Who We Are: Finding God in Nature

My first exposure to “up north” (as we called Muskoka and the surrounding areas where I grew up) was camping in Algonquin Park with my church youth group in Grade 9. I was immediately captured by the sparkling lakes, the crystal clear water, the rolling granite hills, the endless forests. I had always connected with God in nature, but there was something special about this area that felt like the Artist was showing off—making his Presence known in a powerful way.

I would guess I’m not the only one that feels this way about the place I now call home. I once read a book that suggested that God had particular redemptive purposes for different geographic areas. In my mind, it seems clear that he has designed Muskoka and the surrounding areas to be a place of refreshment and renewal, where worn out souls can retreat to meet with him and be restored. Of course, not everyone who comes here is consciously seeking God. There are many reasons people love “the north,” but I think underneath it all there is an indefinable, quasi-spiritual, “something” that keeps them coming back year after year. And I believe that “something” is actually a Someone—the God who created it all, and who is making his presence known to them because he desires an ongoing personal relationship with them.

From the beginning it was part of the vision of MCC to help people connect these dots. Beyond our mission to reach people in Muskoka with the Good News of Jesus, we also wanted to help the many cottagers and tourists who were drawn here by Creation realize that it is actually the Creator their hearts are longing for. We envisioned sending them back to their cities and towns with a fresh sense of God’s love for them, and helping them become part of churches there. 

Because of this, our very first services were held at Arrowhead Provincial Park, with some simple acoustic music in the outdoor amphitheatre followed by a spiritually-themed guided hike. Over the course of the next few summers “Church on the Trail” grew until we had to separate attendees into four different hikes (and eventually do away with this component altogether). We loved worshiping in that amphitheatre, with the sun shining through the trees, the cool breeze blowing—and the hordes of mosquitoes swarming all around (how many churches offer bug repellant for their guests?).

Eventually we moved these services to River Mill Park along in downtown Huntsville in an effort to be more accessible to our local community and more effective at reaching people who weren’t already Christians (we found that the vast majority of people who would attend a church service while camping were, in fact, church people). “Church in the Park” was a great success—attracting not only tourists and cottagers, but locals who could check things out from nearby apartments or the playground without having to actually “attend.” The atmosphere wasn’t quite as serene as the Arrowhead amphitheatre, but it combined two elements that were important to us: nature and community. And there were no bugs!

For a number of reasons it’s been a couple of years since we’ve done Church in the Park, but I hope we will continue to consider ways we can help people connect to their Creator through his creation—whether through outdoor services, spiritually-themed hikes and paddling trips, or other creative approaches. Every summer, people come to Muskoka seeking “something.” I am convinced that one of the reasons God has placed our church here is to help them find what they’re looking for.

Romans 1:20 - Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…