April 22. Unitarian Universalism’s seventh principle: “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part” makes this a day to celebrate religiously. Themes can include: earth-centered spirituality; connecting to the divine through nature; caretaking of the environment; the interdependent web. Another day to celebrate these themes is Arbor Day, the date of which varies from state to state.
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The Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth envisions a world in which reverence, gratitude, and care for the living Earth are central to the lives of all people. Their purpose is to inspire, facilitate, and support personal, congregational, and denominational practices that honor and sustain the Earth and all beings. They affirm and promote the seven principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association, including: "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."
From Tapestry of Faith Curricula
Unitarian Universalist Perspectives
- UU World Articles on Earth Day
- Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth
- Earth Day: An Alphabet Book by Gary Kowalski
Earth Day: An Alphabet Book
An alphabet book that celebrates life on earth. Ages 3 and up.
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This hands-on ritual could be used to celebrate Earth Day, a Solstice, or an Equinox. Before the service begins, set up a table or two (or more) with several stations for people to plant seeds....Ritual | By Diana Smith | July 4, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Abundance, Autumnal Equinox, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Food, Nature, Summer Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Water Communion -
Leader: [if applicable: In addition to our own beloved dead], we take the time to acknowledge all those already lost as the world feels the effects of global warming and climate change. Thousands of people, as well as animals and plants, die every year from the effects of global climate change....Litany | By Erica Baron | October 19, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), All Souls Day, Anti-Oppression, Brokenness, Despair, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Humanism, Nature, Pain, Remembrance Day, Responsibility, Trauma, Climate Justice -
Did you know that there are trillions of little tiny creatures living inside your bodies? They’re called microbiota, and they're SOOO tiny that to them, you and your body… are like a planet. To my microbiota I am Planet [your name]. You are Planet [name of child present]. You are Planet [name of...Time for All Ages | By Carolyn Fisher | August 10, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Activism, Body, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Humanism, Nature, Responsibility, Secular, Climate Justice -
I understand participation in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a spiritual practice or discipline. While the word discipline may want to make us run and hide, a spiritual practice or discipline is meant to help us find our center. Approaching my participation in the CSA as a spiritual...Reading | By Nicole Janelle | July 10, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Community, Contemplation, Direct Experience, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Family, Food, Food Justice, Gratitude, Nature, Spiritual Practice, Summer Solstice, Table Grace, Wonder -
Leader: Quick! Look about you! The snows of Winter are gone and the Earth has awoken once more! Congregation: Hail the Spring in all her green glory! L: The brave small flowers push up from the warming soil; birds return from their southerly homes; the first buds appear on the trees....Responsive Reading | By Lorelei Greenwood-Jones | May 13, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Hope, Nature, Spring, Vernal Equinox, Wonder, WorshipWeb -
Leader: For the love of all began with the world. Congregation: All of Nature is sacred. L: Every creature is a thinking, feeling being. C: We are blessed with wondrous variety. L: We are part of nature and of every being on the planet. What we do to one affects the many. C: In this web of...Responsive Reading | By Lorelei Greenwood-Jones | May 13, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animals, Awe, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Nature, Responsibility, Wonder, Climate Justice, WorshipWeb -
EARTH, clay from which we are made and to which we will return. Soil, rich and aromatic, crumbling in my fingers, dark under my nails. This, cleansing dirt, the natural filter for aquifers, holds life....Meditation | By David Snedden | April 5, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Beginnings, Direct Experience, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Environment, Humanism, Imagination, Imbolc / Brighid's Day / Candlemas, Interdependence, Nature, Spring, Summer Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Climate Justice -
Early in the morning, before the children are awake and while the grass is still dewy, I like to walk in my garden. It’s “my” garden only because it shares the same small plot of land my family and I inhabit. The garden does not really belong to me; I belong to it—at least for the short time...Meditation | By David M. Horst | April 5, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Beauty, Contemplation, Direct Experience, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Flower Communion, Grace, Mystery, Nature, Spiritual Practice, Summer Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Wonder -
This Time for All Ages is greatly enhanced by visual elements. If you're able to create a slide show, it may be helpful to show the accompanying images, as well as diagrams of the geocentric and heliocentric models of the solar system. We humans have always looked up at the stars, wondered about...Time for All Ages | By Erika Hewitt | March 21, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Awe, Earth Day, History, Identity, International, Living Our Faith, Partner Church Observation, Religion, Science, Secular, Wonder -
