Rejoicing in All Creation – November 15th, 2025
Seventeen of us gathered this month, just before the Thanksgiving season entered full swing, to spend an evening exploring the theme “Rejoicing in All Creation.” We were joined by Levi Houston Sanders, who helped guide us through a range of philosophical and religious perspectives on creation and stewardship drawn from cultures around the world, and who also offered a healing raga on sitar that set the tone for the night.
Opening the Conversation
We began with poetry from Wendell Berry, who reminds us that “In the loss of skill, we lose stewardship; in losing stewardship we lose fellowship; we become outcasts from the great neighborhood of Creation,” alongside reflections from artist and writer Makoto Fujimura, who writes that “to be effective messengers of hope we must trust our inner voice, our intuition that speaks into the vast wastelands of our time.”
Together, these voices invited us into reflection on renewal. From a Christian perspective shared during the gathering, this renewal was named as God’s ongoing work; an assurance that there is always the possibility of new creation.
Creation and Responsibility
As the conversation unfolded, we explored how different cultures and traditions have understood God, creation, responsibility, and spiritual fulfillment over time, and how we each encounter these themes in our own lives today.
A shared insight gradually emerged: beauty is not always something we make, but something we discover. This realization carried us into a conversation about the importance of truly visionary artistic work in a time so often shaped by distraction, slop, and excess. However, we understand the sacred; we agreed that creation does not depend on us, but it responds to us. When our creative work is thoughtful and attentive, it can deepen connection and nourish the communities we are part of.
Rejoicing as a Practice
Our attention then turned toward the idea of rejoicing itself. Someone offered that rejoicing can be like running or jogging; often difficult to begin, but deeply nourishing and meditative once it finds its rhythm. Rejoicing by noticing small things, or by naming the good we see in those around us, can draw us into a deeper connection with life.
This kind of presence, we noted, can help us move through writer’s block and other forms of creative stagnation. Discipline and routine were lifted up not as rigid demands, but as gentle structures that can help joy take root more deeply over time.
Listening and Care
We closed by reflecting on care. Lstening, we agreed, is an act of care in and of itself. Often, those we care about do not need solutions so much as they need to be heard. Once again, the importance of noticing surfaced—when we notice, we open the door to care.
At times, people may struggle to name what they are carrying. A friend or loved one who notices something amiss can help begin the healing process. In this way, creative work can also become an act of care when it gives voice to what needs attention societally through art, music, mentorship, or simple presence. We concluded by affirming the importance of extending community across cultures, listening deeply, and honoring the many ways people express meaning and belonging worldwide.
Closing the Evening
The evening came to a close with a collaborative performance by Levi Houston Sanders on sitar, joined by Ben Townsend who contributed synthesized drones and soundscapes, an offering that felt both grounding and expansive.
You can listen below, and we invite you to join us next month in North River Mills on December 20th at 6:30 PM, as we explore cyclical transformation in honor of the coming winter solstice.