
Buffalo, NY

Good Friday / Earth Day
The Rev. Nick Utphall
Wisconsin IPL/ St. Steven’s Lutheran Church
Monona, WI

Call to Discipleship: Building a Cottage of Straw and Mud
Pat Hoerth
Perry First United Methodist Church
Perry, OK

Gardens and Vineyards
The Rev. M. Lise Hildebrandt
Holy Cross Episcopal Church
Weare, NH

Choose Life to Live
Jan Trulock
First Christian Church
Glendale, AZ

You have heard of old, but I say to you
John Coleman, SJ
San Francisco, CA

Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Pastor Mernagh
Anamchura Faith Community
Louisville, KY

Ask Seek Knock
By Meighan Pritchard, MDiv
United Church of Christ
Mira Vista UCC, El Cerrito, CA
Text: Luke 11:1-13
What does the reign of God on earth look like, and what can we do to bring it about?

Put your nets on the other side of the boat.
By the Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham
Episcopal

Earth Sunday Sermon (Audio and PDF)
By the Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham
Episcopal
Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
Text: John 21:1-19
When doing things the old way doesn’t work, cast your nets on the other side of the boat: try something new.

Transfiguration Sunday – Lent C Homily
By Father Charles Morris
Catholic
St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, Wyandotte, MI
Written for IPL’s Preach-In on Global Warming
Text: Luke 9:28-36
From the mountain top, we see with a different lens the work to be done to heal creation.

Practice Love
By the Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham
Episcopal
Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
Written for IPL’s Preach-In on Global Warming
Through our faith, we can practice love of the earth by changing our behaviors, by working for peace, and more.

A Call to Action
By Reverend Bob Wohlfort
Lutheran
First Trinity Lutheran Church, Washington, D.C.
Text: Psalm 130
We have much to confess about our role in global warming, but that also means there is much we ourselves can do to make a change for the better.

Rosh Hashanah Sermon 5768
By Rabbi Laura Geller
Reform Judaism
Temple Emanuel, Beverly Hills, CA
Texts: Rava; Genesis 1-2; Midrash Rabba 3:1; Deuteronomy 20:19-20; Mishna Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars 6:8-10; Sefer HaChinuch 529
Caring about the planet is profoundly Jewish. This congregation can do something by taking the Green Pledge to reduce carbon emissions individually and as a congregation.

Guardians of the Earth
By Rabbi Mark Kaiserman
Reform Judaism
Temple Emanu-El of West Essex, Livingston, NJ
Texts: Gen. 2:15, Midrash Kohelet Rabbah 7, Pirkei Avot 2:21, Deut. 20:19-20
Rosh Hashanah 5768, September 2007
We are Shomrei Adamah, or guardians of the earth. We must model the behavior of creating a greener environment and guarding our precious planet. Originally published on the Religious Action Center/Environment website.

The Earth Is the Lord’s
By Reverend R. Charles Grant, D.Min.
Presbyterian
Bon Air Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA
Texts: Psalm 8, Psalm 24:12, Genesis 1:1-5, 26-31, Romans 8:19-24
April 29, 2007
What does global warming have to do with Christian faith? Everything. We are stewards, not owners. Earth is the arena for both God’s grace and God’s judgment.

Let Everything that Breathes
By Kirk Nave
United Methodist
River Road United Methodist Church, Richmond, VA
Texts: Job 12:7-10; Psalm 148; Psalm 150
April 29, 2007
The science of global warming paints a stark picture. Our actions can change the predictor models. We can praise the Lord through wise choices.

The Great Connection
By Bass Mitchell
United Methodist
Ivy Creek United Methodist Church, Charlottesville, VA
Texts: Psalm 24
July 16, 2006
We are all connected and must take care of our neighbors, including the plants and animals.

Changing the Focus on Non-Renewable Energy and the Stewardship of the Environment
By the Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, D.D., Bishop of Washington and Dean of Washington National Cathedral
Episcopal
November 6, 2004
We have destroyed pristine landscapes and violated our sacred covenant with God. We must reclaim our covenant and teach it to the next generation, and we must work to heal God’s creation.

Changing the Story: The Need for Magic
Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
In order to free our world from its present nightmare of materialism and exploitation, we need a new story—a story of oneness and interdependence, of cooperation rather than competition. But to make this transition we need a power, the magic that belongs to life itself. How can we find this magic to give birth to a new story of oneness, of the earth as a living, self-sustaining whole, full of beauty and wonder?

Earth Sunday
The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham
Episcopal
Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
Texts: 1 John 1:6-7, John 13:35
April 27, 2003
Ecology is religious, and we as communities of faith must do our part to mitigate global warming. If we destroy nature, what are we doing to our relationship with God? Learn to love nature and, in being transformed by that love, work for the betterment of the environment.

Dr. Hamid Mavani
Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California
Temple Beth El, Berkeley, CA
Islam
Texts: Qur’an 2:30-31, 33:72, 67:1-4, 31:20
October 29, 2002
God offered to heavens, earth, and mountains the trust of creation. Only humans were willing to take on this task. We must do a better job.

Christ in All Things
By Rev. Nancy G. Wright
Episcopal
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Mount Vernon, WA
Text: Colossians 1:15-20
April 25, 1999
God, in Christ, is holding the world together. This belief teaches us several things about how we are to live in relationship with God and with the rest of creation.

An Earth Day Sermon
By Steven Whitney
Episcopal
St. Steven’s Episcopal Church, Seattle, WA
Texts: Genesis 2:15, 9:8-11 and Job 12:10, 38:1-7
April 21, 1996
Creation is a “manifestation of God in our midst.” To whom does creation really belong? What is our role in it?

Global Warming
By Metwalli B. Amer, Ph.D, Founder and Executive Director of Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims
Islam
Texts: Qur’an 45:12, 55:60, 28:77, 31:11, 3:189-91, 55:5, 55:7, 36:40, 6:96, 55:8, 30:41-42, 54:50-56, 7:56
The Qur’an mentions care for the environment and maintaining a balance in multiple places. We must practice love for each other and for the planet and urge our legislators to create laws that will cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Noah
By Paul Amrhein, Human Concerns Minister
Catholic
St. Bridget’s Catholic Church, Richmond, VA
God wanted Noah’s help to save creation. Can we be modern-day Noahs?

Tips on writing sermons on environmental topics are available at Eco-Justice: “Three Layers of Environmental Preaching.”

Some Interfaith Power & Light affiliates have sermon contests or other sermon resources on creation care themes. Here are some examples:
Iowa IPL
Virginia IPL
Washington IPL/Earth Ministry

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