Saturday, November 24, 2007

Grow through gardening week 2: Why hang gardens in hard places (like Babylon, or urban parks today)?

Grow through gardening 2 centred around God's call to Jeremiah to plant gardens in a hard place, a place of exile. We interviewed a gardener. We enjoyed a video clip from re(bar), who made a garden in an urban park. We looked at the 10 worst gardens in our city.

Who is God? Gardener, sprinkler, soil, grower, hope in hard times. Ultimate Gardener. Creator/Designer. Father, Son & Holy Spirit, sustainer, makes good thing happen. Giver of gifts – self seeding plant in the wrong place can be moved and tended.

What is God doing in the world? Active with non-christian & Christians, sustaining. Loving us – Making people become Christians. Developing His kingdom by allowing seeds/persons/groups. ie church to grow in different types of places. Giving hope. Gardener when we are in hard places. Helps us grow, gives us what we need. Sometimes slowly

How is God achieving this? Restores and renewing through us. And through the Holy Spirit. Through Youtube. Gives us the seeds/word – we have to nuture – tend – water. Listen to God's word/read the bible. Gifts to teach.

Who am I? Loved by God. A garden and a gardener. A sower of God’s seeds ie hope. Making the best of the situation. A bulb, with God’s help to become plant he wants us to be. Not a gardener – am a gardener. I’m Grace.

Where am I going? I am going to grow, maybe even in hard places. To those garden’s that are lacking God’s seed. You’re in – acceptance that God ultimately has a plan and a purpose for each of us.

How am I supposed to get there? Listen to the master gardener. Following the hope/seed – Word of God – plantings. Not for us to understand the situation – have the right to question God – even complain!

How then should we live out our lives? Making the most of the things we have. Live to grow, not just survive (not die!). Live to grow and give God pleasure. Willingness to grow through seasons. Even in times of little growth or encouragement. To feel "rooted" we can go where we feel comfortable for some garden for some iceskating.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Grow through gardening week 1: Why does the Bible start with a garden?

Input included a scene from Over the Hedge where the animals meet "the hedge", a history of gardens in ancient times, guessing Opawa gardens, an interview with a flower grower, and a Biblical reflection on Genesis 2.

In table groups, people were then invited to consider:
As you listened tonight: Who is God? Caring overseer who wants to know what’s going on, like a gardener, the ultimate gardener/creator, a gardener that plants people into life, delighting in creating things for use as well as pleasure, a grower, the creator and plantet, the greatest gardener, the creator of the gardens

As you listened tonight: What is God doing in the world? Reigning, cultivating, people, pruning people, fertilizing, weeding, watching over us and hears who we are, watering, tending, shining sun, bringing joy, planting people, wanting to connect with us, ie "talking in the garden." You need to know what you are planting so the plant can fulfill its purpose. Opening doors. Planting His seeds of trust – pruning – fertilizing – testing – experimenting and His seeds of life, gardening.

HAs you listened tonight: How is God achieving this? Helping us to grow. Holidays, friends – different abilities – through creation itself – with great care and dedication. Allows us to grow amongst the weeds, providing an environment where we and things can grow. Romans 8; You need to know the plant to know optimum conditions for planting. Through people listening and acting. Getting people to think about ecology – growing their own food – becoming more self-sufficent – less farms – more food – spring clean – given out vege plants. Planting, pruning, weeding

As you listened tonight: Who are we? a garden fork – aerate the soil, loosen soil, so weeds can be pulled out, sulphate of potash – fertilizer – encouragement of growth. Also gardeners –the finest mudcake – future gardeners. Me a mudcake? A fertile soil or barren field. Matt Currie. We are (I am) gardener/s. A seed (flower, a weed, a thorn.

As you listened tonight: Where am I going? Visiting others’ gardens. Growing and changing. To bloom – to grow into best we can be (1st Cor 15). To Jesus. Hopefully towards growth. Gardeners plant in nice neat rows but life isn’t like that. To school and cookie time. Am going to: get supplies – weed – water – sow. Growing up.

As you listened tonight: How am I supposed to get there? Being sensitive by knowing where were needed. Planted. Don’t fight the gardener. By following Jesus. Thru being tendered, being careful about the inputs in my life. Until it flowers you don’t know if it stays true to type or if it has mutated. In my turbocharged pocket rocket. Nutrients, water, sun, photosynthesis and by being pruned.

As you listened tonight: how then should we live out our lives?? As a vine – being willing to be pruned, tended to nourished, watered and supported – willing to change direction if need be. Fruitfully. Gardening for living – we are not doing it! Difference between a grower and a gardener. Humbly, respectfully, happily, loving others. By allowing God the planter, pruner, weeder, to plant seeds, get rid of weeds, supply our needs so we can do good deeds. Grow through gardening.