August Good Green News: Creation Care Resources for Lutherans
Lutherans Restoring Creation’s August Good Green News brings together opportunities to worship, learn, advocate and act for the care of God’s creation—including an August conversation about spirituality in nature, resources for the Season of Creation, a new EcoPreacher cohort, an environmental spirituality summit with Bill McKibben, and a six-week ELCA film series.
For congregations and leaders across the Grand Canyon Synod, the newsletter offers resources for connecting our Lutheran faith with care for the earth and our neighbors.
Nature, Spirituality & Church in the Wild — August 25
On Tuesday, August 25, at 5 p.m. Pacific / 5 p.m. Arizona, join Alycia Ashburn, a Spirituality in Nature (SING) group guide, and Pr. Candice Combs, a Wild Church pastor, for “Nature, Spirituality & Church in the Wild.”
The online conversation is for nature lovers, “green sheep” and anyone curious about following the Spirit into the more-than-human world and encountering creation as a place of worship, relationship and spiritual formation.
Season of Creation Begins September 1
The Season of Creation, observed September 1–October 4, offers congregations an opportunity to celebrate God as Creator and deepen our calling to care for creation. The 2026 theme, “Living Water,” draws inspiration from Ezekiel 47:9, 12.
This year the ELCA is also encouraging congregations to consider celebrating the Feast of Creation, or Creation in Christ Sunday, on September 1 or the following week. Augsburg Fortress and ELCA Worship have released a free worship guide, and additional Season of Creation worship and planning resources are available.
Beginning Wednesday, September 2, ELCA leaders will also host six 45-minute virtual lunchtime screenings of “Caring for the Earth: Stories from Faith Communities.” The weekly series continues through October 7, with films exploring faith, climate justice, water, healing creation and young leaders.
Formation for Preachers and Creation-Care Leaders
Registration is now open for the 2026–27 EcoPreacher cohort, a 10-month learning community designed to equip preachers to address creation justice from the pulpit with theological grounding, practical resources and support from peers.
Lutherans Restoring Creation is also highlighting the Annual Environment & Spirituality Summit, held online September 28–29 with keynote speaker Bill McKibben. Presented with Faith in Place, this year’s summit centers on “Grounded Resistance” and explores how people of faith can engage the world from places of spiritual grounding, collective support and sustained action. Registration uses a $0–$125 sliding scale.
Other upcoming opportunities include Coffee with Christine on September 2 and the Sacred Action: Stories of Hope Connections Call on September 29.
Putting Faith Into Public Life
The newsletter also highlights Election Earth’s 10-Week Activation Challenge, beginning August 24 and continuing through Election Day. The nonpartisan initiative provides tools intended to help participants prepare to vote, engage others and bring their climate concerns into civic life.
For Lutherans, creation care encompasses worship, daily vocation, public witness and our responsibility toward our neighbors—especially those most affected by environmental disruption. These resources offer several ways for individuals and congregations to explore that calling together.
Lutherans Restoring Creation is also preparing to launch a redesigned website in September, featuring updated organizing resources, action plans and stories from across its network.
Read the full August Good Green News from Lutherans Restoring Creation for registration links, worship resources, event details, the 2025 Impact Report and additional creation-care opportunities.
