The Consultation on Common Texts has officially added the “Feast of Creation in Christ” to the Revised Common Lectionary used by many Protestant churches. The step (formalized in April 2026) was made in coordination with the international committee which has facilitated the feast ecumenical process in recent years. After a three-year trial period (2026-2028), the lectionary readings will be reviewed again.
This is the first time a new feast is adopted by the common lectionary since its 1983 release (when Baptism of the Lord and Christ the King were adopted). Celebrations will begin in 2026.
DATE: first Sunday of September
(or last Sunday of August if preferable for national calendar purposes)
TITLE: Creation in Christ *
(or Feast of Creation)
* Regarding the theological rationale for the Christological title, see this brief paper.
The formulation “Creation in Christ” will be adapted into relevant naming conventions of each denomination, such as “Feast of Creation in Christ”, “Festival of Creation in Christ”, or “Creation in Christ Sunday”. This format mirrors the convention used in other feast titles of the RCL (e.g. Baptism of the Lord, Reign of Christ, etc), which allows each denomination to add in liturgical books the relevant accompanying word (Feast, Festival, Sunday).
READINGS
Year A
First reading: Genesis 1:1-2:3 or Genesis 2:4-25
Psalm: Psalm 148:1-14
Second reading: Acts 17:22a, 24-28
Gospel: John 1:1-5
Year B
First reading: Proverbs 8:22-31 [32-35]
Psalm: Psalm 104:1-4, 14-24 or Psalm 104:1-2a. 5-6. 10, 12. 24, 35c
Second reading: Colossians 1:15-20
Gospel: Matthew 6:25-33 or John 1:1-5
Year C
First reading: Job 38:1, 4-11 [12-18] or Sirach 42:15-25
Psalm: Psalm 29:3-11 or Psalm 65:5-13
Second reading: Romans 8:18-25
Gospel: Luke 8:22-25 or John 1:1-5
See: Year A readings (NRSVue)
for use on 6th September 2026.
THEOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS
The choice of lections was aided by the theological report of the international ecumenical committee, which proposes that the feast contains four interrelated themes:
God’s act of Creation (the feast’s core)
Creation as a Christological mystery (the entry point and feast title given the liturgical year’s theology)
Creation as a Trinitarian mystery, and
Creation as a sacramental and covenantal gift.
A methodology report by CCT explains how the theological themes were translated into the lections, which will be reviewed again after a three-year trial period following the three-year ABC lectionary cycle (2026-2028). Feedback will be sought in late 2028, informed by the lived experience of proclaiming these texts and the ongoing theological reflection about the feast.
RESOURCES
Year A readings:
Available here (NRSVue) for use on 6th September 2026.
Preaching resources for Year A readings:
CCT's preaching resource will be published here in late June 2026, alongside any other resources that are received. Submissions of preaching resources are welcome here.
Liturgical prayers for the Feast:
A hub of potential texts will be published in this website in late May 2026, to support liturgy/worship commissions implementing the feast. Submissions of texts are welcome here.