Justice with Creation and with One Another

Small Churches Big Impact Podcast

Content provided by Small Churches Big Impact Collective. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Small Churches Big Impact Collective or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

9M ago 38:15

MP3•Episode home

In this episode of the Small Churches Big Impact Collective, host the Rev. Rebekah Hatch, Canon for Lay & Ordained Vocations in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, speaks with the Rev. Candice Combs, pastor of New Life Lutheran Church in Dripping Springs, Texas - a unique congregation that worships exclusively outdoors.

Rev. Combs shares how New Life, a congregation focused on grace, discipleship, children, and creation, has found its own unique expression of faith. By embracing an outdoor worship space, the congregation has cultivated a deeper connection with nature and fostered a sense of community that values resilience, flexibility, and the inclusion of all God’s people.

The conversation explores how this unique worship style, grounded in a deep respect for creation, informs New Life's understanding of social justice. Rather than focusing solely on external activism, New Life prioritizes building a just and inclusive community within the church itself, fostering trust and understanding among its members and within the New Life community.

This episode offers a refreshing perspective on how small churches can find innovative ways to live out their faith, demonstrating that social justice begins with cultivating a just and welcoming community within the church itself.

Key Takeaways:

Unique Worship Style: New Life's outdoor worship fosters a deeper connection with nature and cultivates a sense of community resilience.
Focus on Inclusion: The congregation prioritizes inclusion and welcomes all people, emphasizing grace and understanding within this community of faith.
Justice as Community Building: New Life recognizes that building a just and inclusive community within the church is a foundational step towards addressing social justice issues beyond the church walls.
Embracing Vulnerability: The outdoor worship setting encourages vulnerability and a deeper connection to the natural world, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and compassion.
Creative Approaches to Ministry: New Life demonstrates that small churches can find innovative and creative ways to live out their faith, adapting to their unique context and embracing new possibilities.

Episode Links:

New Life Lutheran Church of Dripping Springs
Wild Church Network
Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us Into the Sacred, by Victoria Loorz
Upwild.org - the joint ELCA/Episcopal Wild Church in Michigan
thebtscenter.org/guides-for-lectio-terra: the practice of listening for the voice of the sacred in nature

Credits:

Music Credit: I Love to Tell the Story, Benjamin Grove, keyboard

Podcast produced by Polymnia

25 episodes

#Religion #Small Churches Big Impact Collective