James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy, my siblings, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”
Gardening on an eroding hillside composed largely of landfill materials – from discarded asphalt and debris from the demolition (in the early 1970’s) of the historic Honeycutt House – piled on a solid outcropping of limestone has presented many trials.
Some areas had eroded down to the solid rock, other spots were expanses of hard white caliche. I found large pockets of gravel mixed with broken brick and building stone, and chunks of asphalt from our earlier parking lot, and pieces of wood once used in construction. There have also been little treasures – glass cabinet knobs, pretty pieces of tile, jewelry, several knives and shivs, even gun cartridges and shell casings.
Still, there were some dirt pockets on the hillside that allowed life to grow. Various weeds—including some lantana, primrose, rain lilies and ruella (aka “Mexican Petunias”) – had taken root. By using some of the landfill debris, rocks and organic materials terraces began to form building nutrient rich soil. Now we have a wild assortment of other weeds, vegetables and produce, with herbs and succulents growing and blooming on our hillsides. Gardening for me is prayer, it has been a joy to garden downtown with God.
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
On all four sides of our church we now have food and herbs growing within reach of the sidewalk, alley and streets… and many weeds disguised as flowers. Our neighbors who live on the street, our neighbors visiting the Victim Services Division of the District Attorney’s office, our firemen neighbors, neighbors working nearby and unknown others frequently harvest from our gardens – in addition to all the weekly produce that is delivered to Angel’s House Soup Kitchen. Yes, total strangers eat “our” cherry tomatoes. Pastor Layne rotates new and familiar sayings on signs place about our landscape – none say “Stay Off the Lawn”.
Softening the edges of our church while demonstrating our “logo line” – “An Urban Sanctuary”. Our landscape is a dynamic work in progress. It is a celebration of the abundance of God’s Grace available to all who practice the fundamental teachings of Christ: Honor Creator, Love Created – even if one’s understanding of these teachings source from other faith traditions or personal revelations.
I’ve named our landscape. “The Garden of AUS”. I’ve come to realize the demonstrated example of our garden concepts can apply for other churches and places of congregation. Thus, “AUS” in our garden’s name represents Central Christin Church as “An Urban Sanctuary” specifically, but also as demonstration represents “Abundance Urban Sanctuary”. (Obviously, it’s also a kinda cheesy reference to the wonderful Land of Oz, but under the rainbow not over.)
The number of people who weekly – some regularly, some daily – discover and experience sanctuary in our gardens usually well exceeds the number of our congregation in sanctuary worship inside on Sundays. Some of our worship visitors stay outside, encumbered by non-affirming church experiences. Some of our inside worship service visitors were initially introduced to the soft outside edges of our sanctuary. This is a joyful pattern that continues to grow.
Phil