Nature Nurtures
10/09/25 02:59
A small group of us gathered last night in one of Bellingham’s city parks to walk among the tall Douglas Fir and Western red cedar trees. The gathering was part of an ongoing series of opportunities for church members to engage in brief meditations in outdoor locations. Our church’s Green Team hosts the events as an alternative to traditional meetings. The group works to promote long-term sustainability efforts in the church and the community. In the past, Green Team members have expanded the congregation’s recycling system, worked to have solar panels installed on the building, conducted an energy audit, promoted the installation of automatic light switches and water-saving devices in the building, and participated in the care of outdoor plants. The group has hosted a Climate Revival and a Sacred Earth Fair to involve the broader community in conversations about environmental sustainability in our area.
Green Team members have called the outdoor meditations “Nature Nurtures.” They are not formal worship services, but rather simple opportunities to gather with other people of faith in an outdoor setting to appreciate the goodness of God’s creation. Our first experience was held on the beach. We invited a poet to share some poems on themes of shore and horizon. Last night’s experience was focused on one of the beautiful heritage forests not far from the church building. We used the first part of Psalm 47:10 as a verse to focus our meditation:
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know
Be still
Be
I enjoyed the simple meditation, and quietly repeated the verse in the pattern above several times as I walked among the trees, feeling their presence, watching the gray squirrels, listening to the birds. The experience wasn’t exclusively one of nature, as the park has several pickleball courts that provided their own musical sounds in the background. Still, I focused my attention carefully and tried to be mindful.
After about 15 minutes, however, my mind drifted from the Psalmist’s invitation to come into God’s presence to a completely different bible verse. In 1 Samuel, the rise of David within the leadership of Israel caused the sitting king, Saul, distress. As David’s popularity rose, Saul became fearful that his own power and popularity were waning. When David came home from battle with the Philistines, he was greeted with singing and dancing. The verses that were sung angered Saul. People chanted:
“Saul has killed his thousands
and David his ten thousands.”
I wondered, as I walked in the woods last night, if the songs the people sang were referring to mosquitoes.
There were certainly enough of the tiny flying insects swarming around my head to distract me from serious meditation and appreciation of nature. I didn’t succeed in killing thousands, but I did slap several dozen.
The idea of hosting a meditation in the forest was a slightly romantic vision. The reality was a bit more challenging. I’ll be interested in hearing others' evaluations when we gather in a couple of weeks to plan our next outdoor experience.
We are a group of idealists dedicated to making positive contributions to the world. Sometimes, however, I wonder about how effective we are. I am aware that the global climate crisis is a result of complex systems of consumerism, trade, and resource distribution. The small acts of our team have, at most, a minor impact. Turning off lights and conserving water in one church building will not reverse coral bleaching, deforestation, or carbon pollution. It is entirely reasonable to conclude that the fossil fuels we consumed driving to the park had a more negative impact than the awareness we raised. It is legitimate to ask ourselves whether or not it was worth the effort.
Contemplation of the meaning of our lives and work has been a part of our people's traditions for thousands of years. The songs and stories of the Bible that we use in our meditations are part of a complex history marked by both ups and downs. The verse from Psalm 48 that we used as our focus last night has a complicated history. For a biblical scholar, one of the challenges of the psalm comes from its numbering. While it is Psalm 48 in most English Bibles since the King James Version, it is Psalm 47 in Latin and Greek Bibles. It is generally used as a song of praise in Jewish and Christian liturgies and has been set to music multiple times. Most of the psalm focuses on Jerusalem as a place of God’s favor. By extracting a few words from a single verse, we were taking the words out of context.
The verses from Samuel to which my mind was drawn are part of a complex tale of palace intrigue. A few verses later, Saul attempts to kill David. David, however, escapes multiple attempts and eventually becomes king.
Our lives are far from simple, even when we try to make space for contemplation.
We were trying to be. The mosquitoes were trying to survive.
I suppose that some mystics and lovers of nature can ignore the mosquitoes and sit quietly and peacefully for extended periods to contemplate the beauty of nature and the glory of God. At least last night, I was not one of them.
