When Dana decided to lead a Tend group, she wasn’t trying to launch a big program or draw a crowd. What she wanted was much simpler.
“Tend group experience was wonderful,” she said. For Dana, Tend offered a chance to build meaningful relationships within her church and to create space for something often missing from church life: time to pause, reflect, and reconnect with God’s care for Creation.
She imagined a place where people could slow down together—where faith, creation, and everyday life could meet. A place where people might discover something new about God, themselves, and one another.
Small Group, Deep Impact
Dana’s group never grew large. On most weeks, it ranged from four to eight people. Some nights included toddlers. Some included church members decades older than Dana herself.
“We were probably a little different than the typical Tend group because we were tiny,” she said.
At times, that felt discouraging. When asked to commit for 10 weeks, many families with young kids hesitated. Her own children were sometimes restless or distracting. Dana also felt the tension of leading well, wondering if she was relying too heavily on the script instead of speaking from the heart.
But over time, Dana began to see that the small size wasn’t a weakness. It provided the right space for something deeper to grow.
Instead of worrying about who wasn’t there, she focused on honoring the people who did show up.
A Judgment-Free Space to Wonder
One of the most powerful moments came when a participant with mobility challenges shared how he connects with creation. As he walks, he touches the trees and speaks words of blessing.
“That really stuck with me,” Dana said.
Dana made space for people to share deeply personal experiences of creation. For some, this was the first time their love for creation felt welcome in a faith setting.
“I almost felt like I was the only one who cared about this,” Dana admitted. “But in our Tend group, it felt like we found more allies.”
That sense of finding allies became quietly transformative. People who had felt alone in their concern for creation discovered they weren’t alone after all.
Low Barriers, Real Encounters
Dana credits much of that openness to the Tend curriculum itself.
“I really appreciated the curriculum,” she said. “It’s just really well done.”
With only 15–30 minutes of preparation each week, Dana could focus less on performance and more on presence. The script gave her confidence. Instrumental music during reflection created a gentle, welcoming atmosphere. And the Earthcare Activities—like walking or simple observation—offered a low-bar invitation.
“You can get people who just want to walk,” she said.
For some participants, those simple practices were an entry point into something much bigger: conversations about hope, grief, responsibility, and God’s heart for the world.
In weeks when personal stressors or current events felt overwhelming, Dana’s group became a place to breathe again. By sharing stories of local action and global momentum, discouragement softened into resolve and sometimes even joy.
Seeds for the Future
By the end of the group, something had clearly taken root. Relationships were stronger. Trust had grown. People felt encouraged to keep going—to meet again, to take action together, to imagine what God might do next.
Dana herself was already dreaming about what they could do next time: weekday gatherings, gardening projects, and more intentional ways to include neighbors and youth.
What started as a small, imperfect group became a space of connection.
Not flashy. Not loud. But faithful.
