Walk and Word

[anni]

Jeanne started this September, 2018. And I've been joining her because it sounded like such a good idea (even though we start early, at 8:00 am most Sunday mornings). It's a great way to start a Sunday...

Greetings, Friends,

I captured this view of a persistent seedling on a recent Sunday morning Walk and Word hike. It was our first time up to the creek after the rains. It was wonderful to see pools that had formed and to hear the soothing sounds of running water. This is just one of the many meaningful moments we have experienced in the past three months. We have been still beneath old oaks, enjoyed the company of quail, and pondered the beauty of rock formations. The exercise, sights, scents, and sounds have worked together to open our minds to receive the wisdom that awaits in the short selections of scripture that we read after the walk. We have been amazed by the ease with which we have been able to find connections between the stories, poems, and prophecies written thousands of years ago and our situations in this time and place. I receive much reassurance in the perspective gained from finding that the crises and challenges that we face today are not all that different from those of our Abrahamic predecessors. My feet feel calm support from the ground that has existed for eons. Temporal concerns dissolve in the impartial presence of dirt. And the fledgling plant in the photo reminds me that life wants to live and grow and always invites us to participate.

Being in this little corner of creation on a regular basis with the intention of appreciating its wonders can bring healing to our broken relationship with our planet. I believe that being there with others with a similar intent can heighten the benefits.

I’m sharing these reflections for a few reasons. One is to let friends know what I’ve been up to and how the Walk and Word ministry is going. Another is to invite anyone who feels drawn to this alternative spiritual activity to give it a try some Sunday morning. We meet in the parking lot of Deukmejian Wilderness Park at 8 AM on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sunday of each month. (I spend the 1st Sunday worshipping with my sisters and brothers at Crescenta Valley UMC in Montrose.) We walk for the first hour and then read, write, and share for the second. If you are not able to do the hike and still want to enjoy the the scenery and the journaling, there are several picnic tables with wheelchair access. We’ll join you there at 9.

If you like the concept of Walk and Word, but can not be there, feel free to be there in spirit with me. Send me any prayers that you would like lifted and I will carry them up the trail and speak them. If you know anyone who may be interested, please share this email with them. If you can be there in person, I hope to see you on 12/23 and/or 12/30.

Peace,

Jeanne Lavieri

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace…
Isaiah 52:7

[Brian]

The Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church website has a page for Walk and Word with a link to official information about Deukmejian Wilderness Park, capped by a brief bio of Jeanne:

www.cvumc.org/walk-and-word

[Jeanne]

Jan 13, 2019 0:04:20 GMT -8 Brian said:

The Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church website has a page for Walk and Word with a link to official information about Deukmejian Wilderness Park, capped by a brief bio of Jeanne:

www.cvumc.org/walk-and-word

We had a great walk this morning. We have been watching the dry creek fill up a bit more with each rain storm. We saw three hawks take off from trees nearby. They were right over our heads for a few seconds, close enough for us to see their bellies. I treasure these experiences.

[anni]

Last Sunday we spent a portion of our "walk" just sitting and enjoying a real babbling brook. Yes, it's a real thing. But it won't last too long here in sunny SoCA. For me Walk and Word is a different, fun thing to do on Sunday morning. Helps me get my head on straight for the week to come. You'll have your own reasons. Come on and find out what they are!

[Jeanne]

Feb 13, 2019 14:43:20 GMT -8 anni said:

Last Sunday we spent a portion of our "walk" just sitting and enjoying a real babbling brook. Yes, it's a real thing. But it won't last too long here in sunny SoCA. For me Walk and Word is a different, fun thing to do on Sunday morning. Helps me get my head on straight for the week to come. You'll have your own reasons. Come on and find out what they are!

Looks like that babbling will be a bit bolder this week after this current (pun intended) storm.

One reason I love the walks and writing is that they are a way to reconnect and recharge with creation.

[Brian]

Ran across a brief piece in the print edition of this week's Crescenta Valley Weekly about Walk and Word. You can see it on the Notes & Nods page of the newspaper's website -- it's the second item:

www.crescentavalleyweekly.com/religion/04/11/2019/notes-nods-335/

[anni]

Walk and Word: Springing Forward

Greetings, Friends,
     I like to check in every few months with those who may be curious about how our hiking ministry is going. Some of you may be unable to participate and others may be thinking you’ll make it up to the mountain one of these weeks. I offer some reflections on our Sunday mornings at Deukmejian Wilderness Park to give you a sense of the inspiration that we enjoy there.
     Winter was gentle with us. We felt a little drizzle and some mild cold, but the storms seemed to make space for our outings without discomfort or inconvenience. Anticipation and excitement built with each week as we watched the usually dry creek beds go from a thin trickle to bold babbling. We saw green sprout up in all manner of forms - grass in the gravel, buds on branches, and moss on stones. We were enchanted by the Painted Lady butterflies and swarms of bees making the most of the rosemary blossoms.

