New churches a refuge for disaffected ‘dones’
At nontraditional congregations popping up across the country, many people have stories of rocky relationships with church. But they felt something was missing when they left.
(The Christian Science Monitor) On a woodsy parcel in New Hampshire, Church of the Woods gathers people outside for at least part of the service, no matter the weather, to reflect on a particular question or topic among the trees, streams, deer, and countless other creatures. Church founder Steve Blackmer, an Episcopal priest, aims to reconnect church with nature in a time of environmental crisis.
Blackmer expected the church might draw those who say they find God in nature. Early on he invited 40 friends, all of whom had spiritual practices of some type and an interest in conservation, but to no avail.
“Not a single one of my friends has joined Church of the Woods,” Blackmer said. “There’s too much Jesus. The liturgy is too formal. Communion freaks them out. And these are friends of mine.”
