Creation Care
The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Washington are committed to promoting respectful care of God’s creation, and particularly to working against climate change and on behalf of climate justice.
Season of Creation is coming!
The Season of Creation, September 1st through October 4th, is celebrated by Christians around the world as a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation. The Episcopal Church joins this international effort for prayer and action for climate justice and an end to environmental racism and ecological destruction. Congregations throughout EDOW honor this season in Sunday liturgies, special forums and activities, and environmentally-focused activities. Click here for resources and support from the diocesan Creation Care team in 2025 and here to learn how St. Mark’s Fairland celebrates the Season of Creation.
Water and Wilderness Church now worshipping in EDOW
Water and Wilderness Church is for anyone anywhere who yearns for a wilder faith in a bigger God. It’s more than a church, it’s a watershed community of people near and far who seek authentic connection to God and one another through nature-based worship, book studies, and immersive nature retreats. EDOW now hosts a regular worship service, led by Father Pete Nunnally, on Sunday evenings at Fletcher’s Cove.
More information below: Scroll down for more information about the Season of Creation and the 2025 parish energy usage study as well as the Communion Forest Initiative and ways to honor St. Francis of Assisi.
Parish Energy Usage Study
The 2025 Diocesan Convention, by resolution, urged the Diocese and its parishes to participate in a no-cost benchmarking study that measures each church facility’s energy usage and offers energy-upgrade recommendations – a first step to help reduce energy usage and to increase cost savings.
In response to the resolution, over 25 parishes joined the benchmarking study through July 2025. Each submitted energy-usage data for their facilities. Interfaith Power and Light (IPL-DMV) is now reviewing the data. It is now beginning to connect with each participating parish to lay out steps toward greater energy efficiency and cost-savings. IPL-DMV also will outline possible sources for financial assistance, where needed, to implement any cost-saving steps.
The Committee encourages each parish who has not yet submitted the energy-usage data to consider joining. It is not too late. Email creationcare@edow.org to learn more.
Tree Planting, Eco Partners, and Green Resources
The Diocese’s Creation Care Committee works to promote and assist parishes with environmental sustainability and responsibility in our faith communities and neighborhoods. As part of this undertaking, the Committee discerned a call for the diocese to take part in the Anglican Communion Forest initiative and as a first step in participating in the initiative, introduced the resolution “On Planting Trees to Celebrate Special Occasion” at the 2023 Diocesan Convention inviting parishes to plant and care for trees to commemorate birthdays, baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and in honor of loved ones.
Access EDOW’s Tree Planting Resources to find free trees, join organizations like Ward 8 Woods and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, or learn more about native planting.
Season of Creation, Sept. 1 - Oct. 4
The Season of Creation is celebrated by Christians around the world as a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation. The Episcopal Church joins this international effort for prayer and action for climate justice and an end to environmental racism and ecological destruction. Congregations throughout EDOW honor this season in Sunday liturgies, special forums and activities, and environmentally-focused activities.
Resources:
- Season of Creation website (updated with a new theme and resources each year).
- Resources from the Episcopal Church, including opportunities for advocacy, liturgical resources in English and Spanish, and more.
- Perennial lectionary guide for Years A, B, and C (released in 2025).
St. Francis of Assisi and Liturgies for Animals
The Feast of St. Francis is celebrated on October 4 each year. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment. Worship inspired by this Feast typically includes pet blessings, prayers for environmental protection and conservation, and a call to a lifestyle based in simplicity and service of others.
Episcopal Church St. Francis Day Resources: Use this comprehensive resource to plan a Blessing of the Animals service, a St. Francis Day service, or to find story books and historical resources about St. Francis of Assisi.
La Bendición de los Animales: Blessing of the Animals services in Spanish, published by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
Liturgies for animals:
Creation Care Committee
This committee serves as a resource for congregations and our diocese to create lasting change and deepen our commitment to care for all of creation.
The Rev. Melissa Sites, Chair, St. Christopher’s, New Carollton
Patrick Crump, St. Luke’s, Bethesda
Reid Detchon, St. Columba’s, DC
Teresa Hobgood, Church of the Epiphany, DC
Raymond Honeycutt, St. John’s, Georgetown
Jane Houlihan, St. John’s Norwood, Chevy Chase
Joanne Hutton, St. John’s Lafayette Square, DC
Abbott McCartney, St. John’s Lafayette Square, DC
The Rev. Pete Nunnally, Water and Wilderness Church
The Rev. Mary Sebold, Deacon, EDOW
Janis Smith, St. Mark’s, Fairland
The Rev. Donna Stinchcomb, St. Philip’s, Laurel
Staff: Michelle Dibblee, Missioner for Equity and Justice
