Nearly 100 Anglican Communion congregations in the United States, Australia and England began observance of a new liturgical season on Aug. 15. Along with the traditional seasons, a number now observe Creation from Aug. 15 through Oct. 3.

“We are not innovators — not the very first to observe this,” the Rev. Walt Gordon told the Hibbing, Minn., Daily Tribune. “But we’re early adopters.” Fr. Gordon is rector of St. Peter’s Church, Cass Lake, Minn. He said about 10 of the 125 churches in the Diocese of Minnesota will observe the season this year.

The movement began with the Environmental Stewardship Commission of the Diocese of Minnesota (www.env-steward.com), according to Fr. Gordon, who said there are three main goals: celebrating the beauty and grandeur of the created world, reflecting on the marvels of God’s creative work, and becoming better stewards of the planet, which involves a shift in away from thinking that one achieves “mastery over the environment.”