"Refuge" Series 2026
“Refuge” Series Summary (August 30-September 27) If you’re concerned about the environment, the psalmist offers encouragement: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). What if God’s help is hidden under our feet within the unique ecosystems of the North Shore ? In biology, refugia are the small, sheltered pockets of land where life stubbornly endures during a crisis, eventually emerging to restore the wider landscape. In conversation with Debra Rienstra’s Refugia Faith , we will explore unique native species and learn lessons from ancient oaks, sandy dunes, local wetlands, and the Lake Michigan flyway. Join this fall as we learn how faith can become a refuge for our neighbors, ourselves, and the unique Chicago wilderness we call home. August 30 | Season of Creation 1 OAK SAVANNAS : We cannot protect what we do not know. The remnant oaks in Cook County function as “refugia” from our manicured subu...