Today I experienced what I call ‘Garden Church’.   What is Garden Church? If a church is a place for worship, and worship is an expression of praise,  reverence and thanksgiving, then surely a garden with flowers and bees, colour and birds, fruit and grass, trees and bushes, and even bugs and weeds can be a place of worship … Garden Church.

An encounter with Garden Church can nourish the soul and nurture a sense of deep gratitude.  Garden Church can be a gentle reminder of the gift of creation and the miracle of birth, growth, life.

Time spent in Garden Church can be sacred and holy.  It offers an opportunity for meditation, prayer, reflection, worship, praise, healing, thanksgiving, intercession and gentle, spiritual growth.

This morning I slept in and I spent time at Garden Church (aka, the back yard) among the colourful flowers, bees, burgeoning strawberries, blossoming fruit trees, bugs, shrubs and weeds.  The sun was shining and the warmth was a healing welcome to my body.

It’s not just on sunny days that Garden Church calls. Overcast and rainy days are also opportunities for Garden Church.  I love it when Garden Church is inspired by nourishing rain, gently watering the plants, grass and flowers in the garden (like these pansies) and bringing even more beauty to my day.

Garden Church, thank you. You deepen my appreciation of nature. You nourish my understanding of the created order. You deepen my sense of spirituality in ways that touch my soul, bringing an awareness of the blessings around me in ordinary ways when and where I least expect them.  Truly, I am blessed when I experience Garden Church.