Damp sawdust, used as a hand-broadcasting medium 

for prairie seed, can be seen atop the snow.

I must have looked something of the fool Friday as I walked around a section of the church lawn throwing seeds on top of snow. Foolhardiness aside, the seed-sowing was intentional. This spring, work began on a native prairie rain garden in the storm water swale in the southwest corner of the lawn at Mennonite Church of Normal. The swale is already designed to capture runoff from parking areas, allowing it to slowly percolate into the soil rather than flood storm sewers. The deep-rooted, perennial native grasses and wildflowers that will comprise MCN’s first rain garden boost the effectiveness of the swale, taking up additional water and releasing it slowly into the air, as well as filtering pollutants. The rain garden planting will increase biodiversity on our property, and expand habitat for birds and butterflies. Sod was removed and weeds were shallowly cultivated throughout the summer, which brings us to tossing seeds on snow. Planting the prairie grass and wildflower seeds in early winter takes advantage of the natural effects of frost which both softens the seed coat and settles the seeds into the soil. The plants spend the first two years putting down roots and show fuller top-growth in the third year.

The MCN RAIN GARDEN project was spurred on in part by the encouragement of the denominational Mennonite Creation Care Network which asked Mennonite congregations to “call out people with a passion and gifts for guiding the church with acts of grace and wisdom in stewardship tasks.” The idea for the rain garden was born in a congregational stewardship brainstorming session last October. Affirmed by the church’s Financial Stewardship committee, the project has been advanced with the help of over a dozen church volunteers, ranging from youth to seniors.

There is something of the character of holy futility in sowing seeds on top of snow that dovetails into the season of Advent so nicely. Like the prophets of the Old Testament we are called to envision and patiently observe God’s action in the world, and at the same time actively participate in the coming of the Good News of restoration. The proclamation of the prophets that a child savior would come from Bethlehem would have seemed ridiculous to God’s people who had long become convinced that God’s chosen deliverer would come as a mighty political conqueror. The baby Jesus, who later came as a man into Jerusalem plodding along on a donkey, was not exactly the sword-wielding king on a white charger they were looking for.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! Isaiah 9:6-7 (New Living Translation)

As the foolish-seeming words of the prophets pointed to something marvelous to come, so sowing prairie seed in winter looks to the day when this slumbering mini-prairie might act as one more beacon of Good News for both our Mennonite Church and our host cities of Normal and Bloomington. Sowing the seeds is just the beginning. What fruits will God bring about with our help because of the rain garden? Might neighborhood children experience the wonder of God’s creation for the first time? Would our Headstart class utilize the rain garden as a safe and nearby outdoor learning area? Could we host our own creation care workshops for community families to teach them how to make their own rain gardens or rain barrels and begin to welcome them into our church family? Might a child of the congregation be inspired to Christian service, tending to places in creation where pollution, poverty and injustice intertwine?

For now we dream and wait, and just as we embrace Advent in our sowing, so we will see other seasons of the church year in the rain garden. Lent will be the arrival of spring weeds that will make us wonder if the project has gone off the rails. Easter will be the surprising yellow blossoms of black-eyed susans, coreopsis and partridge pea. Pentecost comes in the form of a multiplicity of sprouts sending down their newly-formed roots deep into the soil. May it be so, AMEN.