beloved earth

the gift of water lenten practice

The Earth Care Team invites you into a 40-day journey of reflection and action focused on the gift of water. We will explore how our daily habits impact God’s creation and our neighbors downstream. In his 1963 "Letter from Birmingham City Jail," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote:


"We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."


In the arid West, this garment is woven from water. King’s vision of mutuality is a physical reality in a watershed: what happens upstream, pollution, consumption, or restoration, inevitably flows to those below. We are linked by the same water, the same soil, and the same air.


During Lent, we invite you to participate in a communal spiritual practice that expands our understanding of the Beloved Community to include the land and waters that sustain us. Each week, we introduce a new "flow" of conservation.  By Easter, our collective small shifts will flow together, reminding us that to love our neighbor is to protect the waters we share.  

the flow of mindfullness

week 1

This week, we begin our journey by bringing awareness to the moments we often overlook by bringing intentional awareness to our daily water usage through simple, concrete steps.  Pick one that is impactful to your routine.

  • If washing dishes by hand, fill the sink or a basin rather than letting the tap run continuously. If using a dishwasher, only run it when it is completely full.
  • Time your showers and aim to reduce the duration by at least two minutes.
  • Turn off the water while scrubbing your hands with soap.
  • Keep the tap closed during the entire duration of brushing your teeth, turning it on only for the final rinse.

The Earth might seem like it has abundant water, but in fact less than 1 percent is available for human use. The average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home. Roughly 70 percent of this use occurs indoors. 

the flow of hidden resources

week 2

This week, we shift our focus from the water we see to the "hidden water" required to sustain our lifestyles. By adjusting our diet, we dramatically reduce our environmental footprint.  Try practicing "Meatless Mondays." It takes approximately 1,800 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef. Choosing plant-based proteins significantly conserves the Earth's freshwater reserves. When we choose to consume less, we are not just "giving something up"; we are making a conscious decision to leave more for the "Beloved Community" of the future.

the flow of purity

week 3

This week, we look at the quality of the water that leaves our homes and enters the veins of our local ecosystem. Look under your kitchen or bathroom sink. Identify one cleaning product that contains harsh chemicals (such as bleach, ammonia, synthetic fragrances or microplastics). Replace that product with a natural, biodegradable alternative. A simple solution of vinegar and water, or a paste of baking soda, is often just as effective and far kinder to our local environment. See suggestions here.

By keeping toxins out of our drains, we directly protect the St. Vrain watershed, ensuring that the water flowing through our community remains hospitable to fish, birds, and downstream neighbors.  When we choose a natural cleaner, we are practicing a form of "ecological neighborliness." We are acknowledging that we live downstream from someone, and someone lives downstream from us.

the flow of stillness

week 4

This week is about stepping away from the rush to find a moment of calm. We’re heading to the water to simply "be" for a little while. Take a short trip to your favorite waters in Longmont; St. Vrain River, Lefthand Creek, Golden Ponds, McIntosh Lake, etc. Find a spot where you feel comfortable and can sit for about 10 minutes. You don't need a plan or a specific prayer, just put your phone away, watch the movement of the water, and let your mind settle. 

Start looking at what is actually around you. Look at the specific types of trees along the bank and notice the birds moving through the branches. If you stay still, you might see other animals emerge; try to view them as part of the local community you’re currently sharing.


the flow of simplicity

week 5

True simplicity isn't just about clearing out a closet; it’s about making mindful choices that lighten our impact on the world around us. Our challenge this week is practical and focused: Commit to avoiding all single-use plastic bottles, cups, and straws. This small shift in your daily routine is a tangible way to practice mindfulness and protect the waterways we all enjoy as plastic pollution is a major threat to the health of our oceans and local waters.

the flow of intercession

holy week

Before every meal this week, place an empty cup at the center of your table to represent the 2.2 billion people globally who lack safely managed drinking water.  Before you eat, pause for a moment of silence or use this prayer:

“O God, source of the living water, we thank you for the abundance in our glasses today. As we look upon this empty cup, we remember our siblings who thirst. We pray for the protection of their wells, the healing of their rivers, and the wisdom for our leaders to ensure that every child of God may drink deeply and safely. Amen.”

the beloved community and our shared watershed

As we participate in this practice, we remember that we live in an arid climate where water is a precious shared resource, a physical manifestation of what Dr. King called the "interrelated structure of reality." This reality is underscored by our heavy reliance on snowpack, as roughly 80% of Colorado's surface water originates from snowmelt. However, this vital source is under significant threat; over the last two decades, the Colorado River Basin has experienced its driest period in over 1,200 years. And higher temperatures cause our snow to melt earlier and evaporate faster, often disappearing into thirsty soil or thin air before it ever reaches the St. Vrain.


To build a Beloved Community in the St. Vrain Valley, we must expand our circle of concern to include all our neighbors. This includes not only the people living next door, but also the "wilder" neighbors who share this landscape: the cottonwoods that stabilize our banks, the fish in our streams, and the migratory birds that rely on our lakes and wetlands. Stewardship is an act of kinship, a commitment to ensure that the farmers who feed us, the ecosystems that sustain us, and the wildlife that enriches us all have enough to thrive.