Earth Day Planting

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The Academy of Saint Paul Students celebrated Earth Day by cleaning, weeding, and planting in the Courtyard Garden.  Studen planted a variety of fruits and vegetables including: broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, peppers, radishes, lettuce, peas, corn, tomatoes, eggplant, and more.  The weeds were added to the compost bin so the nutrients can be decomposed and used as fertilizer in the future.   Recycled water from the rain barrel was used to water the plants.

The culmination of the day was the Earth Day Prayer Service where the student body reflected on creation and nature and thanked God for His gifts.

 

              

 

 

Academy of Saint Paul

Stewards of the Earth

Earth Day Prayer Service

April 22, 2015

 

In Celebration of Earth Day

 “God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’"

Genesis 1:28

 

All:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

 

Reader:  A reading from the book of Genesis.

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth." And it was so. God made the two great lights-- the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night-- and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

So God created humankind in God's image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.

Leader: Today we gather to give thanks to God for the gift and majesty of his creation. We cannot look upon the beautiful world and beyond into heavenly space without recognizing the love God has for each of us.

All: We love you, God our Creator, and thank you for our many blessings.

Leader: God, you are always there for us. We need not worry and walk in fear, for you are always there and will never leave us.

All: We love you, God our Creator, and we place our trust in you.

Leader: We thank you, God, for all who work to provide food. We pray that we will all work to protect the soil of the earth and preserve it from poisons, burning, and harm. May the oceans, rivers, and streams used by mankind be treated with respect to maintain life always.

All: We love you, God our Creator, and pledge to care for your gifts that nourish and heal us.

Leader: We thank you, God, for the animals of the earth and oceans. May they thrive rather than become endangered or extinct due to harm inflicted by humans. May we guard their habitats and change our habits to deter global warming.

All: We love you, God our Creator, and strive to preserve every living being.

Leader: And finally, Dear God, we thank you for the gift of each other. We are human and often fail in our dealings with each other, but we pray that you will give us the wisdom to love our neighbors around the world. Help us to tear down walls we have built in our hearts and minds through fear and prejudice. Let our eyes see the person inside rather than the color of skin. Put in our hearts a desire to protect everyone from before birth to old age, for all are precious in your sight.

All: We love you, God our Creator, and seek to appreciate and reach out to our neighbors around the Globe to share your love.

 

Leader:  Let us say the Stewardship Prayer and School Mission Statement

 

All:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.