The place was blooming. Seedlings, earth, and laughter played some ancient rhythm together. It was like a paradise where time slowed and work didn’t look like work. Truth be told, a lot of people did a lot of work to get to this moment — and that’s how it seems to go. Meetings about site plans evolve into budgets, budgets translate to materials, and materials are placed with willing hands — relationships powering the whole thing.

The garden at Sacred Settlement Prince of Peace has a traditional in-ground plot alongside some purchased raised beds. And next to those are something quite unique: custom, chest-high, circular beds designed by Larry Ball — a dedicated volunteer at Settled. The idea was to use affordable materials that bring the plants nice and high, reducing back strain for the gardener and reducing the number of weed seeds that float in.

There was a lot of upfront work though. Using hardware cloth, plastic sheets, and stucco Larry and nine volunteers spent a couple days building the enclosures which were then filled with soil and topped off with several inches of mulch. The mulch serves a dual purpose as a mini compost pile for old plants and a protective barrier against weeds.

All of this culminated with a transcendent day of planting and fine-tuning that will be remembered for a long time. It was an amazing collaboration between Prince of Peace Lutheran members, Settled volunteers, and Sacred Settlement neighbors, everyone lending their time and talents to give the garden a fresh start.

Somewhere in there is a metaphor for what happens at Sacred Settlements. These are communities that elevate the opportunity for every person to grow. It takes a great deal of effort, without a doubt. And different people are going to grow in different ways, but the place itself is there now, ready to cultivate.

If your church does not yet have a Sacred Settlement but is interested in starting one or learning more about the process, we would be happy to speak with you.

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