Last weekend a massive thunder storm with downbursts rumbled through a portion of Ontario causing considerable damage. More than a hundred campers had to be evacuated from Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park on the Mattawa River, four hours north of Toronto. This gem of a park experienced many downed trees as did areas in Algonquin Park, an Ontario wilderness icon.
One of the campgrounds damaged in Algonquin was Lake of Two Rivers, a lovely area of large pine trees and old growth trails nearby. It is also the base for the Cathedral of the Trees summer worship ministry of the United Church. On Sundays during July and August different leaders offer worship inviting participants into "holy wonder", as the poster states.
I was one of those leaders over several summers and all of us lived in the campground for a week at a time, chatting with intrigued passers-by. Ruth and I did lots of exploring in our kayaks, on our bicycles, and swimming while we were there, as well as hiking the trails. We saw moose on the cycling trail, always exciting, but one of our best experiences was paddling a river very early one morning and seeing thousands of spider webs bejeweled by dew. By the time we made our way back they were invisible.
Damage in Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park
Because of the emphasis on contemplating Creation we never got into subjects such as climate change during worship yet there is sobering evidence that our forests and waterways are being altered, leading to drier summers with the risk of fire and more violent storms. I imagine that the campers in Samuel de Champlain and Algonquin parks last weekend didn't anticipate such violent weather, akin to a tornado.
The web of Creation involves so many aspects, all related, all important. We need to be people of purpose and prayer, even as we celebrate the natural beauty we can't take for granted. I hope the Cathedral of the Trees summer ministry is able to get underway as planned
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