Earth Care Month Calendar
Towson Presbyterian Church
Celebrate Earth Care Month with Towson Presbyterian Church this April! Follow along with each day below to foster environmental stewardship in your own life. Special thanks to Carol Appleby from our Earth Care Action Team for assembling this thoughtful resource.
Week One (Apr. 1–7)
As you begin your Earth Month journey, set aside a special time for prayer today, and ask God to help you create intentionality throughout your care for all God’s Creation.
Visit pcusa.org/ccc and consider taking PHP’s Climate Care Challenge.
“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.” - Psalm 25:4
As we learn to “tread lightly” on this earth, write down everything you throw away today. Challenge yourself to reduce the trash you produce for the remaining days of Earth Month.
Read and reflect on Philippians 4:8–9:
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Mark your calendar for Project Clean Stream with Towson Presbyterian Church on Sunday, Apr. 7, 4:00–6:00pm.
Read and reflect on Genesis 2:15–17:
"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.'"
Download this guide from the Office at the U.N. at to connect environmental and human health around the world: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/resource/engaging-our-world/
“…on earth as it is in heaven…” (the Lord’s Prayer)
Take a walk to appreciate the Earth’s natural beauty. Remember why preserving the Earth is crucial for the health of future generations.
Explore Creation Care Prayers from other traditions:
https://blessedtomorrow.org/six-interfaith-creation-care-prayers/
“God leads me besides still waters. God restores my soul.” - Psalm 23
Participate in Project Clean Stream today!
Week Two (Apr. 8–14)
Read Genesis 1:1-5 (Creation Day 1):
"When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, 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."
Explore safe ways to view today’s rare partial solar eclipse: https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how-to-view-eclipse
Read Genesis 1:6-8 (Creation Day 2):
"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."
Pray: “Creator of the rivers and oceans, who washes us clean and refreshes us daily, help us to be like a cup of cold water to others in your name: refreshing, cleansing and relieving. Amen.”
Challenge yourself to drink only water today. It takes 600 cups of water to produce a single cup of coffee, 125 cups of water to produce a cup of tea, and 70 cups of water to produce a cup of Coke.
Read Genesis 1:9-13 (Creation Day 3):
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.
Go fishing, or visit a seafood market. Plant flowers, or visit a nursery. Marvel at the wide varieties of sea creatures and plants that are part of God’s creation.
Genesis 1:14-19 (Creation Day 4):
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.
Pray: “In the rising and setting of the sun and the cycles of the seasons, in the patterns of the shining stars, may we remember the goodness of God. Amen.”
Observe a sunrise or sunset. Get out after dark and star gaze. Notice the moon’s phase.
Read Genesis 1:20-23 (Creation Day 5):
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.
Count the number of animals in your backyard, on your walk to school, or on a hike. Celebrate the Animal Kingdom by singing along to A Place in the Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTKJUxl8TL4
Read Genesis 1:24-31 (Creation Day 6).
Pray: “God, show us how to honor and preserve your gift of Creation. Allow us to share as generously with each other as you have shared the beauty of the Earth with us. Amen.”
For birthday, mother’s/father’s day gifts - buy fair trade chocolate, dried fruit, tea and coffee or small gifts made by women’s cooperatives! Fair trade helps farmers and workers around the world: pcusa.org/ fairtrade. Find reusable or recyclable options for wrapping – gift bags, reusable tote bags, cloth bags, tissue paper, newspaper.
Read Genesis 2:1-3 (Creation Day 7).
Take a mindful spring walk with guidance from the Center for Spirituality in Nature: https://www.centerforspiritualityinnature.org/self-guided-programs
Week Three (Apr. 15–21)
Read and reflect - Matthew 6:19-21. (…where your treasure is…)
Download Considering Our Treasure from PHP and take one of the action steps listed in the study: tinyurl.com/y27szc3z.
Pray: “For homes, for families, for friends, for food, we’re thankful, Lord. To us you’ve been so good! On all who feel scared, sick, hungry, not loved, pour out your rich comfort and peace from above. Amen.”
Learn where your food comes from. Calculate your food footprint at eatlowcarbon.org or https://eaternity.org/foodprint/climate-score
Read Matthew 25:31–46. Consider how parts of Creation might be “the least of these.”
Consider environmental injustice impacts using this poster:
Reread and reflect - Matthew 25:44-45 (Lord when was it we saw you hungry or thirsty…)
Sign-up to help with the Intergeneration Garden (Sun. 4/21 and beyond) https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CACAE2DA6FB6-48457495-2024
Donate food to ACTC (boxes in narthex, outside Thompson Hall).
Download a prayer at faithclimateactionweek.org so you can be prepared for the National Climate Prayer on Earth Day (April 22) at noon local time. Or write your own to use that day.
https://interfaithpowerandlight.org/faithclimateactionweek/join-the-nationwide-climate-prayer/
Read and reflect on Luke 12:41-48. (…to whom much is given, much is required…)
Pick up as many pieces of litter as you can and challenge a friend to do the same.
Come to or view online - 10 am Earth Sunday worship at TPC. Stay after for Blue Jean Sunday activities (including work in the Intergeneration Garden and the Labyrinth).
Week Four (Apr. 22–30)
“In Christ there is a new creation!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Look outside for signs of regeneration in the natural world today. We too can be made new.
Earth Day – pray the prayer you downloaded.
Consider where you see Christ in creation today. Share this with one person.
Download Blessed Tomorrow’s Let’s Talk resource to craft your own message to be able to speak with friends and family about reducing carbon use: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/resource/lets-talk-faith-and-climate/
“…Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” Psalm 23
The consumption of 500 gallons of gasoline every year per U.S. driver creates as much as 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Walk somewhere you would have driven today.
On either side of the river is the tree of life ...and its leaves are for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:2
Explore planting a native tree at home or at church: bit.ly/mdtrees. Or volunteer to plant trees with the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy www.gunpowdervalleyconservancy.org
Read and reflect - Psalm 130.
Consider our responsibility to be part of God’s redemption in Creation.
Download the Holy Discontentment: Lifting Your Voice for Effective Advocacy resource from the Office of Public Witness to learn more about how to use your voice to create change: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/resource/holy-discontentment-advocacy-resource/
Read and reflect - John 13:1–17, 31b–35.
How can we love one another — and God’s whole world — as Christ has loved us? Write down your commitment to show love to a part of Creation today.
Read and reflect - Matthew 11:28-30 (Come unto me all you who are weary…)
Know that you are not alone in this journey of caring for God’s creation. Consider joining the TPC Earth Care Action team or signing up for the TPC Earth Care Facebook group.
Read and reflect – Psalm 8 (O, Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!)
Walk the TPC labyrinth as you reflect on this psalm.
Think back on all of the activities that you have performed during Earth Month, and how they have brought you into greater harmony with earth and with all life. Conclude your Earth month creation care practice by making a personal pledge to serve God and serve others by pursuing a more sustainable way of life. As Isaiah 61 calls us to be “Oaks of Righteousness,” let us work to bring God’s loving justice to all creation.