Everyone Belongs in Nature
Communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in nature-deprived places. What would it look like for Christians to love our neighbors by bridging the nature gap?
Churches of Restoration
What if Christians embraced our call to care for creation as part of faithful discipleship and witness? Churches of Restoration is a national program of A Rocha USA that gathers local cohorts of churches in a yearlong journey of transformative conversations, spiritual formation, and practical ecological action.
This film was created as part of the Storytellers Collective, a program of Christians for Social Action.
It highlights four churches and their experiences from our pilot Churches of Restoration cohort in the Orlando, Florida area.
Glory of the Small – Monarchs
Video by Heidy Sumei Chuang, A Rocha USA Advisor and Artist Partner, shares the powerful story of “The Butterfly Project”, where small acts of care for creation transform both human communities and the environment. Heidy’s journey of caring for monarchs in her neighborhood and fostering a creation care mindset in the children who grow up there is truly inspiring.
Get to know A Rocha USA
A Rocha USA is a national community of Christians working in biodiversity conservation to protect and restore vulnerable habitats, species, and communities. We are part of a worldwide family of A Rocha organizations spanning more than 20 countries, with a shared 40-year history of caring for creation. In USA, we have projects in Texas and Florida, and national programs available for churches and individuals.
Blue: How can nature impact my mental health and well being?
‘Blue,’ the fifth installment of A Rocha’s ‘Elements of Hope’ video series, delves into the relationship between mental health challenges and the positive effects of nature on our wellbeing. We investigate how immersing ourselves in nature can pull us out of our internal struggles and rekindle our connection to God and His call for us to be stewards of creation. Link to a study guide is available in the Vimeo notes.
Bounce Back
Bounce Back, the fourth installment in A Rocha’s ‘Elements of Hope’ video series, asks us to examine where we find our hope amidst environmental disaster, such as extreme wildfires or terrible floods. The film explores the idea of ‘refugium’, defined as a ...
Bounce Back: Is there hope in disaster?
Bounce Back, the fourth installment in A Rocha’s ‘Elements of Hope’ video series, asks us to examine where we find our hope amidst environmental disasters, such as extreme wildfires or terrible floods. The film explores the idea of ‘refugia’, defined as an area in which a population of organisms can survive through a period of unfavorable conditions, especially glaciation and fire.
Forests do not regenerate without fire, and, like our own personal walk with Christ, we too must face challenges and be pruned and refined to grow in our faith. Loving God’s creation comes with lament and heartbreak for the things that are lost. But there is hope.
Learn more about finding hope amidst disaster in the ‘Bounce Back’ film and share with your church, school, bible study or youth group. You can find the accompanying discussion guide at arocha.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Study-Guide_Bounce-Back.pdf and download the video from our Vimeo channel.
Take Root
The next video in A Rocha’s ‘Elements of Hope’ video series, Take Root, explores the benefits of developing deep relationships and committing to a particular place or community over time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lakOdsdzJX4 This video shares A R ...
Wind Watchers: A Reflection on Horseshoe Crabs
The Atlantic Horseshoe Crab is a unique species that calls the entire east coast of the USA home. It has been labelled as Vulnerable by the Internation Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2016. A Rocha USA is working towards the protection of these animals and is studying their unique spawning behaviors in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, one of the largest estuaries in the United States. This video is a reflection on these creatures and the beauty in how they praise God through their creatureliness. The video was directed by A Rocha USA intern Michaela Stenerson, with written and spoken poetry from Allison Cutting.
Take Root: Long-term conservation with A Rocha
The third video in A Rocha’s ‘Elements of Hope’ video series, Take Root, explores the benefits of developing deep relationships and committing to a particular place or community over time.
Take Root highlights A Rocha’s approach to conservation over the long term through two specific stories: the protection of vulnerable habitats of the Alvor Estuary in Portugal, and living by example amidst a younger population in Uganda new to ideas like as creation care.