Invitation to Flower Communion

Mother’s Day always signals to me the likely final burst of big spring snow in Fort Collins, and so also signals a green light for planting! It’s always a risk, of course, the snow is sneaky that way (and it’s not like we wouldn’t be grateful for the moisture!). 

But then again, planting is a risk, period. You never know exactly how something will turn out – if it will flourish or whither. Even with our best efforts, there’s a lot about gardening that is out of our control. And yet we take the risk and make the investment because when the flowers bloom or the tomatoes arrive, or the perennial comes back year after year, we remember life’s resilience, and the way simple beauty can be healing and redeeming, despite everything. And we remember the lessons of loving with an open hand, a leaning in that is also always a letting go. 

This is the practice we felt drawn to for our Flower Communion this year. Rather than a simple exchange of cut flowers as is more traditional, we want to invite us to a shared practice of planting. 

Next Thursday and Friday, you are invited to come to the church to participate in a plant exchange. Bring a cutting from your garden, pick up a gem from the nursery, or bring the small shoots you’ve been growing from seed. Or, bring seeds ready for planting! It can be flowers or vegetables, or ground cover, or…whatever you are inspired to bring. In turn, receive someone else’s plant, cutting, or seeds. (Don’t worry if you can’t get your hands on a plant. We’ll have some extras.) 

You can either take home the plant you receive and plant it somewhere you can see it, or you plant it on the church grounds. We’ll have a map of places for you to plant and some tools (or feel free to bring your own). We imagine this as a wonderful way to begin to “reclaim” our church grounds, as well as a reminder of the way life persists, changes, and invites us to keep planting with a spirit of playfulness, leaning in, and letting go.

Join us at the church during any of the following times for Flower Communion:

Flower Communion Dates & Times (at the church):
Thursday, May 20th: 4:30-6:30 pm
Friday, May 21st: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm & 4:30 – 6:30 pm

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