Stewardship on the Land

On May 9, participants gathered at New Moon Community Homestead for a day of On-the-Land Learning focused on creation care, stewardship, and Indigenous teachings shared through hands-on experiences.

The gathering invited participants to step away from classrooms and meeting spaces and instead learn through farming, conversation, and community. Throughout the day, participants toured the New Moon homestead and learned about the interconnected systems that sustain the farm, including the relationships between animals, compost, food production, and care for the land.

The event was hosted by Dr. Kenny Wallace, an African American Choctaw-Pawnee worship leader and educator based in Canada. He serves with the Canadian Indigenous Ministry Committee and works in Indigenous and multiethnic Christian worship contexts.

“Each of us has been appointed to various lands to have stewardship over and appointed boundaries, so it is important to learn from the ones whose land we are on,” he said. “They have a special connection that all of us can learn from. Being on the land and learning from its caretakers reveals an aspect of Creator God that we wouldn’t have otherwise.”

The event included practical activities such as washing wool, cleaning a sheep barn, and sharing a meal prepared with ingredients from the farm. Participants also gathered around a campfire for conversation and reflection on faith, stewardship, and the Creator’s presence in creation.

To complete the day, participants engaged in the Standing Stones Ceremony, a liturgy of thanksgiving and communion using Indigenous practices and stories that demonstrated a contextualized way of being the body of Christ.

On-the-Land Learning is an immersive learning initiative that creates opportunities for participants to learn with Indigenous leaders and communities through place-based experiences. The gatherings are designed to encourage meaningful relationships, deepen understanding, and help participants engage in reconciliation in tangible ways.

Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot said the experience gave language to something she has felt for a long time. “If you’re a gardener or a farmer like I am, you already recognize there’s a spiritual element to growing things, caring for things, and being a steward of things,” she said. “To make that connection—to see the Creator at work and to become better stewards—I think this is a great place to come and experience that.”

Participants spent much of the day exploring how seemingly small parts of the farm worked together to create a healthy and sustainable system. Through conversations, prayer, and shared work, attendees reflected on the connections between land, food, animals, and faith.

Ruth Ann Schuringa, worship director at Mountainview CRC of Grimsby, Ont., and a Hearts Exchanged alumna who will soon be part of a Community of Practice, said the gathering expanded her understanding of how interconnected creation can be.

“It’s been really great hands-on learning to witness how a small piece of land can be so interconnected,” she said. “The animals, the compost, and even what we’re eating for lunch are all connected. I think it expands our view of what’s possible in terms of our food and our connection to animals and land.”

Additional On-the-Land Learning gatherings are planned throughout the year, including an event in Six Nations in Ohsweken, Ont., on May 23; a gathering in London, Ont., on June 27; and a future event planned for Langley, B.C., in September.

Interested in learning more? Check out this video recapping the On-the-Land Learning experience.