“Did you hear that bob white quail?” he asked me. “I haven’t heard one of those in years. Man, that was great.”
We had just finished an outdoor worship service, a new ministry started out of necessity during the pandemic and now continued out of joy.
Many of the members of my congregation have chosen to remain worshiping at our outside service even after being vaccinated and seeing Covid restrictions raised. They make this choice, not out of fear of this terrible disease, but because they have found themselves in the presence of the divine as they worship God surrounded by birds and breezes, trees and toads, sun and sky.
So much of our lives, including our spiritual lives, have become indoor activities. The rapid increase of technology over the last century has changed our existence, and we are too often glued to our screens for both work and pleasure. We are disconnected from creation, and we are disconnected from our Creator.
I encourage you to find ways to connect with your Creator during Season of Creation 2021. Go for a hike. Stand barefooted in the grass. Watch birds in your yard. Attend outdoor worship events. You will find joy and healing in God’s creation, and you will see the mission of the Church in light of God’s good work from the beginnings of this world.
This week we are offering two webinars to help you connect with God in Creation.
The first is Tuesday, September 14, at 7:00. Jimmy McKinnell of Life Around the Table will present on Eating Together Faithfully, a guide to starting conversations in your church or small group about food: where our food comes from, who benefits from our food choices and who is harmed by them, and how we as Christians can serve God at our tables. I can tell you from experience, Eating Together Faithfully has the power to change your church for the better. You can register for this event here.
Our second webinar this week is Thursday, September 16, at 7:00. Many Christians have been taught to view science with skepticism, but you shouldn’t! Science is our efforts to better understand what God has made, and can reveal amazing things about the wisdom and ability of our creator. In her webinar Faith, Science and Ministry, Jennifer Secki Shields, founder of Discovery and Faith, will teach us the benefits of being scientifically minded Christians, and how to incorporate science lessons in church ministry. Click here to register for this webinar.
We have had a great Season of Creation so far, and it’s only getting better.
Have you missed our previous events? They’ve been recorded, and you can find the video links below.
Season of Creation Worship Service
Coal Ash, BIPOC Farming, and Everything In Between: An Environmental Justice Panel