A few weeks ago we read Isaiah 45:8 

Shower, O heavens, from above,

and let the skies rain down righteousness;

let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,

and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;

I the Lord have created it.

     It occurred to me that while we were enjoying the metaphors in the scripture, we were present with their very source in the mountains as we felt the showers and witnessed the arrival of Spring. This time of being so close to Creation restores the soul. In the coming months we will continue to observe changes and find connections between our experiences and Scripture.
     I hope you will consider joining us some Sunday morning. We meet at 8 am in the parking lot. The Park is located at 3429 Markridge Rd, Glendale, CA 91214. Please keep in mind that I am not there on the first Sunday of each month. And on Easter Sunday, April 21, I’ll be there for just one hour so I can also make it downtime hill to Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church for worship at 10 AM. (We’ll be having a special bluegrass celebration.)


Peace, Jeanne L

[anni]

Dear Friends,

I would like to share some reflections on the Sunday morning ministry of hiking and scripture journaling. Walk and Word has been meeting at Deudkmejian Wilderness Park for a year and we have enjoyed experiencing the full cycle of seasons there. When you last heard from me, the mountain was green and the wash was flowing from the Winter rains. Since then we have seen that green on the hillsides producing a sequence of blossoms. We saw them in bright Spring and enveloped in June fog. Now those flowers have turned to an abundance of seeds that look like gold glitter in the early morning sunlight. The California buckwheat has gone from ivory to rust, creating a beautiful color contrast with the the cool green of the yucca leaves, all making for a rich feast for the eyes of color and texture.

We have enjoyed reading and pondering the stories of Daniel and Ruth and are in the middle of Esther. Who knew a 2500 year old story could sound so relevant today? We also spent a few weeks reading excerpts from Proverbs, notably, Chapter 8. In verses 29-31 we hear the voice of Wisdom saying, “ …when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.”

It is this kind of harmonious connection between Creation and Creator that we seek on Sunday mornings. The human race has done much to separate itself from the foundations of the earth and we are now seeing disastrous results. So for two hours a week, we pause and focus on the wonders in our own backyard. It is very therapeutic for us humans; may it also be so for the earth.

I offer these thoughts and images for those who would like to participate but are unable to. It’s an attempt to give you an idea of the meaningful times we enjoy. I have appreciated your interest and encouragement and think of you as I walk. For the rest of you, consider it an invitation to give it a try one of these weeks. We’d love to have more representatives of the human race come along.

We meet in the parking lot near the rest rooms at 8 AM. All are welcome. If the one hour hike is too much for you, there’s a level field for walking. Or you could sit and enjoy the view and meet us at a picnic table at 9 for the Scripture journaling and conversation. A link to the park is below. We meet the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of each month.

Peace, Jeanne L.

www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/community-services-parks/parks-facilities-historic-sites/deukmejian-wilderness-park#ad-image-1

[anni]

It's been a little more than a year since Jeanne started 'Walk and Word'...I have to say I've thoroughly enjoyed every single Sunday morning shared. Always seeing something I've missed before. Always learning something new (even from the Old Testament). A kaleidescope of views/interpretations. What a delightful way to start a new week.

[Jeanne]

Nov 18, 2019 19:02:18 GMT -8 anni said:

It's been a little more than a year since Jeanne started 'Walk and Word'...I have to say I've thoroughly enjoyed every single Sunday morning shared. Always seeing something I've missed before. Always learning something new (even from the Old Testament). A kaleidescope of views/interpretations. What a delightful way to start a new week.

Thanks for the post, anni. I recently submitted a report on Walk and Word to the conference. Here's what i said:

The Sunday morning Walk and Word hiking/scripture journaling ministry is in its second year. It continues to bless me and the people who participate. They come from a range of backgrounds and each person is on their unique spiritual journey. They include atheists, agnostics, a Seventh Day Adventist, a Buddhist, and Christians who are not affiliated with a church. There are some commonalities in the participants - love of nature, curiosity about the Bible, defensiveness towards traditional churches and organized religion in general, and a desire for community. Participants express appreciation for the acceptance of who they are and the openness of the experience, noting that Jesus met his followers outside. The exercise of the hike in the presence of flora, fauna, and geological wonders opens us to new interpretations of the Word. I believe that Walk and Word is filling a need in a few souls who are searching for meaning. We bring a loving presence into the community and hope for healing our separation from Creation.