Dear Friends,
Some of you know that we own the three-flat just south of the church (4546 N. Hermitage) and next to the rectory where Tracey and I live. If you haven’t yet, take time to admire the landscaping there, especially the pollinator garden on the south side of the house, which is flourishing with all kinds of plants. I am amazed at the LIFE that is happening in that little space—bees and dragonflies buzzing about, birds hopping, and bunnies looking for something good to eat (let’s hope they don’t find the church school garden a little to the west!). In a little space, so much nurturing and nourishment, and all thanks to our intrepid gardeners here at All Saints!
And, now, we can partake in that garden with Eastern Red Columbine seeds collected by Katharine Spencer; we have 100 packets of seeds on the tables near the front doors to church for you to take home and plant in your own garden (see newsletter below for more about this). This gesture of spreading the wealth from our little pollinator garden is a living metaphor for our church as refugia, a place where life can grow, strengthen, and flourish for the sake not only of ourselves but also spilling out for the good of our larger community.
And, in this growing season of Ordinary Time, of Summer, we find parables, metaphors, of growth in our Sunday Gospels. For the next few weeks we’ll hear parables about how the Word spreads, of how the Kingdom grows, all using images from nature—the Sower of Seeds, huge growth from a tiny mustard seed, and more. To understand more about how God works, visit our pollinator garden and then grab a packet of seeds, tiny, and unimpressive now, plant them, and marvel at the beauty that arises, flourishes, feeding and nurturing others when given the chance.
See you in church!
Faithfully, Suzanne