Header: Row of vegetables growing at Spring Forest Farm. The community employs regenerative methods for growing and nurturing the farm.
All photos courtesy Elaine Heath.
A reflection by Rev. Denise Honeycutt
Online-enabled Morning Worship
Each morning at 8am folks gather on zoom from around the world as a part of Spring Forest, for 20 or 25 minutes to read and reflect on a passage of scripture, to pray for the natural world and our personal concerns and joys. It is a grounding way to begin my day with like-minded folks as well as those who see things through a different lens. As we each discuss what lies ahead for the day, we find ourselves more ready and equipped, for the acts of justice and relationship making we are called to. And this is but one of the many ministries of Spring Forest.
Learn more about church at Spring Forest.
Share the prayers of the Spring Forest Community.
Read more about the November Movement Café featuring Spring Forest on UM Insight, Missional United Methodist Community Sees Earth Care as Following Jesus
Abbess, Rev. Dr. Elaine Heath, and the Spirituality of Spring Forest
I met Elaine Heath, first through her many books. In particular, I remember reading Missional, Monastic, Mainline and thinking, “Wow, I sure would like to see a real live community like that in the flesh”.
Years later at one of the monthly Forest Feasts at Spring Forest, after having shared an evening pot luck meal with folks of various faiths and no faith in particular, we wrapped ourselves up in our winter coats and walked through the forest. We stopped at designated points to light a candle, sing a song, reflect on an aspect of Advent, celebrate the Winter Solstice and listen to what the silence of our ‘tall family members’ – the trees – had to teach us. And I remember thinking, “here on this farm, is a real live community that truly is the enfleshed body of Christ.”
Elaine and I became friends and discovered that we were kindred spirits. We love laughing and dreaming together. And this is true for so many who have come to know her and the ministry of Spring Forest. It’s not about getting more and more folks to become a part of what “they” are doing, but rather empowering, encouraging and modeling how each of us in our own space can be about “lavish neighboring” as we are being grounded in the land.
In a way it’s not really new or rocket science, it’s just that Spring Forest helps us to see a real live community. It is a community that is in relationship and in love with God with all they have, in love with their neighbors which includes everyone and is grounded in the land. What a gift.
Rev. Dr. J. Denise Honeycutt is United Methodist clergy and a member of the Virginia Conference. She lives with her husband, Rev. Pat Watkins, in their passive solar home in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Some might say she is retired, but in fact, she is rewilding.
The goats of Spring Forest Farm are part of the regenerative farm cycle which includes a cover crop that includes sorghum-Sudan grass, sunflowers and cow peas. As the goats eat and make manure, the soil is replenished with nitrogen and micronutrients.
Rev. Dr. Elaine Heath leads the worship community at Spring Farm, and also actively participates in the farm work and chores.
Spring Forest Farm and Monastery includes wildlands as well as cultivated land. This forest is often part of spiritual walks and practices.