Reflect & Learn
“Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.’ And it was so.” - Genesis 1:29-30
As we care for creation, creation also cares for us--just as God commanded. We rely on plants and trees for food, for protection from the heat, for maintaining our climate and keeping our water sources clean. Consider what God promised to the Israelites in the Old Testament, “I will bring you to a land flowing with milk and honey.” The land is the Lord’s gift to us, and it is up to us to take care of that gift and to ensure that everyone has access to Earth's abundant resources.
When we get our food from the grocery store each week, we can lose sight of how much effort goes into growing the fruits and vegetables that keep us healthy. Check out this video to learn more about farming and how it is changing to become more sustainable:
Pray
Go outside, and stand or sit with your feet planted firmly on the ground where you live. If you are unable to go outside, plant your feet on the ground indoors. Take a few moments to center yourself however you normally do as you prepare for prayer.
Prayerfully consider the following questions as you remember your deep relationship with the land through the physical connection of your feet. If you feel drawn to one question in particular, explore it and let the rest of the questions go.
- How has this land cared for you?
- How have you cared for this land?
- What are you grateful for about the land where you live?
- How do you feel called to continue to steward this land moving forward?
Spend as much time in prayer as you'd like. When you are finished, close with a “Glory Be” or with some physical action to express your gratitude for the land (e.g. touch the ground, a tree, or plant).
Act
Did you know that Mary Queen has a parish vegetable and pollinator garden? The next time you are at church, stop by the parish office and check out the gardens!
All our parishioners are invited to help care for these gardens. If you’d like to learn more about getting involved, contact Kabby Akers (kakers@cdlex.org)
Also, don't forget that this Sunday at 5:30pm there will be a Praise & Worship Prayer Service for Our Common Home outside by the parish gardens.
We'd love to see you there!
Additional Resources
Looking for guidelines on what to plant in your own garden? Here are some recommendations from UK’s Department of Agriculture.
If you want to learn more about the ways our environmental sustainability is being threatened and how the global community can come together to care for our planet, check out this documentary from David Attenborough: