This Weekend: 
Invitation for an Immersive Wander
& Ephemeral Mandala Making

Wild Church is not just about appreciating how lovely nature is.  It's not just about being different and doing worship outside.  Wild Church is an opportunity to develop spiritual practices that open us up to direct presence of Christ, evident and present in all beings, in all of the Creation. 

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see God’s invisible qualities – God’s eternal power and divine nature. (Romans 1:20)

Here in an invitation to participate in Wild Church a little differently this week.  FIRST, find some time in nature this weekend.  SECOND, come to the Zoom link on Monday evening, 6:30 pm, and share your experience in collaborative gratitude.

1.  Wander for an hour or more this weekend.   Go into the woods or the bay or even your own yard . This is not about a "hike" or getting in some exercise, tho you could do that first!   Simply surrender to being fully present to the Sacred presence.  Wander while praising all the Others you see.  Praise like Joy Harjo in her poem:

Praise the Rain
Joy Harjo

Praise the rain, the seagull dive
The curl of plant, the raven talk --
Praise the hurt, the house slack
The stand of trees, the dignity --
Praise the dark, the moon cradle
The sky fall, the bear sleep --
Praise the mist, the warrior name
The earth eclipse, the fired leap --
Praise the backwards, upward sky
The baby cry, the spirit food --
Praise canoe, the fish rush
The hole fro frog, the upside-down --
Praise the day, the cloud cup
The mind flat, forget it all --

Praise crazy. Praise sad.
Praise the path on which we're led.
Praise the roads on earth and water.
Praise the eater and the eaten.
Praise beginnings; praise the end.
Praise the song and praise the singer.

Praise the rain; it brings more rain
Praise the rain, it brings more rain.

 2.  Wonder and Be STILL for 20 minutes.  Once you feel drawn to a particular place, rest there. Bring a blanket or small chair and sit in a quiet place where you can hear your inner voice, and listen for the voices of the non-human others speaking languages without words.  And Listen.  Watch.  Smell. Touch.  Pay respectful, reverent attention.  Observe how difficult it is for you to sit there for 20 minutes straight, without writing or looking at your phone. And when your mind gets distracted, just gently bring those rogue thoughts back to attention on the Others you're sitting before.

3.  Respond with Gratitude.  Journal what you observe, what. you feel.  Write a praise song or poem or prayer.  And then create a small mandala as a gift of gratitude.  Bring out your phone and take a photo of the mandala.

4.  Then, meet us on Monday, 7/20, at 6:30 pm on our regular  ZOOMLINK to share your insights and experience.  And share a photo of your mandala.