WCC NEWS: God’s Creation is celebrated in a gathering of waters

Recalling believers’ mandate to act as stewards and beneficiaries of God’s creation, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Assembly gathered in morning prayer on the first day of September, the Orthodox Day of Prayer for Creation and the start of an ecumenically observed Season of Creation. At the heart of the liturgical action was a combining of vessels of water from each inhabited region of the earth, a “gathering of the waters” reflecting the earliest act of creation in Genesis 1:9. The choir sings during morning prayer at the World Council of Churches' 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany. The assembly takes place August 31 to September 8 under the theme "Christ's Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity." Photo: Mike DuBose/WCC 01 September 2022 As the regional waters were intermingled, the congregation prayed, “We are nourished, sustained and connected. We depend on all life on our planet. We are united in Christ in baptism. We are purified. We are blessed.” Throughout the devotions, music from many nations and peoples enriched the quality of prayer. There was a Gloria in Estonian, an Alleluia in Russian, a Maori prayer of thanksgiving, and other music stemming from Japan, Lebanon, Europe, the Americas and South Africa. A liturgical dance inspired by Proverbs 8 incarnated the breadth of divine Wisdom and the blessings of Creation. The gospel lesson came from Colossians 1:15-20 which proclaims that, in Jesus Christ, “all things in heaven and on earth were created”. The text concludes that “through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of the cross.” As gatherings for morning, midday and evening prayer unfold in the week to come, texts, movement, music and prayers will provide bases of reflection for small group encounters and Bible studies woven through the pattern of the Assembly. Video of the Morning prayer Photos of the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland