September 2026
You heavens above,
rain down righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness grow with it;
I, the Lord, have created it.
– Isaiah 45:8
The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. The season runs from September 1–October 4, which is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. As we enter this season, our reflection goes beyond our environmental and ecological efforts to heal our lands, air, and water. While those efforts are vital, we need to consider and fight against violent assaults on nature in the name of profit.
The global community needs to balance the demand for energy sources, the minerals needed to keep our cell phones working, and raw materials needed for building supplies with the loss of irreplaceable pristine waters and forests, unique animal habitats, and fragile ecosystems. Sadly, the scientific community that can help us balance these needs and unite peoples and governments as problem solvers have been marginalized or outright discredited.
We are not alone in this systemic sin:
- The extraction and trade of some critical minerals is intensifying new geopolitical tensions and reinforcing long-standing patterns of exploitation. Instead of enabling a fair and just transition for both communities and countries globally, the race for critical minerals is exacerbating human rights abuses, deepening inequality and fueling global unrest.
- “In the Amazon, the exploitation of natural resources is completely unjust. This will have a strong impact on the message the Pope may deliver about human dignity and care for creation,” Bishop Miguel Ángel Cadenas said regarding Pope Leo’s upcoming visit in November 2026.
- President Donald Trump signed an order on 7/14/2026 to drastically shrink the size (by over 90%) of the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments in Utah. This move would remove valuable protections from these lands and pave the way for more mining and extraction of fossil fuels, as well as disregard agreements with tribal nations. Center for American Progress
- Industrialized fishing practices are a primary threat to marine life worldwide. Global fish stocks are being overharvested at ecologically and economically indefensible levels. Destructive large-scale fisheries undermine sensitive ocean ecosystems, threaten climate stability, jeopardize global food security, and imperil marine wildlife.
- Humanity is consuming natural resources faster than the planet can replenish them, and the gap is growing. The result is environmental degradation, economic risk, and a shrinking inheritance for future generations. With the global population still rising and consumption habits in wealthy nations showing little sign of slowing, addressing overconsumption has never been more urgent.
Celebrating and moving our feet during the season:
- Attend Way of Creation Prayer Service here at OLOL outdoor garden Tuesday, September 1, at 6:30 pm. Click here for the order of worship if you are unable to attend.
- Visit the Season of Creation website for lots more ways to celebrate and pray.
- School Sisters of St. Francis (SSSF) is a pilgrimage site for the jubilee year of St. Francis of Assisi. Click here for tours and prayer opportunities.
- Dean Muller, President of Wisconsin for Environment Justice, will present Sacred Stewardship at the Sunday, September 27, 9:00 am-10:20 am, GIFT (Generations In Faith Together) session here at OLOL.
As stewards of creation, faith communities are rising as a profound force for healing our wounded Earth. This presentation explores how diverse religious traditions are uniting—both with one another and with secular partners—to cultivate a more resilient, life-sustaining world. All are welcome to attend. If you are not a regular GIFT member, contact Steve Szymanski, Director of Child Ministries/Social Justice, so enough materials can be prepared for the session.
- Join Faith In Place at Wehr Nature Center on Tuesday, September 29, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm, for a watch party of the keynote session of the 2026 Annual Environment & Spirituality Summit, as speaker, Bill McKibbin addresses Faithful Resistance in a Warming World. McKibben is an author, educator, and environmentalist, who helped found org, a global, people-led movement pushing to end fossil fuels and power up clean, safe and affordable energy for all. Please Note: You can view Watch Party sites and RSVP to one near you after you register for the Summit.
- Sign a petition to defend Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante Monuments.
A Prayer for the Season of Creation
Creator of all,
From your communion of love
the whole cosmos came into being.
You pour in life and make all things holy.
Forgive us for the times we have failed
to listen to the groans of the Earth
and the cries of your creatures.
Open our eyes to the beauty of your creation
and awaken in us the responsibility
to care for our fragile world.
Grant us the grace to walk gently, live justly,
and work together for the renewal of your creation.
Amen.
– from Episcopal Relief and Development