Community of Christ

Explore ENDURING PRINCIPLES with Children
What does Sacredness of Creation mean?

KEY CONCEPTS

God created all: things we can see and things we cannot see and called it good.
God is still creating today.
Creation can be easily harmed.
We join God in caring for all creation.

SCRIPTURES

Our understanding of Sacredness of Creation will grow through the study of these scriptures.

Genesis 1:1–23 and Genesis 2:4–25
Stories of creation.

Doctrine and Covenants 163:4b
“The earth, lovingly created as an environment for life to flourish, shudders in distress because creation’s natural and living systems are becoming exhausted from carrying the burden of human greed and conflict. Humankind must awaken from its illusion of independence and unrestrained consumption without lasting consequences.”

Isaiah 40:28
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”

Psalm 104:10–11, 14, 30 God “makes springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst... You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth...When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.”

2 Corinthians 5:17
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”

Unless otherwise noted, Bible passages are quoted or adapted from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Scripture and Theological Study
Study scripture and Community of Christ beliefs.

God’s World
Read the story of creation in Genesis 1—2:3. Talk about these questions:
- Which do you like better, daytime or nighttime? Why?
- If you could create anything you wanted, what would it be?
- If you were to create your own animal, what would you name it?
Talk about the amazing animals, plants, sea creatures, and people and how all have places on Earth that need to be cared for and protected.
Picture God’s Creation
Make a diorama of creation in a shoebox (or larger box with the top cut off). Lay the box on its widest side. Your leader will provide magazines, photographs, or images printed from the Internet for you to use. Cut out animals, plants, people, sky, soil, and other creations. Glue the pictures on cardstock or cardboard. Cut out wedges of cardboard and tape the top edge to the back of the cutout to make a stand. Or cut a strip of cardboard to go with each cutout and cut a slit in the center of it from the top to the middle of the strip. On your cutout, after it is glued to cardboard, cut a slit from the center of the bottom edge, up to equal the height of the cardboard strip. Match up the slits to make an “X” and your cutout will stand straight. Talk about how each creation is sacred (holy). Invite others in your congregation to view your artwork.

Missional Encounters
Generously share your gifts to help
others and the world.

Honor Creation
Visit with your parents about what you can do at home to take care of God’s creation. Together, make a list of possibilities and then select one idea to work on for a month. The next month, add another practice. Make a goal of doing three or four specific actions each month that honor creation. Some ideas: turning off lights when they are not in use, being careful with how much water you use, picking up trash around your house, and caring for pets. Invite other family members to join with you in your new practices.
Neighborhood Garden
Start a school or neighborhood garden to help feed those who are hungry. Invite an adult gardener to help get you started, and other children to help plant, grow, and harvest the vegetables.

Personal Spiritual Practices
Pray and listen to God.

Virtual Peace Place
There are many places of serenity and peacefulness in the world—in the treetops, on a mountain, by a lake, in a desert. Create a drawing or take a photograph of one of these peaceful places and hang it in your room for those days when you can’t get outside for a walk or to “chill out.”
Nature Walk
Take a walk in nature. As you walk notice the beauty of all of God’s creation. Get down and look at the tiniest pieces of creation. Reach out with all your senses, notice how it looks, feels, smells, and what sounds you hear. (For your own safety it’s best not to taste.) As you walk, breathe deep. With every breath repeat the words “Be still and know that I am God.” With each breath and each repetition of those words find God in something that you see.
Noticing Table
During the day take time to notice things around you. When you see something that speaks to you collect it for your noticing table. (Be sure you do not take anything that belongs to someone else.) You might notice a flower, a rock, or a shell. You could also notice a piece of rope, a ribbon, or a stress ball. It doesn’t matter if the item is from nature or made by people. What matters is that it is beautiful or special to you. Ask your family to gather items also. Talk together about the things you noticed and why they were special to you. You may want to choose a place in your home, like a table, where you collect the things you notice. This activity is a way of being mindful of God’s presence in our world.

Community Spiritual Practices
Come together to worship and praise God.