As the first hint of green begins to peek through the barren ground As that little sprig grows into a healthy stem As that stem grows into a stalk and forms a bud As that bud slowly opens with each new day To form a yellow daffodil Let us be, like that first hint of green, renewed by the warm of ...Chalice Lighting | By Jennifer McGlothin | October 20, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Abundance, Awe, Beauty, Beginnings, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Easter, Flower Communion, Growth, Health, Interdependence, Nature, Secular, Spring, Unitarian Universalism, Vernal Equinox -
On this green bank, by this soft stream, We place with joy a votive stone, That memory may their deeds redeem, When, like our sires, our sons are gone. —Ralph Waldo Emerson A green heron stands motionless on the bank of Emerson’s soft stream. In its beak it holds a fish, just the right size for...Meditation | By Stephen M. Shick | May 27, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animals, Death, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Environment, Generations, History, Nature, Reverence, Sacrifice, Stewardship -
Spirit of Life, Ground of our being, Root of unified mystery Growing into myriad branches of expression, Bring us together now....Meditation | By Lyn Cox | May 22, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Change, Christianity, Community, Direct Experience, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Homecoming / Ingathering, Humanism, Interdependence, Listening, Nature, Science, WorshipWeb -
Creative spirit, source of life and love: We give thanks for the beauty of this day and for the company of those assembled here. Thank you for the breezes of change, clearing our heads and bringing fresh ideas. May they cleanse our minds of the oppressions and isms that divide us....Prayer | By Lyn Cox | May 7, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Anti-Oppression, Beauty, Change, Christianity, Creativity, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Gratitude, Judaism, May Day / Beltane, Nature, WorshipWeb -
What if when I light the chalice, you hear an invitation to welcome gratitude for the earth? This week, as I got ready to light the chalice, my family talked about blessings from this planet. Here is my list: [list 3-7 things] And now, with this flame of hope shedding light in your heart: what is...Chalice Lighting | By Karen G. Johnston | May 6, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animals, Children, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Environment, Gratitude, Nature, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb -
When I look up into the night sky, I am in awe of all that is. There in a far away galaxy A star has died, Yet it is still bright for my eyes to see. And make a wish upon When I walk in the ocean I feel the waves rush across my feet And I feel a certain peace with the world I peer out into the...Poetry | By Jay Wolin | April 22, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Awe, Earth, Earth Day, Nature, Presence, Wonder, WorshipWeb -
“I believe that if, on every Sunday morning before going to church, we could be lifted to a mountain-peak and see a horizon line of six hundred miles enfolding the copious splendor of the light on such a varied expanse; or if we could look upon a square mile of flowers representing all the specie...Quote | By Thomas Starr King | March 31, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Awe, Earth, Earth Day, Nature, Reverence, Unitarianism, Universalism, Wonder, Climate Justice
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The Earth has returned. She is living, breathing, Realizing her breath was leaving. She was needing us to remember her worth, to recognize her worth all over again. We used to be her friends. We used to help her heal us. Help her, heal us. Help her heal us....Poetry | By Christopher Sims | March 30, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Healing, Nature, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Unitarian Universalism, Climate Justice
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Committed to respond to the call of a wounded world… We join together this day with loving hearts, hands and minds. Embracing the interconnected web of water, air and earth… We light a fire of sustaining hope, ever bright with love and justice. May we bring forth this day new wisdom, strength...Opening | By Lynn Harrison | March 18, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Home, Nature, Responsibility, Unitarian Universalism, Climate Justice -
During the hot Nebraska summers of my childhood, I spent hours, high in my treehouse, devouring the books I found in the small collection my parents had acquired from the estates of various relatives. One of my favorites was A Wonder Book, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s retelling of classical myths. My...Reading | By Barbara Rohde | March 17, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Commitment, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Interdependence, Nature, Responsibility, Unitarian Universalism, Climate Justice
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Of course truth is hard. It is a rock. Yet I do not think it will fall upon me And crush me. I do not think they can hammer it to bits And stone me. Help me place the rock in the strong current Of these rushing waters. I must climb upon it. I must know how truth feels....Poetry | By Barbara Rohde | March 17, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Nature, Strength, Truth, Water Communion, Climate Justice