Ah, Michigan! It feels like we just lived through a double groundhog winter—twelve more weeks of winter. For those of us planning a wildflower walk, there was some anxiety. We couldn’t know if this was going to be more walk than flower. But flowers there were! We planned two walks this spring in order to catch the sequencing of flower arrivals. In some places the display was spectacular. I heard comments like: “This is surreal!” The wait was worth it. And the reminder of God’s faithfulness from one season of life to another was hard to miss. You might say that this was the kind of experience that causes one to wax poetic. Read on.
AMAN PARK—SPRING 2018
By Peter Boogaart
The flowers don’t care
they aren’t listening
to you
The hour and the time
choose themselves
Be ready! Watch and wait!
Bloodroot
doesn’t negotiate
Spring Beauty
won’t consult your calendar
Trout Lilies
paint leaf litter
only when ready
Skunk Cabbage
will come and go
before the championship game
Trillium and Bluebells
celebrate in mass
while you are left behind
The flowers are listening
to the snow
to the wind
to the sun
Day onto day, they listen
as the sun sets its course
from one end of heaven to the other
Flowers pulse
as the wind
passes over
null winter void
Flowers wait
for the cold snow stone
to be melted away
And when they hear
the springs and pedals
of the organic earth
The flowers sing
come
come
for all things are now ready
Upcoming Caring for Creation Events:
June 4, 6:30 PM – 8 PM: Creation Care for Congregations
This event will take place at Hope Church. Light snacks/beverages provided. Free to all participants.
Whether you’re new to the idea of creation care advocacy or have been a champion for many years, please join leaders of West Michigan Creation Care and the Reformed Church of America for an evening of idea-sharing and information-gathering. Our goal is to generate congregational excitement around this important work of caring for God’s creation. We’ll discuss some challenges as well as practical next steps for living a “creation-aware lifestyle” personally, locally, and globally. Please RSVP – creativityken1@gmail.com or call – 616.403.5777.
July 7, 9 AM – 12 noon: Macatawa River Kayak Trip
The outing will begin at Paw Paw Park, 1099 Paw Paw Drive, and end at Dunton Park, 290 Howard Ave. There is a fee of $25 per vessel, but people are welcome to bring their own boats as well. There is a sign up in the gathering area and please contact Josh Bochniak with any questions.
August 5, 11:30 AM: Bike Ride -Tunnel Park to Rosy Mound
Bring bikes to church with you and a trailer will transport bikes from church to Tunnel Park.
~Peter Boogaart, Caring for Creation Co-coordinator