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Youth Column: Caring for Creation

Youth Column: Caring for Creation

Monday February 8 2021

Members of Church of Scotland Youth (CoSY) Glasgow discuss their recent work on the environment, and share a special prayer.


A GROUP of 17-25 year-olds, from different churches and backgrounds, Church of Scotland Youth (CoSY) Glasgow is a meeting place for young Christians who enjoy gathering together to worship and share fellowship.

Inevitably, the Covid-19 crisis has changed the way we meet together; however, we have enjoyed meeting online bi-weekly to encourage and support each other throughout this difficult time.

For the past couple of years, we’ve focussed on a theme chosen by the group: Caring for Creation. As we come to the end of our reflections on this topic, we’d like to share a few highlights.

We’ve been blessed to spend time with guest speakers including Eco-Congregation Scotland, a local MSP, Grasping the Nettle and Alpha Scotland. We’re very thankful to all those who spent time chatting and sharing with us.

Another highlight was creating an online worship session, which can be found on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MfJLEUDBd9I . As part of our worship we spent time together discussing scripture, reflecting on God’s word and writing a song, ‘God is Good’, which premiered on our worship video.

Perhaps a fitting end to this short article and to our Caring for Creation theme, would be to share a prayer written together by our members. We invite you to pray with us, offering
our thankfulness and concern to God:

Almighty father,
We thank you for the joy and beauty of creation. Both the natural and the manmade; help us to see your hand in it all.

For the land that gives us life; for the flora and the fauna which creates the biodiversity needed for survival; for the water, food, weather, which gives your creation its life, we thank you. Our Creator God. Help us to remember nature, to remember we are not alone on this planet and that we should respect all living things we have dominion over.

But Lord, we have abused your mighty work and, for that, we ask forgiveness. Our environment has changed so drastically in the past years. Climate change has affected so many of us, some more than others; Lord, we ask that you will hold the people aff ected
most, like the farmers and their families across the world.

We know change is inevitable in the world, but we pray for justice; we pray for your people breathing polluted air, we pray for your people watching their lands sink under water. Your creation is almighty; yet our everyday worlds are so small. Help us to look beyond our own settings to see our brothers and sisters across the world. Let our prayers of faith, hope and love reach them, and let our actions speak for them as we consider our attitude to the environment.

We pray, Lord, for all those affected both now and in the future by our carelessness,
selfishness and greed. Protect them and journey with them into the unknown. Show them that you are still with them. In Genesis, we read that you give us dominion over the world (Genesis 1:28). We recognise our responsibility, we need to take it seriously. The very earth is as much a neighbour to us as our mortal ones are. You told us to love our neighbours (Matthew 22:39). Help us to fulfil our duty, not just for the injustice of people, but for injustice in the whole world.

We give thanks that “You visit the earth and water it, you enrich it, the river of God is full of water, for you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.” (Psalm 65:9) Help us to mimic your goodness, to protect and care for  your world. “Take a good look at God’s wonders – they will take your breath away” (Psalm 66:5) With so much to see, so many beautiful, perfect wonders to know and love, we thank you and praise your name for giving them to us. Let us be amazed at all that you’ve given us, and help us to share your wonders far and wide.
Amen.


For more information on CoSY Glasgow please contact Karen Wallace, Children, Family and
Youth Development Coordinator, on youth@presbyteryofglasgow.org.uk