<a href="https://www.facebook.com/landaurora/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Land

Our spiritual community is just “borrowing” The Land. These are our sacred landlords. They were kind enough to pose for Fiona over the past weeks!

Inspired by Exodus 34: 1-9 (NRSV)When I left Evergreen United Methodist Church for my new appointment at Hope United Methodist Church, I spent two months compiling an Operations Manual for the person who would eventually replace me at Evergreen. I had developed new programs that had just begun to take off, and I didn’t want […]

Change Patterns

‘Go back to the country you came from.’ My father was hard of hearing, so my 4-year-old son had to tell my father what the mean lady said. When they came home, my parents were shaken. ‘Didn’t anyone say anything?’ I asked them. And they said, “No. There were a crowd of people who watched, who […]

Perfect Imperfection

by John AntonacciA risk in becoming invested in any relationship; be it within a spiritual community, a romantic relationship, a career endeavor, a family situation, is the exposure of things about oneself that one would rather keep hidden. If we keep our distance regarding any of these relationships we can preserve the illusion of perfection […]

Life at The Land is Good?

I often wear a hat to The Land that says “Life is Good”, as a reminder to live in gratitude for all of my blessings. I have many hopes for The Land. I hope that it will be a diverse and inclusive community. I hope that it will embrace love for all of creation. I […]

Nature’s Wisdom – Greg Laudenslager

If we simply take the time to observe and listen to the natural world, we can utilize its wisdom to enrich our own individual lives and the lives of others. Albert Einstien was fully aware of this and made the keen observation that if you “Look deeply into Nature, you will understand everything better.” Looking […]

Rise

Thursday night I paused my channel surfing to watch a story on 9News featuring two local student participants in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The story reported that the two students, who looked to be no older than 12 or 13, had been disqualified in the 5th round after spelling their given word incorrectly. Then, […]

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The Land

We are over halfway to our fundraising goal! Will you donate today and help us water the garden all summer long?

Want to join me in making a difference? The Land has doubled the size of our garden this year which … Stephanie Price needs your support for Water the Garden!

Between 60 and 80 percent of prairie grasses grow below ground. Some grasses, like big bluesterm, have fibrous roots that reach as deep as 12 feet into the earth!

Before the pandemic hit, we were looking at about 13.7 million households in the US being food insecure. After the pandemic hit, we're looking at 35 million households that can't either meet their needs on a daily basis, or they're uncertain of how to fill their plates. - Amyrose Foll

Water the Garden and Worship on The Land! - https://mailchi.mp/ab810b242f19/water-the-garden-and-worship-on-the-land

We are still working hard to reach our goal of watering our garden all summer! Will you donate today and help us feed people fresh produce now through early September? https://gofund.me/23ef1646

Want to join me in making a difference? The Land has doubled the size of our garden this year which … Stephanie Price needs your support for Water the Garden!

Pastoral Vision of Inclusivity
originally published on December 10. 2020
People often ask me what my long-term vision is for The Land. This answer would be easier if I had the goal of building a brick building or launching a large working farm. The vision I hold is more subtle but, I would argue, more powerful and more promising...

I envision a thriving outdoor community of faith that offers multiple ways of introducing people to the Christ present through Creation. A labyrinth, a canopy sanctuary, a prayer pathway, a garden. Not one overshadowing the other. Each a humble comfort for the spiritual seeker to become curious about the beauty of creation and their place within creation.

I envision nonanxious people who have grown to love the peace of the prairie as much as they have grown to love the people who have settled into the prairie with them. A people embracing their place in an inter-species congregation. Showing reverent hospitality to the prairie dogs, the antelope, the rattlesnake, and the burrowing owls.

I envision an appreciation for what is and a deep desire to learn from that present reality. A culture that continually redefines development, progress, and sustainability in creative ways that honor the prairie's many purposes and fragile resources.

I envision a contagious invitational habit rising from this love of open spaces and unanswered questions. A reaction to the relentless confidence in the prairie's innate skill to absorb the ego and thus liberate the spirit.

In a culture where the fad remains to race into the future, I envision a community cultivating the dedication and discipline required to dive into the possibility of the present. A community in love with listening, with learning, with being surprised by a God who speaks through the tall grasses, the mullen, and even, perhaps, those pointy, prickly thistles.