Do your work in peace. ~John the Small

As Christians, we believe we are called to right the wrongs and sins of the past, even as we strive to repent of those sins and any we continue to commit. Sometimes, this call to right wrongs means advocacy and activism, such as bold and public protest. And sometimes we right wrongs one small, quiet seed at a time.

In March 2020, at the beginning of the COVID~19 pandemic, a little project called the Good News Gardens movement was born. This project, hosted by The Episcopal Church’s evangelism and creation care departments, was born from a desire to help the church mobilize to share the Good News of God in Christ right where they were—at home.

A call went out, inviting individuals and churches to three commitments: 1) Plant more than you would under average circumstances to share the bounty. 2) Pray daily for a restored right relationship between the church and Creation, repenting of the harm humans have imposed upon the earth. 3) Proclaim the love of God through word and example by sharing your Good News Garden bounty and publicly sharing the stories of your commitments and gardens.

In the four and half years since this movement began, hundreds of Good News Gardens, chicken coops and beehives have sprouted, and people who had never before seen themselves as creation care activists began to find their place in righting the sins of the past. They discovered their unique work in our common struggle to become beloved community with all of creation.

For Reflection

Working to right systemic and generational wrongs such as climate change or racism can seem daunting. Like planting a Good News Garden herb box, what is one beginning step you could take?

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