Next to climate change, the biodiversity crisis (unprecedented loss of species) is the top environmental challenge of our time. But there’s a hopeful movement afoot - to create natural spaces of healthy ecosystems in our own yards, church grounds, and public spaces. Using plants native to one’s area is the foundational piece to such a project. The National Wildlife Federation, providing an extensive section on native habitats, says, “The way you care for your own piece of Earth has a profound impact on wildlife, people, and the climate. You can help by promoting biodiversity in your own outdoor space!”

Simply put, native plants are ones our Creator designed to grow in specific areas. They have evolved over millennia to be part of an intricate, diverse, local food web, working in tandem with climate, soil, and animal species. From tiny wildflowers to large trees, they create a ‘green foundation’ that underlies a large, complex wildlife community, and insects associated with specific plants form the basis of this community. Non-native plants, which are the vast majority marketed at big-box stores and traditional nurseries, are grown on an industrial scale and create a host of problems with intensive use of dangerous pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers that harm the land and workers. Those practices, combined with the dominance of lawns, have created vast swaths of ecological deserts.

Creating natural landscapes in our own areas of domain gives us a chance to work in harmony with God and help usher in a bit of the kingdom on earth in our time. It’s a tangible, enjoyable, relatively easy way to fulfill our vocation given in Genesis 2:15. In the webinar, Landscaping for the Peace of Wild Things, Episcopal priest Ragan Sutterfield, explains this scripture, “The Lord God took the man and put (yanach) him in the garden of Eden to till (avad) and keep (shamar) it.” He says yanach implies a “gentle, restful, placing down”, avad, “to serve” and shamar as,“protecting the integrity of something or to preserve it.” God gently placed humans in the created order to serve and protect it. Mainstream landscape practices - lawns and an abundance of ornamental, non-native plants - run directly counter to what God has given us to do. When we switch to natives, we also have a chance to engage in the life-giving spiritual practice of hospitality - hospitality to the larger web of life. With awareness, a change of perspective, some research, and having fun in community, we can be the change!

Sonja Crawford, St. Christopher's, Pensacola

• From the Sierra Club: How to Create a Garden for Pollinators
• Homegrown National Park, a wealth of information from Doug Tallamy's team
• National Wildlife Federation's Sacred Grounds
• The Humane Gardener: Cultivating compassion for all creatures great and small

The environmental stewardship team at Redeemer, Mobile shared information with the congregation about participating in the Homegrown National Park program. The Rev. Mary Alice Mathison preached on national parks for her Earth Sunday sermon, and parishioners were given information about how they might help with the national parks movement in their own back yards.

St. Christopher's, Pensacola Creation Care Community held a brainstorming session about what they can do to promote creation care at the church. They also sponsored a viewing of the documentary The Letter, to learn about Pope Francis' encyclical letter Laudato Si. The group recommends it as a good discussion starter about caring for the Earth.

St Mary's, Andalusia began a raised bed garden on April 26. There will be four rectangular gardens for vegetables and flowers, and two tall square gardens for herbs. They plan to add native trees and fruit trees and plant a small muscadine vineyard.

In June, Vacation Bible Camp will have a creation care theme and they plan to become certified as a National Wildlife Federation wildlife habitat.

All Saints, Mobile celebrated Earth Sunday with a special service, using liturgy that came primarily from the Season of Creation resources. It was a wonderful service, with four of the green team members giving short talks about their experiences with creation. Read the Earth Sunday sermon preached by The Rev. Bob Donnell, linked below.

5th Annual Worship in the Woods

Celebrating in God's Creation

Earth Sunday

April 27, 2025

Saloom Properties Tree Farm

Evergreen, Alabama

Earth Sunday was a beautiful, sunshiney, not too hot day. Attendees met at Saloom Properties, where we walked the Stations of the Resurrection. The paintings and meditations at each stop were both beautiful and meaningful.

After the walk, participants gathered in the rustic, screened-in Chapel of Divine Creation for a worship service. Debbie Waldrop preached the sermon, calling the "twin" Thomas her twin because she could relate to his being doubtful until he had proof, something I'm sure many of us can relate to, also. We had Eucharist, led by Bishop Russell, and ended with a low church shrimp boil, eating at picnic tables scattered outside and on a cabin porch overlooking a pond. 

It was a chance to rejuvenate in nature and feel even closer to God after such a busy Lent and Holy Week.



Photos and text by Michelle Bende, St. Mary’s, Andalusia 

Thanks to the creativity of Jenn Roberts in the diocesan office, we have a beautiful new logo to highlight monthly nature strolls that are being offered throughout the diocese. If anyone in your community would like to advertise walks, please forward that information to our team and we will be delighted to share.

Province IV and V Monthly Environmental Gathering

Easter Retreat

Living in View of the Resurrection

A retreat at Chapel of Divine Creation at Saloom Properties, Evergreen, Alabama

Saturday, May 17, 2025

9:30am-4:00pm

Led by The Rev. Marshall Craver and Dr. Salem Saloom

Register early as space is limited. Cost $20. Questions?

Contact: Dr. Salem Saloom

Come join in conversation with those steeped in prayer, theology, the wild outdoors, agriculture, and the front lines of pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, and land use. Take time to wander over the acres of the Proctor Center. Come ready to put your feet on the ground and get your hands dirty. And come to contemplate the goodness of the earth and the wonders of creation.

The Episcopal Creation Care Gathering is an annual church-wide event focused on the work of Christian ministry, mission, and living on earth. These gatherings create space for conversation, learning, and practice as we explore the deep relationships that bind together spirituality, justice, ecology, discipleship, and evangelism.

The Province IV environmental network is a co-sponsor of this event. Registration opens May 2.

What We've Been Preaching

Earth Sunday Sermons by

The Rev. Mary Alice Mathison, Redeemer, Mobile

The Rev. Bob Donnell, All Saints, Mobile

What We've Been Reading

Nature's Best Hope: How You Can Save the World in Your Own Yard (Young Readers Edition), by Doug Tallamy. Tallamy's books are outstanding resources for getting started with rewilding your yard, but I felt that I got what I needed by reading this simpler, shorter young person's edition. He has other wonderful books for folks who want to do a deep dive on this topic, but if you are just getting started, try this book first and then pass it along to inspire a young person when you have finished!

"The Four Ecologically Crucial Things You Should Do in Your Garden", by Margaret Roach for the New York Times, April 9, 2025. Great information (based on Tallamy's work) in summary form and one of the coolest bird photos you will ever see.

What We've Been Watching

Let Your Garden Grow Wild, an inspiring TED talk by ecological horticulturalist Rebecca McMackin.

Landscaping for the Peace of Wild Things, webinar from the Center for Deep Green Faith, featuring The Rev. Ragan Sutterfield.