Charged with Grandeur
Sermons and Practices for Delighting in God's Creation
Christopher Keating

"THE WORLD is charged with the grandeur of God.
  It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
  It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed." -- "God's Grandeur" by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Charged With Grandeur: Sermons and Practices for Delighting in God's Creation is a collection of sermons that encourage congregations to improve their stewardship of the environment by delighting in God's creation. Each sermon is paired with questions for reflection that could be used in follow up discussions, as well as "take action" suggestions for congregational participation.

Author Christopher Keating wrote this book with the purpose to assist preachers as they prepare sermons about the environment. Bogged down by the "data of despair," and by the political nature of environmental concerns, many pastors avoid speaking about environmental issues. Yet the Bible is filled with ecological references that point to God's concern with the natural world. Charged With Grandeur provides resources that help congregations celebrate creation while also discovering ways of improving our stewardship. This is an excellent resource for pastors, church members, as well as congregational Earth Care teams and seminary students.

Charged with Grandeur: Sermons and Practices for Delighting in God’s Creation is just the kind of contribution we are needing in the church as we seek to advance our commitment to care of creation. The sermons in this collection are vivid and engaging as well as informative on key ecological challenges. Each one is followed by probing questions for reflection that invite into a deeper grappling with biblical and theological themes that can helpfully guide us. The addition of a “take action” section brings constructive, practical proposals for action. Each one inspires us to hope that there are things we can do that will make a difference. Chris Keating has here provided a timely, accessible, and valuable new resource that evokes delight in God’s creation and energize for more faithful and effective ministries of creation care.
-- From Dr. Anna Case-Winters, professor of theology, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL, and author of “Theological Commentary on Matthew” 

Chris Keating’s book is an excellent resource for pastors, educators, and lay people who want to lead their congregations in becoming more ecologically aware and responsible. The sermons are faithful, creative, timely, lively, and engaging. The “Questions for Reflection” would be helpful in adult education sessions or planning meetings; and the suggested practices are things that every congregation should consider and could actually do. The ecological crisis is perhaps the most serious issue facing humankind. The Church can help, and this book can help the Church!
-- J. Clinton McCann, Jr., Evangelical Professor of Biblical Interpretation, Eden Theological Seminary and author of “Psalms” in the New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary and “Preaching the Psalms”

 
Included in this book:

• Questions for reflection and action
• Ideas for ways individuals can "take action"
• Sermons that incorporate creation care elements
• Ways to discover connecting environmentally oriented scriptures into worship and preaching

Sermon titles included:

• Visiting Our Stuff
• Casting Out into the Deep
• Listening to the Song of Creation
• Paths of Danger

Christopher Keating is pastor of Woodlawn Chapel Presbyterian Church in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. He is the graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and Saint Paul School of Theology, and writes regularly for The Immediate Word on SermonSuite.com. He is a regular contributor to the St. Louis' Post-Dispatch's Belief St. Louis blog and has written for the Church of the Brethren's Messenger magazine.