"Flourishing" Series 2025

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“Flourishing” Series Summary (September 2025)
The psalmist proclaims that the Earth belongs to God, yet our neglect of this sacred gift has led to ecological crises.  Robin Wall Kimmerer depicts the serviceberry as a metaphor for the flourishing of creation that deserves our respect.  Drawing on Scripture, Indigenous wisdom, and Kimmerer’s insights in The Serviceberry, we will examine how gratitude, reciprocity, and justice prompt us to care for creation.  Join us in September as we cultivate a right relationship with the Earth that leads to the flourishing of life.




Sept. 7 | First Week of Creation
GIFT ECONOMY: Most of us learned to say thank you after receiving a gift, but often we take the gifts of God’s creation for granted.  Robin Wall Kimmerer describes the serviceberry as part of a gift economy, where creation flourishes through generosity rather than hoarding.  In Genesis 2:4-8, 15-17, 19, God assigns humankind the role of caring for the garden.  What gifts in nature make you glad

Sept. 14 | Second Week of Creation
RECIPROCITY: Treating land and water as “natural resources” for our exclusive use leads to ecological problems.  Instead, we are called to live in balance with creation through mutual care.  Indigenous wisdom emphasizes the principle of reciprocity, which means giving back as much as we take.  In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus teaches against greed.  How can we give back to creation? 

Sept. 21 | Third Week of Creation
INTERDEPENDENCE: Sometimes we talk about nature as somewhere we go, but we are part of nature and share a deep interconnectedness with the rest of creation.  In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Paul teaches that each part of the body is essential to its function.  Just as the body of Christ is interconnected, so too is all creation.  How does interdependence shape creation care?

Sept. 28 | Fourth Week of Creation
HOPE FOR CREATION: Too often, salvation is spiritualized, and heaven is painted as otherworldly.  But the renewal of creation is part of God’s redemptive work.  In Isaiah 55:10-13, the prophet promises a restored environment through God's word that transforms barrenness into abundance.  What places need environmental restoration most? 


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