Many Vineyard churches will worship together on Sunday at a special Island-wide ecumenical service at the Tabernacle to assist Gulf Coast residents, with a picnic following the service.

The 11 a.m. service to celebrate the fragile beauty of creation, and to raise awareness and financial assistance for residents along the Gulf of Mexico whose livelihoods have been severely affected by the BP oil spill, has as its theme It Isn’t Easy Being Green.

The Rt. Rev. Barbara C. Harris, retired suffragan (assistant) bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts will be the guest preacher and celebrant. The service will feature a jazz ensemble under the leadership of Wes Nagy, director of music at Grace Episcopal Church, Vineyard Haven, and an all-Island community choir under the direction of Phil Dietterich.

The freewill offering will be taken and donated to Community Services of Louisiana to provide direct assistance in the form of food and fuel to fishermen and other workers whose livelihoods have been impacted or eliminated as a result of the oil spill. Donation checks may be made out to ECSLA and brought to the Tabernacle the day of the event.

The worship service will be followed by a community picnic on the Tabernacle grounds with hamburgers, hot dogs and beverages provided. Attendees are asked to bring a summer dish to share if they are able, as well as blankets and/or lawn chairs to use during the picnic on the grounds.

Free tickets are available from the following sponsoring churches: Grace Episcopal Church, Vineyard Haven; Trinity Episcopal Chapel, Oak Bluffs; St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Edgartown; Trinity United Methodist Church, Oak Bluffs; West Tisbury Congregational Church; the Federated Church, Edgartown; the Unitarian Universalist Society, Vineyard Haven.

Other groups and businesses wishing to take part, donate food, participate or who are seeking additional information are asked to contact Rev. Robert Hensley at Grace Church, 508-693-0332.