Field trip, mission trip, pilgrimage to the sea
Editor’s note: I take personal privilege this issue to write about a program I am involved in at my local church, First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ (DOC), Pacific Grove, which is a half a block from the ocean. Reading your newsletters, I’m impressed how many of our NCNC churches are featuring environmental stewardship, "care of creation" in your beliefs and actions - from solar panels to taking part in coastal cleanup to greening your church. Here’s another idea.
Deborah Streeter organized an interfaith ‘Blessing of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’ some years ago as part of its 10th anniversary. Clergy colleagues from local Buddhist, Native American, Jewish, Christian, Unitarian-Universalist and Moslem congregations poured water from local creeks and around the world (Nashwan Hamza, right, brought water from Mecca) into a common bowl; water was then returned to the ocean in gratitude.
Six middle schoolers from First Congregational UCC, San Jose, an adult chaperone, and youth minister Jack Michael spent the night at my local church in Pacific Grove earlier this month as part of our "Blue Theology" program. Five or six times a year we host youth groups from all over the west who want to "have a learning/serving experiences in ocean stewardship" (our mission statement.)
With us for 30 hours, they learned about how God cares and wants us to care about the ocean and all life in it, how we get most of the air we breathe from the ocean, how trash and pollution and climate change are all hurting the ocean, what we can do. We prayed for the ocean and sang about it (great hymn "Ocean is a Call to Worship" by Dan Damon.)
We walked along the shore to the Aquarium, got in free and learned about sharks (we kill 100 million sharks a year, sharks kill 15 people a year - who is in more danger?) and kelp forests and sea horses. We touched sea stars and sea cucumbers. We admired the new climate change exhibit, especially the little section on "Faith and Action," for which I was an exhibit advisor. ( Pretty amazing for a scientific organization to acknowledge that mosques and temples and churches are actually partners in fighting climate change, with programs like solar panels and offering local produce from organic farmers. They even included the above photo of me and other local interfaith clergy blessing the national marine sanctuary - I convinced them that religious communities aren’t just buildings, but folks who worship, bless, act together.) The kids all filled in postcards from the comment section there "How do your faith beliefs influence your care for the oceans?"
Jack Michael and youth from First Congregational UCC, San Jose joined Katy Scott from First Christian Disciples of Christ, Pacific Grove in saying, "We <3 the ocean!"
With the local Surfriders chapter we picked up lots of trash on Asilomar beach. A poet member of our church helped them write ocean poems. Another member who trains teachers gave the kids a crash course in storyboarding and filming with simple small video cameras she has, then they each made their own short film about saving the oceans, and they posted them on YouTube. The kids prepared and led a worship service. They made plans for things they could do back at home to help preserve ocean health.
This local church takes part in a DOC program called "mission stations", places all over the nation where folks can go to learn and serve. We have a cool whale tail sign out in front, "Blue Theology Mission Station."
Remember field trips as a kid? Or pilgrimages you have taken to special holy spots? (Interestingly, surveys of folks going to zoos and aquariums identify 15% of visitors as "spiritual pilgrims" folks who visit not for education or adventure so much as to walk there in wonder and awe and thanksgiving and care. As a result these institutions are adding more quiet spots, more inspirational quotes, doing outreach to faith communities.) Our Blue Theology program tries to combine the best of travel, pilgrimage, field trip and mission work, to help change hearts and lives and the ocean. And to have fun.
I am guessing other churches could, and are, offering similar learning serving opportunities - agriculture, forests? Let us know!
We have hosted other UCC groups (Pilgrim UCC, San Francisco was a great group last year) as well as DOC folks. Some groups come for longer, like spring break, and we visit Point Lobos State Reserve, do native plant restoration, visit a local marine lab. We are thinking of adding a version for adults, but rather than sleeping on the floor, we work out deals with local B&Bs, but it is still a retreat and a learning/serving opportunity.
O Holy One, how many and how varied are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
with its creatures beyond number,
living things both small and great.
There go the ships,
and the sea monster that You formed to frolic there. [Psalm 104: 24-26] Redemption Songs
Printer-friendly version