You are a garden fountain,
    a well of flowing water
    streaming down from Lebanon. – Song of Songs 4:15

Mothers’ Day, just before worship, I wandered around the church rose garden to see how the blooms were coming along. I am so glad that I did. Red, white, yellow, orange – then some of everything in between.

It is a labor of love, and the perfect compliment to the vegetable gardens. Different teams work on different aspects of the overall vision. Everything, first and foremost, is a reflection of our desire as a church to honor God and to honor the responsibility we have been given to care for creation.

Then, the gardens tell the story of our mission as a community called together as witnesses to hope and light. Food for the soul and for the belly too. In consequence we feed people who are hungry in many ways and via many different ministries, including the production of fresh vegetables.

And so we also have this beautiful rose garden, where people are remembered after they pass away. It is not a place of burial but a place where love, and memory, and hope, and promise are all represented in these flowers and the way they are cared for.

So take a look at these photographs. At Wake Forest Presbyterian Church we understand that there are many opportunities to respect creation, to express faith, and to share love. These are just a few.

– DEREK