Encountering God in Nature 2/28/2019 6:43 AM Encountering God in Nature © 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

Cultivated and Wild Nature

Wendell Berry’s The Peace of Wild Things When despair grows in me and I wake in the middle of the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting for their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Exercise Spend 10+ minutes (20 if you use your break) to get comfortable with nature Stay inside and look out the window Walk to Elm St. Park Wander around the church Wander through the space across from the church Find a comfortable spot outside and sit

3 Invitations Pay attention to your senses – sight, smell, touch, sounds Spend one moment contemplating the whole of what’s around you and one moment contemplating something in detail Be biased toward wonder and gratitude

Post-walk ponderings What were you aware of as you walked? Did you notice any effect (temporary or lasting) on the way you thought of problems or anxieties? Did you notice any effect on theological questions or doubts?

Apprehend God in all things, for God is in all things. Every single creature is full of God and is a book about God. Every creature is a word of God. If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature-- even a caterpillar-- I would never have to prepare a sermon. So full of God is every creature. - Meister Eckhart