A Prayer for the Earth
by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso,
Jewish Lights Publishing, 1996
ISBN: 9781879045606

A Prayer for the Earth
As part of a worship service, read aloud the book A Prayer for the Earth by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso. Noah’s wife successfully completes the task God asks of her: to save each plant on the Earth. She searches the world looking for growing things—even the dandelion comes along. When the rain stops, she happily sets about making the Earth green once again. How does this story help you understand the responsibility you have to be good stewards of the Earth?
Concerns for Creation
Ask everyone in your class, group, or congregation to read, research, and decide ahead of time what in creation they are concerned about. For example, a specific endangered animal, polluted water, unclean air, or specific groups of people fighting one another. What is one thing you can do to help? Sit together in a circle. Take turns sharing your concern and your idea of how to help. Close your circle time with a prayer asking God to bless everyone’s efforts.

Personal Relationships
Build friendships.

People

People
by Peter Spier,
Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 1988, ISBN: 9780385244695

Have you read the book or watched the film People by Peter Spier? How are the lives of people different, yet the same? How did God create everything? Note all the differences the book shows with people, homes, and celebrations. How would God want us to think about all these differences and how should we treat people and things that are different from us?
Outside Buddies
Do you have a friend or sibling you like to play outside with—go hiking, build a tree house, go sledding with, swim, plant flowers or vegetables with? Find a friend who likes to enjoy nature with you.

God’s Paintbrush
by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illustrated by Annette Compton,
Jewish Lights Publishing, 2004,
ISBN: 9781580231954

God’s Paintbrush
Share with a friend the book God’s Paintbrush. This book helps you define the nature of God for yourself, talks about being God’s friend and how you would feel if your best friend moved away. Discuss the book and questions with a friend.

Shared Experiences in Community
Be with family and friends.

Make a Rainstorm
Create a group rainstorm: first rub your hands together, then snap your fingers, clap your hands, slap your thighs and stomp your feet.
Take a Hike
Take a hike in a forest, field, or park with a group of kids. What do you see that God made? Are they old creations or new? Does everyone see the same things?
Sacredness Detective
Be a “sacredness detective.” Start by standing in one place and looking at everything in front of you. Turn to the side, to the back and to the other side. Where do you see sacredness? Use a small magnifying glass to explore the world around you more closely. Walk or crawl in each direction, look up, look down, and use the magnifier to see tiny things.
Animal Masks
Make animal masks out of colorful paper. Sit down and sing the “Creation Song”—stand up on the words “And God made the animals A thru Z.”

Creation Song

(create your own melody)
God made day and God made night,
God split the darkness from the light.
God made you and God made me,
And God made the animals A thru Z.
God made the seas and the dry land too,
God made the flowers and the sky so blue.
God made you and God made me,
And God made the animals A thru Z.
God made the stars shining way up high,
God made the birds and put them in the sky.
God made you and God made me,
And God made the animals A thru Z.
God made the sun and God made the moon,
God made the ants and the silly baboon.
God made you and God made me,
And God made the animals A thru Z.

written by Leanne (DLTK's Crafts for Kids www.dltk-bible.com) for public use, adapted

Witnessing and Storytelling
Share your story of God’s love.

Close to God
What is your favorite place in nature? Invite a friend there or tell others what is there and how it helps you feel close to God.
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Sing “All Things Bright and Beautiful” (Hymns of the Saints #18). Draw a picture describing this hymn on mural-sized paper. Paint in bright colors.
Thank You God
Write a prayer thanking God for creation. Share it with your congregation.
Clean-up Crew
You are witnessing when you share your belief in God, either by your words or actions. The children of one Community of Christ congregation witness by keeping the United Nations Peace Plaza in Independence, Missouri, clean and nice. Take responsibility for a garden, plaza, or green space at or near your home or church and show how much you love God by your actions!

Lifelong Learning
Grow your mind.

Earth Kid Checklist
Learn new Earth stewardship skills for personal care, eating, buying things, and saving energy. See ideas at Earth Kid Checklist.
The Largest and the Smallest
Go to a science center, school laboratory, or online to view microscopic organisms. Examine living organisms found in drops of water. Did you know there were such tiny living creatures? What is the largest living thing you have seen or heard of? What is the largest and smallest animal? What kind of tree is the tallest? You can learn about God’s creations throughout your life. Find out all you can about the creatures great and small.
Planting and Caring
Plant vegetables indoors to be transferred to an outside garden in the spring, or create a terrarium or aquarium for the congregation with plants, fish, or small animals. Learn how to care for it.

Creation Song