Spiritual Practices: Trees of Life CHM592
This two-day course will be offered both as a noncredit retreat and as a course for credit (one credit hour).
Instructors
Janeen Bertsche Johnson (MDiv 1989; current DMin student) has been a pastor since 1989, serving as Campus Pastor at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary since 1995, She has taught several colloquia and Spiritual Practices courses, and developed the “Water of Life” course in 2015 and the “Trees of Life” course in 2022. Janeen became an Indiana Master Naturalist in 2008 and led the 4-H Earthcare Club for 13 years. She loves teaching the 香蕉影视 community and congregations about trees, prairies, water and other aspects of creation.
Steve Thomas (MDiv 1987) has served in pastoral ministry for 33 years. He is an ISA Certified Arborist with a Graduate Certificate in Urban Forestry from Oregon State University. He is passionate about planting and tending trees as a part of ecological restoration. As land steward for Pathways Retreat in Goshen, Indiana, he has planted more than 3,000 native shrubs and trees at this community green space. He provides contract tree care and is a community liaison for urban forestry for the City of Goshen. As the national director for , he also coordinates the campaign to plant one million trees by 2030 to help restore the Earth.
Trees of Life Retreat
The noncredit Trees of Life Retreat weaves together study of biblical texts about trees; understanding of trees as organisms and within ecosystems; ecological issues; and spiritual practices. Participants will also consider how to engage trees within their faith communities. Units of study (each including input, spiritual practice, and discussion) include trees in the Bible, roots, trunks, branches, leaves, fruits/seeds/nuts, trees in our ecosystem, tree identification, and ecological threats and restoration.
The retreat runs Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1, 2024 (10 a.m. 鈥� 5 p.m. EDT both days). The first day will be held on the 香蕉影视 campus in Elkhart, Indiana, and at in Goshen, Indiana. The second day will be held at near Union, Michigan, so that participants can experience the woods as an ecosystem.
The cost of the retreat is $130, which includes lunch on Friday and Saturday and the use of Pathways Retreat and Camp Friedenswald. (Lodging is not included.) Register by May 24.
Questions? Contact Janeen Bertsche Johnson.
Spiritual Practices: Trees of Life CHM592 鈥� Course
The one-credit-hour Spiritual Practices: Trees of Life course 鈥� consisting of the retreat described above as well as additional coursework 鈥� meets a spiritual practices requirement and is available to both credit and noncredit participants. Students taking the course for credit will need to complete all of the assigned readings before attending the retreat. Readings include excerpts from:
- Benyus, Janine. The Field Guide to Wildlife Habitats of the Eastern United States
- Chase, Steven. The Tree of Life: Models of Christian Prayer
- Green, Barbara. Like a Tree Planted: An Exploration of Psalms and Parables Through Metaphor
- Heinrich, Bernd. The Trees in My Forest
- Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass
- Nadkarni, Nalini. Between Earth and Sky: Our Intimate Connections to Trees
- Turner-Skoff, Jessica and Nicole Cavender. “The Benefits of Trees for Livable and Sustainable Communities”
- Wohlleben, Peter. The Hidden Life of Trees
- Woodley, Randy S. Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision
After the retreat, those taking the course for credit will be asked to turn in their reading notes/reflections as well as a project of their choice, such as an outline for a Christian education class, a 鈥淲ild Church鈥� worship service, a sermon, or an article to be submitted to a Christian journal.
The cost to take the course for credit is $596 ($575/credit hour plus a $21 Student Services Fee); this includes lunch on Friday and Saturday and the use of Pathways Retreat and Camp Friedenswald. (Lodging is not included.) Register by May 24.
Ready to register for this course as a guest?
If you are not yet an admitted student at 香蕉影视 and are not enrolled at another seminary, college or university, we鈥檙e happy to register you as a guest student. Your first three credit hours are 50% off of regular tuition rates!
Questions? Contact the Registrar鈥檚 Office.