Merry Lea to host Sept. 19-21 conference about connections between faith and nature

GOSHEN, Ind. – Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College invites people of faith and seekers alike to its 2008 Autumn Hope Conference titled, "Beyond the Front Porch: Finding Our Place in Nature," from Friday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. to Sunday, Sept. 21 at noon.

This annual fall conference integrates fieldwork outdoors in Merry Lea's 1,189 acres of wetlands, woodlands and prairies with reflection, discussion and worship. Presenters emphasize the hope embedded in the natural world rather than the despair people sometimes feel when considering environmental damage.

"Beyond the Front Porch" will enable participants to claim their place in local ecosystems and to learn the birds, trees, wildflowers and insects of northern Indiana. "'Who is my neighbor?' is a question Jesus asked his followers to contemplate, and this is a great way to get to know the neighbors," said program coordinator Jennifer Halteman Schrock, who is handling the details of the conference.

Participants will also have the opportunity to explore the natural world through reflective disciplines such as poetry, nature photography or seed collecting.

"I come to these events for science education, but I think what I value most is the fact that the science is connected to a broader spirituality," said one of last year's attendees.

Goshen College Associate Professor of Biology Dave Miller, who recently retired after 20 years as Merry Lea's program director, will serve as the keynote speaker. Miller is an entomologist and avid nature photographer who says he feels more at home outdoors than anywhere else. Goshen College Professor of English and poet Ann Hostetler will offer a workshop experience and poetry reading. And Executive Director of Merry Lea Luke Gascho will facilitate discussions.

Through a partnership with Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind., attendees can earn one credit hour for a course based on Merry Lea's conference.

The cost of the conference is $100 per person or $30 for students, which includes meals from Friday evening through Sunday brunch. A limited amount of lodging is available in the student dorms at Merry Lea's Rieth Village for an additional $15/night. Camping is also an option ($5/night).

Registration forms are available at www.goshen.edu/merrylea/autumnhope and are due by Sept. 15. For more information, call (260) 799-5869.

Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center is a 1,189-acre nature center located in central Noble County and owned and operated by Goshen College. This natural sanctuary for northern Indiana's plants and animals provides environmental education for people of all ages and a setting to recreate opportunities that benefit the human body and spirit without exploiting the land. Merry Lea was created with the assistance of the Nature Conservancy and the generosity of Lee A. and Mary Jane Rieth. The preserve is located just south of Wolf Lake in central Noble County.

– 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.