Weekend conference offers "God's Wild Side" at Merry Lea, Sept. 18-20

WOLF LAKE, Ind. – Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College will host a weekend conference titled, "At Home with God's Wild Side: Finding Our Place in Nature," Sept. 18-20, 2009.

What does it mean to call the earth our home? How does our faith shape our relationship with the natural world? How does the natural world enrich our understanding of God? These are a few questions participants will explore during the weekend through hiking, silence, discussion, worship and the arts.

"At Home with God's Wild Side," is Merry Lea's 2009 Autumn Hope Conference, an annual event that emphasizes hope in God's regenerative power rather than the despair people sometimes feel when considering the many threats the natural world faces.

This year's event will include more reflective time than previous conferences have. Participants will spend Saturday morning outdoors with trained naturalists, expanding their knowledge of local flora and fauna. The afternoon is an opportunity to interact with the natural world through a choice of photography, writing, prayer practices or acts of service, with a bit of coaching provided. Sunday morning culminates in a worship service with a message by Dave Miller, chair of the biology department at Goshen College. Luke Gascho, Merry Lea's executive director, will lead reflective sessions throughout the event.

The cost for the conference is $100, which includes meals. A limited amount of lodging is available on site for $20 per night per person. For a schedule and registration form, e-mail jenniferhs@goshen.edu or call (260) 799-5869. Call immediately if lodging is needed.

Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College is located south of Wolf Lake, Ind., midway between Goshen and Fort Wayne. The center is a 1,189-acre nature preserve offering environmental education for people of all ages. Offerings include school field trips, an Agroecology Summer Intensive, a graduate program in environmental education and a variety of public programs such as the Autumn Hope Conference. Merry Lea was created with the assistance of the Nature Conservancy and the generosity of Lee A. and Mary Jane Rieth. For more information on Merry Lea, visit www.goshen.edu/merrylea

– by Jennifer Schrock

Editors: For more information about this release or to arrange an interview, contact Jennifer Schrock at (260) 799-5869 or jenniferhs@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," "Making a Difference College Guide" and U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit www.goshen.edu.