Another church in the wild

Each fourth Sunday, we gather outdoors to spend time communing with nature, and the summer heat has caused us to switch things up a bit. Instead of our usual park and wilderness gatherings, we’ve decided to spend time together outdoors near water. This past Sunday, we were invited to enjoy the hospitality of friends in their beautiful backyard oasis. We began with the sounds of singing bowls, the company of new and old friends and these soul-stirring words to guide our conversation (before many of us plunged in the pool)…

"The divine communicates to us primarily through the natural world.  Not to hear the natural world is not to hear the divine." - Thomas Berry, The Sacred Universe

But ask the animals what they think—let them teach you; let the birds tell you what’s going on. Put your ear to the earth—learn the basics. Listen—the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories. - Job 12:7-8

“We are matter, kindred with ocean and tree and sky. We are flesh and blood and bone. To sink into that is a relief, a homecoming.” - Krista Tippett

"Wilderness is a necessary crucible for people attached to empire." - Todd Wynward, "Rewilding the Way”

I was struck by the simplicity, spaciousness, and authenticity of our time together. There were many pauses as we each considered what nature has been saying to us lately. One person had recently experienced the gift of morning solitude outdoors and had been struck by the conversation she overheard between birds. Another had stared at the stars and gained a new perspective. And yet another was struck by the rhythm of day and night that reminded her of the ebb and flow that we are part of. Words like resilience, patience, and attention were voiced as we shared our “sermons from the wild”.

I have been pondering our conversation, and especially those words of Todd Wynward. Despite Jesus countering the ways of empire at every turn, our attachment to power, domination, and superiority is evident. It takes practice to learn another way, and spending intentional time in nature is one of those practices. It helps us loosen our grip a little, to realize our interconnectedness, to see all ground & beings as sacred, and to move with more intention and grace on the earth.

What is nature teaching you lately? And how does spending time in nature help you practice healing, listening & loving (the practices we have been l exploring on Sundays)?

We are back at Hyperion this Sunday, and I look forward to leaning into the practice of “including” together. We still have so much to learn.

Peace & love,

Susan