On a beautiful Sunday morning, my husband and I made a visit to the historic Ann Street United Methodist Church in Beaufort. You can quite literally feel the generations as you enter the gorgeous sanctuary. I imagined this space being used as a field hospital during the civil war as I sat in awe at the gorgeous and massive stained-glass windows.
We sang, we prayed, we had a wonderful message, we shared communion, and we sang more! Then we paraded down the street to dedicate butterfly gardens.
There were women wearing butterfly hats. Others passed out butterfly whirligigs to participants. Children had their faces painted and even grown men wore bright colors and carried butterflies.
Once we arrived at the Eure Garden, we were greeted by a woman dressed as a butterfly! Her wings flowed in the summer breeze. We were introduced to a redbud tree, verbena, lantana, oregano, and zinnia. We sang the butterfly song and Pastor Mills prayed as the garden was dedicated.
This site was placed in front of the building used as a preschool among many other things. What a wonderful reminder for children of all ages, of both the environmental benefits of this garden, but also the symbolic reminders of renewal and hope butterflies represent.
As children sang, we moved to the Ann Street site. There we saw honeysuckle, coneflower, azalea, black-eyed susan, Mexican sage, asters, bee balm, Columbine, hyssop, salvia, butterfly weed, and cat mint. We sang and prayed some more. This garden was placed between the historic church and the Old Burying Ground. It will serve as a perfect symbolic reminder of life, death, and resurrection with this strategic placement.
The Creation Care Ministry Team put their passion to work in service to our Lord and Savior. Some people sing…Others work with children. Many serve by using their woodworking skills or quilting gifts. This team serves by using their gifts of caring for creation.
These gardens will provide beauty for the church and neighboring community. They are also registered with the NC Wildlife Federation as “Pit Stops on the Butterfly Highway.” The Eure and Ann Street gardens will reach out to many hearts in the years ahead.
More important than the beauty they provide, these gardens will conserve butterflies while they work to help pollinate other fruits, plants, and vegetables. The beautiful insects and plants used to attract them; help create a healthier environment.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming Caretakers of God’s Creation, visit: www.umccreationcare.org/
“Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.”
Genesis 1:29-30
If you would like to view past editions of A Message from Kim, follow this link: https://sounddistrictnc.org/category/from-district-lay-leader/
If you would like to connect with Kim please do so through her email, k.smith@nccumc.org