A young poet, viewing all the glory that surrounded him as he sat on a West Country hilltop one spring day in 1864, was inspired to write the words which have continued to reach out across the world since. As he looked he saw the wonder of creation and moreover evidence of God’s love made manifest through creation. Folliott Pierpoint’s words became the lyrics of one of my own favourite hymns, each verse of which celebrates different aspects of God’s abundant goodness.
Pierpoint’s hymn begins with these words ‘For the beauty of the earth; for the beauty of the skies. For the love which from our birth, over and around us lies.’ The hymn was originally written to be used in communion or eucharistic services and published in a collection called ‘Lyra Eucharistica’. As you may recall our word ‘Eucharist’ derives from a Greek root which mean ‘grateful’. How fitting that when we consider the glory and beauty of creation, we should be moved to profound gratitude. Such gratitude in turn must surely move us to a deepening sense of our connection and thereby to action.
We do not do this alone. Many Church members will be aware of the Season of Creation that has been internationally and ecumenically established from 1st September to 4th October each year. General Synod approved a ‘Creation Sunday’ for the first Sunday of September at its meeting in February 2026**. We are all very conscious of the perilous state of the planet which is our home, and it is right that Christians the world over contemplate prayerfully their responsibility and ponder what each of us can do. Our diocese is playing its part in so many ways as parishes and churches plan how they can better conserve and treasure the gifts of God in Creation. This year Louise Whitelegg, Carbon-zero Officer for the Diocese of Sodor and Man, has produced a study guide to help our reflections over four sessions. She has worked from four days of John Mann’s new book for the Creation Season, ‘Imagining the World’, which has a section for each of the thirty-four days of the Creation Season.
from Bishop Tricia
Creation – A Four Week Reflection is available to be downloaded from this website and to be used for the study groups meeting during September, and I encourage you to take this opportunity. It has been suggested by John and Louise that parishes could have a special table for coffee time after the Sunday service for those who would like to spend even 20 minutes looking at it each week of September, or established study groups could begin their new session with a September dwelling on Creation using the guide. Also, for those who want to go further, John’s book is available from the Churches Bookshop, price £9.99.
** Here you can read “Hope for all Creation” – the theological paper that was at the heart of General Synod’s discussion