As we planned our “Nature Nurtures” events, another team member suggested that we needed contingency plans in case of inclement weather. I suggested that we gather outside, regardless of the weather. We all have appropriate rain gear. Weather is part of the glory of creation. However, if a few mosquitoes can affect my meditation, I’m pretty sure that a few raindrops also could distract me.
Perhaps a brief meditation on the tiny insects is also a gift of God.
Green Team members have called the outdoor meditations “Nature Nurtures.” They are not formal worship services, but rather simple opportunities to gather with other people of faith in an outdoor setting to appreciate the goodness of God’s creation. Our first experience was held on the beach. We invited a poet to share some poems on themes of shore and horizon. Last night’s experience was focused on one of the beautiful heritage forests not far from the church building. We used the first part of Psalm 47:10 as a verse to focus our meditation:
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know
Be still
Be
I enjoyed the simple meditation, and quietly repeated the verse in the pattern above several times as I walked among the trees, feeling their presence, watching the gray squirrels, listening to the birds. The experience wasn’t exclusively one of nature, as the park has several pickleball courts that provided their own musical sounds in the background. Still, I focused my attention carefully and tried to be mindful.
After about 15 minutes, however, my mind drifted from the Psalmist’s invitation to come into God’s presence to a completely different bible verse. In 1 Samuel, the rise of David within the leadership of Israel caused the sitting king, Saul, distress. As David’s popularity rose, Saul became fearful that his own power and popularity were waning. When David came home from battle with the Philistines, he was greeted with singing and dancing. The verses that were sung angered Saul. People chanted:
“Saul has killed his thousands
and David his ten thousands.”
I wondered, as I walked in the woods last night, if the songs the people sang were referring to mosquitoes.
There were certainly enough of the tiny flying insects swarming around my head to distract me from serious meditation and appreciation of nature. I didn’t succeed in killing thousands, but I did slap several dozen.
The idea of hosting a meditation in the forest was a slightly romantic vision. The reality was a bit more challenging. I’ll be interested in hearing others' evaluations when we gather in a couple of weeks to plan our next outdoor experience.
We are a group of idealists dedicated to making positive contributions to the world. Sometimes, however, I wonder about how effective we are. I am aware that the global climate crisis is a result of complex systems of consumerism, trade, and resource distribution. The small acts of our team have, at most, a minor impact. Turning off lights and conserving water in one church building will not reverse coral bleaching, deforestation, or carbon pollution. It is entirely reasonable to conclude that the fossil fuels we consumed driving to the park had a more negative impact than the awareness we raised. It is legitimate to ask ourselves whether or not it was worth the effort.
Contemplation of the meaning of our lives and work has been a part of our people's traditions for thousands of years. The songs and stories of the Bible that we use in our meditations are part of a complex history marked by both ups and downs. The verse from Psalm 48 that we used as our focus last night has a complicated history. For a biblical scholar, one of the challenges of the psalm comes from its numbering. While it is Psalm 48 in most English Bibles since the King James Version, it is Psalm 47 in Latin and Greek Bibles. It is generally used as a song of praise in Jewish and Christian liturgies and has been set to music multiple times. Most of the psalm focuses on Jerusalem as a place of God’s favor. By extracting a few words from a single verse, we were taking the words out of context.
The verses from Samuel to which my mind was drawn are part of a complex tale of palace intrigue. A few verses later, Saul attempts to kill David. David, however, escapes multiple attempts and eventually becomes king.
Our lives are far from simple, even when we try to make space for contemplation.
We were trying to be. The mosquitoes were trying to survive.
I suppose that some mystics and lovers of nature can ignore the mosquitoes and sit quietly and peacefully for extended periods to contemplate the beauty of nature and the glory of God. At least last night, I was not one of them.
As we planned our “Nature Nurtures” events, another team member suggested that we needed contingency plans in case of inclement weather. I suggested that we gather outside, regardless of the weather. We all have appropriate rain gear. Weather is part of the glory of creation. However, if a few mosquitoes can affect my meditation, I’m pretty sure that a few raindrops also could distract me.
Perhaps a brief meditation on the tiny insects is also a gift of God.
