Celebrate God’s Trees

Tree Sabbath Worship Ideas

Hymns, Anthems, Songs:

  • All Creatures of Our God and King

  • All Things Bright and Beautiful   

  • For the Beauty of the Earth

  • How Great Thou Art

  • You Shall Go Out in Joy (the trees will clap their hands)

  • Think of a World Without any Flowers

  • Birch Tree or Little Birch Tree

  • Bristlecone Pine (Jim Salestrom)

  • King of Trees (Cat Stevens)

Scripture Passages

Genesis 1:12, trees with seed-bearing fruit, and it was good!

Genesis 2:15-17. There are trees in the garden, including the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Most of the fruit, but not all, is good to eat.

Genesis 8:11 Noah and the olive leaf

Psalm 1, be like a tree planted by streams of water.

Exodus 3, the burning bush

Psalm 92:12-14, “the righteous flourish like the palm tree….”

Joshua 24:26, the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord

Psalm 52:8, “I am like a green olive tree . . . trusting in the steadfast love of God.”

Isaiah 41:19-20, the Holy One of Israel creating different kinds of trees

Deuteronomy 20:19, don’t cut down the trees, even if you’re attacking the city

Isaiah 55:12, trees of the field will clap their hands

Luke 19:1-4, Zacchaeus and the sycamore tree

Luke 22:39, Mount of Olives

Matthew 13:31-32, mustard seed becomes tree, birds come to its branches

Revelation 22:2-3, tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruit, the leaves bring healing

Romans 11:24, being grafted into cultivated olive trees

 Various Faith Traditions on Caring for the Earth  

Other resources and links

The Jewish Tree Sabbath - chabad.org - Tu Bishvat, The New Year for Trees - January 17, 2022

wisdomtreeinstitute.com

earthministry.org

trilliontrees.org

The book Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest provides learning for a tremendous metaphor for life and community. The great forests provide community, communication with each other, diversity, compassion, and life-saving ways of being alive, amazing insights.

The book The Future We Choose is an outstanding climate action book, with one chapter specifically about trees. It emphasizes that our future depends upon the choices we make, kind of like the Bible does.

 Promotional Materials