3 minute read
The Environment Ministry: Drawing Us Closer to God and the Liturgy with Vibrant Decor
Our churches are blessed to be surrounded by beautiful and vibrant local flora. The trees and flowers that fill the island are the fingerprints of our Creator. Darlene Walencewicz, who heads the Environment Ministry, honors the Lord by bringing the beauty of His creation into the church.
“When I first volunteered, I was under the impression that the Environment Ministry was just caring for the plants and decorating the church on certain occasions,” Darlene says. “This was not so! Being in this ministry opened up a whole new world of Church learning and creativity.”
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Darlene knew that the local trees and flowers held great potential to beautify the church, but she had a lot of learning to do when she first came into the ministry. As she began to study church teaching, she learned why using real, local plants contribute so much to the liturgy.
“As Catholics, we are blessed with deep traditions and symbolism taken from the Bible,” Darlene says. “I learned the meaning and symbolism of living plants and plant cuttings.”
A powerful example is the small purple orchid at Ascension Mission. This orchid comes from the past Lenten season. The original bloom died, but the orchid bloomed again in time for Advent.
Darlene does most of the arrangements herself, in the work sacristy at Annunciation Church, but she has many parishioners who bring her plant cuttings from their own gardens for her arrangements. Darlene is working with Fr. Tony and Toni McPeek (Saturday Work Group Coordinator) on starting a garden at Annunciation Church to grow flowers with which the church can be decorated.
Darlene attends both Annunciation Church and Ascension Mission and she has come to understand the nuanced differences between the two churches and their locations.
“Puako is a lot drier,” Darlene says. “They have more eucalyptus and silver dollars.”
At Fr. Tony’s request, Darlene will make a small grotto by the Puako house next to Ascension Church; and she plans to plant some cacti there.
As Christmas approaches, we often have certain expectations about the decorations. Pine wreaths are traditional and Darlene has found ways to combine the native plants with the traditional pine and cypress.
“At Annunciation Church, we have two huge magnolia trees,” she says. “I’ve cut down a couple of the branches and plan to make a magnolia garland and incorporate the local plants. I’ve been hunting around looking for different plants that we can also use for Christmas.”
The children in Darlene’s class have been learning about the Jesse Tree and as they study the Scriptures, they create little lanterns to hang on the tree. The Jesse Tree is made from stumps from both Annunciation and Ascension. It will be displayed at the back of Annunciation Church at Christmas and the children are so excited to show what they have created together.
Darlene is always looking for volunteers to help decorate both churches. She loves to share what she has learned about the Church’s traditions and she always welcomes another creative eye or pair of hands. Children are welcome to help as well!
