Recently, we had a brief few days of sun amidst what has been a record-breaking year for rainfall in the Pacific Northwest. While residents here tend to be intrepid when it comes to exploring nature in the rain and mud, I’m somewhat less so, and the sun provided a great reason to get outside. We …
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Wild Wonder: Embodying Faith through Creation Care Camp
This post originally appeared in Art House America. By Flo Paris Oakes All your works are good, All your works are good. From everlasting to everlasting, All your works are good. —“All Your Works are Good” by Sandra McCracken, Julie Lee, and Jill Phillips We are in …
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A World of Wild Wonder
This post was originally published in The Rabbit Room. By Bethany Winz Little faces crowd around the table, counting together as drops fall into the Mason jar. “62, 63, 64…” The water balloons over the rim. Sixty-five drops ago, Flo asked the kids if the jar was full. “Yes!” they answered. …
Happy Easter
The green blade that we have been waiting for, in faith and hope, has emerged! I love Easter, because it signifies the start of “the rest of the story”. After Christmas we learn the story of Jesus, of His life and teachings, but after Easter we learn of the Risen Jesus, the beginning of the …
Sabbath For All Creation
This post originally appeared on A Rocha International's Planetwise blog on March 31, 2017. By Dave Bookless Sabbath has an image problem. For some it conveys Victorian strictness: starched uncomfortable clothes, ‘improving’ books, and long church services. Others may remember last-ditch …
And The Green Weed Rises
During this season of Lent, A Rocha USA is hosting a series of posts on the theme of waiting, resurrection, and creation care, using the hymn “Now The Green Blade Rises” as inspiration. Full text of the hymn can be found here. By Robert Campbell We’re a short way into Lent and, dang, that's a …
Now The Green Blade Rises
During this season of Lent, A Rocha USA is hosting a series of posts on the theme of waiting, resurrection, and creation care, using the hymn “Now The Green Blade Rises” as inspiration. Full text of the hymn can be found here. This beautiful hymn first appeared in the Oxford Book of Carols in …
Lenten Practice
In many churches around the country, today marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Traditionally, Lent is considered a time for prayer, penance, and reflection as we prepare to celebrate Easter. We mark the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday service that includes imagery of ashes (and …
Pittas, Giraffes, Elephants, and Cans of Worms
A pitta is a jewel of a bird. Found in tropical forests in Africa, Asia and Australasia, these are amongst the most beautiful of animals – and the Philippines Red-Bellied Pitta is no exception. This bird was known to be present on many islands in the East Indies, so was considered in no real …
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Mending and Amending
Over the next few weeks, a few of us here at A Rocha will be posting a series of short meditations on waiting in God’s creation as we prepare for the celebration of Christmas. By Robert Campbell The spring is a long way off from the first week of Advent. Perhaps Advent is more like keeping a …