Wilderness Ministries

WHY THE WILDERNESS?

God is in creation and we are part of God’s creation. Just as the psalmist says, our Still Speaking God is still speaking throughout the marvelous creation that surrounds us. When Jesus wanted to commune with God, he went to the garden and to the mountain tops to pray. Wilderness travel offers us the chance to get to see and know God’s handiwork in new ways and understand our relationship to creation and to God more concretely while knowing ourselves more thoroughly.

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Wilderness travel isn’t easy; we may have to portage a canoe, carry a heavy pack, or be exposed to the wind and rain. Adversity affords us the opportunity to grow in our understanding of personal accountability and commitment to a group. But having a positive experience can greatly affect one’s long-term relationship with the outdoors. Every consideration is made to ensure the trip is age-appropriate, people are well informed about gear they need to own or rent to stay comfortable, and that safety and fun are high priorities. While these experiences may provide a level of physical and mental difficulty that you or your loved one may find challenging, you will be provided a lot of support and encouragement along the way. We want you to enjoy yourself and love the outdoors!

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Wilderness Ministry at First Congregational has three main goals: to teach wilderness travel skills so individuals can travel on their own, instill a sense of relationship with creation and God, and to grow in fellowship and have fun. Each experience, whether backpacking or canoeing, will have an age-appropriate curriculum to achieve these goals. Most likely, all trips will contain components of prayer, alone time and Bible study, along with ecological and wilderness skills education.