Waterville church to celebrate Earth Day with Wild Church Weekend

WATERVILLE — First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, is set to celebrate Earth Day with Wild Church Weekend, April 19-21.

This retreat offers a blend of introspection, communion with nature, and community engagement. Emulating the spirit of a potluck, participants are encouraged to bring the gift of who they are and sample various offerings throughout the weekend, according to a news release from the Rev. Ian Lynch.

The core of the retreat, occurring on Friday evening and Saturday, offers an experience aimed at fostering connections with one another and with the natural world.

The weekend kicks off with a spiritual potluck Friday evening, providing a safe space for sharing personal stories and exploring the concept of Wild Church as an alternative to traditional religious expressions.

Saturday morning will feature a field trip with two distinct practices: Birdsong Sitting Meditation and Lectio Terra. The former, developed by Lynch, invites participants to center themselves in a natural setting by identifying bird calls, fostering a sense of interconnectedness with the environment. The latter, a variation of Lectio Divina, incorporates the land as a sacred text, offering a unique perspective on spiritual engagement.

Returning to their worship space at 21 College Ave. on Saturday afternoon, participants can have a potluck lunch.

Additional offerings include a viewing of the annual United Church of Christ Earth Day Summit, featuring keynote speaker Bill McKibben Saturday at 1 p.m., and environmentally themed worship Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Waterville Creates community art build at the Shupf Center on Main Street.

To register visit watervilleucc@gmail.com. The cost is a minimum $25 donation to the Essentials Closet, a ministry providing free cleaning and hygiene items to those in need. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

For more information contact Lynch at revianlynch@gmail.com or 440-296-3116.

Further details can be found at watervilleucc.org and on the church’s Facebook page.