Issue 858 – The Arboretum – September 18, 2022
Yesterday, Kathy and I walked around the Derek Doubleday Memorial Arboretum in Langley. It is a beautiful little site with a wide variety of trees and flowers, as well as a garden for school children and what appears to be a community garden section.
There are several war memorials there, including “A Walk to Remember” (Afghanistan conflict), The Gapyeong Stone Korean War Memorial (to commemorate the sacrifice, honour and gratitude for the contribution of Canadian armed forces in the Korean War during the battle of Kapyong (Gapyeong) in April of 1951), and the Vimy Ridge Oak Tree (To commemorate the Battle of Vimy Ridge, 1918, and planted from an acorn from the Vimy site).
There are numerous little nooks and crannies with benches for people to relax and remember. All in all, it is worth seeing. Many trees, gardens and benches are memorials to people who have passed on.
Afterwards, we went to the Cedarbrook Bakery and Deli to grab a coffee and a sweet treat. They offered friendly service and delicious desserts.
The war memorials were tasteful, and it is always good to remember the sacrifices of those who serve our nation. Having said that, the school and community gardens were where we spent most of our time. I am confident that between us, we took a couple of hundred photos of various flowers and vegetable plants there. The garden area was abuzz with contented bumblebees and honey bees.
The school garden looked a little neglected, but school is just back from summer break. The plants were donated by local nurseries, and the concept is to school children provide experience in gardening and an understanding of where food comes from.
The whole arboretum screams community. Memorials to those who passed away, community gardens to feed the hungry, and the school garden celebrate community.
The Lord created people in His image as relational beings. We were designed to be in a relationship with Him and others. We are meant to be in community.
Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. Genesis 2:8
Occasional solitude is great, but people are designed to be interdependent. Being in community is where we find our fulfillment.
That sense of fulfillment is exemplified in the church. When we are in a relationship with the Lord, active in a Christian community and loving our neighbours (both Christian and non), we are the closest to being like Jesus.
We were made for fellowship and true fellowship can only happen between believers. We can have pleasant interactions with non-believers, and indeed we should. Yet true fellowship happens when people unified in the Holy Spirit gather.
The church functions best when we are gathered together, serving together, learning together and worshipping together.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:2-4
Are you an active participating member of a local church community? If you are, praise God for the gift of community. If not, find one and become involved today. You were meant for this.
There will be no Gleanings tomorrow or Tuesday. We will return on Wednesday.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
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