Inclusive Ideas for Bringing Intergenerational Groups Outdoors

But turn to the animals, and let them teach you; the birds of the air will tell you the truth. Listen to the plants of the earth, and learn from them; let the fish of the sea become your teachers. Who among all these does not know that the hand of YHWH has done this? In God’s hand is the soul of every living thing; in God’s hand is the breath of all humankind.

(Job 12:7-10, Inclusive Bible)

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, spring is rapidly approaching, and with it, the ability to spend more time outside. As you plan your faith formation offerings for the coming season, it may be obvious to bring the children of your parish outdoors, but the opportunity to find God in nature can be of tremendous benefit for parishioners of all ages.

Both in the remainder of Lent and throughout the coming season of Easter, opportunities abound to contemplate and celebrate in the outdoors. Perhaps you might discuss the significance of the palms that the onlookers waved before Jesus and laid at his feet. Are there native plants that you use as a part of celebrations (e.g. Christmas trees, flowers for Valentine’s Day, lilies for Easter, etc.)? What significance do these and other plants hold in congregants’ lives? If your church utilizes the Revised Common Lectionary, you will likely be reading Acts 4, in which Jesus describes himself as the cornerstone the builders rejected. Where are your buildings’ physical cornerstones and what are the cornerstones that are the foundation for your communal existence? Might you create and distribute prayer stones around the campus, or perhaps explore together what it feels like to lie down in the green pastures and sit beside the still waters of Psalm 23 and discuss how geography and landscape shape you and your experiences? Perhaps you could even take a field trip to a vineyard or visit with someone local who raises sheep and explore the lectionary connections.

Beyond the lectionary, there are many more opportunities to gather outdoors and explore faith with people of all ages. The specifics of the time you spend together will vary based on the particulars of your space/region/weather, and the unique gifts and needs of your community, but some general principles to keep in mind are below.

• Think macro and micro. How do you encounter God in both a mighty oak tree and a single acorn?
  
  
• Provide opportunities that are accessible for lots of different types of bodies. If you do an activity where most people will sit on the grass, be sure to also provide chairs, and plan it near a flat surface for those using mobility aids. Recruit people to offer physical assistance. If you plan activities that involve walking or running, make sure there are ways for robust participation that might involve rolling or other methods of locomotion. For example, one activity I love doing is a sensory prayer walk around a church campus or neighborhood. Participants are invited to move in whatever way works for them and to stop at a particular interval (e.g. every 30 steps/rolls, every 2 minutes, or every 10 cycles of deep breaths, etc.) and rest as long as they’d like. While resting, participants try to find things they are seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling to talk with God about. Having participants with lots of different types of bodies will enhance everyone’s experience of the astounding diversity of creation.
  
  
• Highlight the gifts present in your midst. Who among you might be able to explain particular features of your building’s exterior? Who could talk about the landscaping? Who has knowledge of edible and medicinal plants? What are the favorite animals of the young people in your midst, and could those animals live on your church campus? Why/why not? If your church were to create a brand-new animal representing who you are as a community, what would it be like? Who among you might draw it as you dream together? Are there Indigenous members or neighbors who can speak about how to best to steward your land and how the church can be a better partner in caring for creation?

As the promise of spring blossoms before us, may encountering the wonder of creation in community bring abundant blessings!