Jane was a bit surprised to hear a pastor talk about evolution and not be yelling.


Dorothy unmuted her mic. “Guys… I think this has been really beneficial. Francis is right. None of us our enemies… I mean, goodness, we’re family!”


“God cares about people AND creation… He doesn’t choose between the two and we don’t get to either,” Francis added.


Rudy stroked his beard and stared into the screen for a while. Jane fidgeted, but felt the subtle bump of a paradigm shift.


Philip and Nancy asked, “Is this thing even on? Oh wait… here’s the button.” They put their microphone back on mute.


The rest of the gathering was more “normal”: Christmas bingo, digital white elephant exchange, some Christmas carols. Francis logged off an hour later, ready to settle in bed with a book and his dog Skip. He felt a sense of things being unfinished, however. He pulled out his phone and sent a message.


Jane’s phone let out a loud and clear “ding!” A glance told her Francis had just sent her a text. It read: “For the cre- ation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed ~ Romans 8:19 (NIV). You’re one of them!” Jane smiled. She texted back: “Thanks! And thank you for the kind words… you know, you want any help with that Sunday School stuff? I’ve got some ideas from my nature classes we could use.”


Rudy logged off and looked around his wood-paneled room. His introspection was suddenly interrupted with a burst of frenzied “caws” from the backyard. Out of habit, he grabbed his pellet gun. He hated crows… they just seemed so sinis- ter. He slid open his front screened window and took aim at the group of crows assembled under his walnut tree. As his finger wrapped around the trigger, he paused.


He watched as they strutted back and forth, pecking the fallen nuts, looking around, and cawing at one another. He noticed their size and their eyes… he thought they looked like they were really thinking about those walnuts! Rudy lowered his weapon.


Jared Goodykoontz loves connecting with all life around him: feathered, furred, scaled, little, big, green, human, etc. He is blessed to be able to help hundreds of families in cen- tral Ohio connect with their local nature every week through his Little Adventures, Big Connections nature program. He loves exploring the senses, tracking, bird language, and gardening with his school’s 2–6-year-olds. His main passion is fostering relationships — between him and his students, his students and their parents, and everyone with the plant and animal life around them. In addition to his weekly program, he has also written and illustrated three children’s books using bits of nature from around his own wooded property. He lives with his wife and two daughters in central Ohio, USA. Jared talked to us about how science and Chris- tianity have informed his life journey in Episode 4 of our new podcast, Talking with Green Teachers.


OUR BOOKS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE


Provide young people with opportunities to engage with hands-on, minds-on activities that allow them to explore the complex issue of climate change.


Each of our books contains 20 age-appropriate activities


that can be undertaken at home, in the classroom, and in the community.


Print: $14.95 eBook: $10.99


*Bulk prices are also available.


To order and for more information, visit us at greenteacher.com or please contact us at 1-888-804-1486 or info@greenteacher.com.


Green Teacher 126 Page 21


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52