NCC wilderness resource offers renewal of faith;
New wilderness study guide available for churches 

Washington, February 13, 2007 – Jesus knew the value of retreating to God’s pristine wilderness to commune with the Creator. 

Now the National Council of Churches has issued a study guide encouraging others to follow Jesus’ example. 
 

Out of the Wilderness: Building Christian Faith and Keeping God’s Creation , encourages Christians to seek out wilderness and other quiet places to reconnect with God, renew and refresh themselves for ministry, and rediscover their role as caretakers of God’s creation. 

“Wilderness landscapes were central to the spiritual journeys of Moses, Jesus, and other biblical heroes, and wild lands continue to provide Christians a venue for peaceful reflection and reconnecting with God,” said the Rev. Bob Edgar, National Council of Churches general secretary. 

“In our busy lives today, we need to step back and reconnect with our spiritual roots. Wilderness and other natural places were often where Jesus and his disciples did just that, and such places increasingly require active protection.”  

The new study resource contains information and theological reflections on wilderness, sermon starters, a bulletin insert for a themed worship service, suggestions for adult and youth study activities, and ideas for personal and congregational action and service.  

Copies of Out of the Wilderness can be downloaded for free on NCC’s Eco-Justice Programs’ website, http://www.nccecojustice.org/wildbounce.html  ( additional resources addressing a range of environmental topics are available here, too), or copies can be obtained by contacting NCC Eco-Justice Programs, 110 Maryland Ave, Suite 108, Washington, DC 20002, info@nccecojustice.org . 

For up-to-date information about the National Council of Churches, see www.councilofchurches.org