BIRDWATCHING ON RETREAT?

Posted: 19.04.11 in Articles category

 Christian retreats are increasingly varied today with a growing number involving activities like painting or embroidery – activities which at first glance are not traditionally associated with silence, prayer and worship. Some of the more unusual are the Enjoying Birds as God’s creation retreats I run in Northumberland that combine reflective worship and biblical teaching with guided birdwatching Many of these weekends are based on Holy Island, a beautiful place on the north Northumberland coast where Celtic saints like Cuthbert made the link between worshipping the Creator and appreciating creation more than 1300 years ago! Even today the Eider duck is known locally as a cuddie duck after the saint who instructed his monks to protect it. The link for me is not unusual. As a process, birdwatching for me can seem like prayer. On occasion I can be mesmerized and lose track of time as I simply enjoy watching and being in the presence of a particular bird. All other thoughts are cast aside as I focus on watching and enjoy being with the bird. The ‘being’ is very important. There is no thought of the next task or a concern that I must move on to do something else. In a sense I am ‘lost’ in the experience and it takes some effort eventually to walk away.

 

More importantly, birdwatching becomes prayer for me on those occasions when words of thanks pass my lips. Often as I walk away I simply utter “Thank You Lord” and feel a sense of gratitude to God for creating such a wonderful creature. At that moment I marvel at the beauty and vitality of the bird I have just witnessed and spontaneously give thanks. Sometimes I recall the words of Jesus who taught that individual sparrows are loved by God and I remember His lesson that God loves each of us uniquely much more than we can know or understand. The sayings of Agur in Proverbs marvel at “the way of an eagle in the sky”. I too have marveled at eagles, as well as many other kinds of birds. Owls are among my favourites and I am lucky to live in a village with 4 species of owl breeding close by. Yet many rural people across the world dislike owls and fear them with superstition, associating them with destruction and death. People in ancient Israel shared these fears and there are various references throughout the Old Testament to owls living among the ruins of destroyed communities, for example in Psalm 102. Yet even these ‘unclean’ and feared birds honour God because He provides for them as the prophet Isaiah noted in chapter 43. That biblical image of a detested bird that God by contrast loves as part of His creation is one of the reasons why a Short Eared Owl features on our posters publicizing the retreats.

 

More than half the people coming on our retreats are women and their feedback suggests that this type of retreat is particularly appealing to women for a variety of spiritual, social and even psychological reasons. It seems that going on our retreats are an opportunity to draw closer to God in different ways, enjoy the peace and tranquility of a beautiful place, meet new people and share with them things that matter. To illustrate this point, have a look at some of the comments we received from women about a recent weekend run on Holy Island:

 The impact of being so close to the birds and their beauty was breathtaking and the experience will be unforgettable. Appreciating them as God’s creation on this isolated island brought me close to God and His love for each one of us.

 I feel like Bartimaeus, my eyes have really been opened in ways that they have never been before. I will always carry my binoculars in future!

 An opportunity to be with like minded people to discuss belief and faith – a refreshing change in a secular world.

 The weekend was a real blessing. Full of fun, learning about enjoying God’s creation. The company was good too. Good conversations along the way.

 The mix of outdoor activity, observation and chance for “spiritual things” is an excellent combination for this type of weekend

  

In an article entitled ‘The God of Little Things’ Ron Swan discusses the eighteenth century Anglican vicar, Gilbert White, who studied the wildlife around his village of Selbourne in Hampshire. Swan writes that for Reverend White  all forms life in his parish “were potentially vehicles of the divine grace, waiting to yield up their secret to those who could learn to ‘stand and stare receptively’ “. White learned that lesson from Christ himself who told his followers to look at birds like sparrows and ravens in order to understand that God provides for us and loves us beyond measure. 

 

If you too want to ‘stand and stare receptively’, consider a retreat where you combine prayer and worship with an activity that enriches your appreciation of God and creation. Let me therefore recommend an Enjoying birds as God’s creation weekend in Northumberland. Full details can be found on this website.

 

 

Mark Winter (NB. Article published in Woman Alive In September 2007)