All the things that inspired us in creation care this year. We hope you may be inspired too!

By Zoe Matties, Manitoba Program Manager (with help from A Rocha staff)

Nov 1, 2025

Come, Have Breakfast – Elizabeth A. Johnson

I really enjoyed these meditations. Johnson provides solid theological reflection on everything from the problem of evil, to the nature of salvation, all while pointing to a loving God who creates, sustains, and redeems all of creation. It’s a great book to read slowly while sipping a warm tea in the morning.

• Zoe Matties, Manitoba Program Manager

“Come, have breakfast” is a bugle call of divine hospitality toward all people and all living creatures, revealing a passionate divine desire that all should be fed. Pulsing from the story is a call to the community of disciples of Jesus to act on behalf of nourishing others.
– Elizabeth Johnson, Come, Have Breakfast

Playground – Richard Powers

How do we tell our own stories? How does the ocean shape the world? Are the things that AI gives us real? How do we protect the things that matter to us?  Playground is classic Richard Powers—several stories twined together, an exploration of meaning, wit and wisdom paired with heartbreak, questions (and fewer answers) about what it means to be a human being. This book is about the ocean and AI and games and humans and love and life and death. Read it!

• Ellis Hamm, Environmental Education Coordinator

[On the topic of anthropomorphism] “What began, centuries ago, as a healthy safeguard against projection had become an insidious contributor to human exceptionalism, the belief that nothing else on Earth was like us in any way.”
– Richard Powers, Playground

I’ll Get Right On It: Poems on Working Life in the Climate Crisis – Eds. The Land and Labour Poetry Collective

This collection of poems share a range of feelings and experiences that many people have had through the climate crisis. I think this book’s greatest strength is its variety. You hear the impacts of climate change on people in all walks of life; the citizen scientist, the teacher, the farmer. And also how each person responds. The poetry invites the reader to gather their emotions with the poets, and then respond in the many and varied ways that we can.

• Graham Peters, Conservation Science Coordinator

“The poet, even in the heart of struggle or banality, connects us back to life—for in these conditions of scarcity we are hungry for life. Poetry brings us back to the framework of our bodies, the only real place we can build anything from. If we let them, verses can be both a balm and a compass for trying times.” – Anjali Appadurai, I’ll Get Right On It 

A Journal and Pencil

I know that a journal and a good pencil is not a new concept but when I think of what are some of the keystone ‘things’ that empower me to care for creation it really doesn’t get more simple and essential for me than a pencil and journal. This year, I’ve begun to periodically reengage simple sketching of trees and landscapes which I find relaxing as well as growing my sense of observation and curiosity.

• Scott Gerbrandt, Manitoba Director

Ologies – Ali Ward 

I love the Ologies podcast, each episode of which is 60-90 minutes of Alie Ward in conversation with an expert “-ologist” in their field. From volcanoes to revolutions to memory, Ologies dives into the stories and data that fuel the obsessions of these experts. A favourite episode of mine is the episode on Theoretical & Creative Ecology with Madhur Anand. Anand is a climate scientist, theoretical ecologist, author, and poet. She combines her love of systems, scientific projection, and storytelling in poems that touch on everything from her PhD research to her relationship with her mother. Anand and Ward make you want to jot poems down on napkins, develop a scientific study in a free moment, and learn to communicate better.

[Ologies does occasionally include strong language. For shorter, kid-friendly episodes, check out Smologies!]

• Ellis Hamm, Environmental Education Coordinator

“It was very heartening to find out that in fact, the world isn’t quite as divided as it appears to be, and people are not as divided as they appear to be. Once you start to [bring science and art together], you will realize that everybody wants to be a scientist, everybody wants to be a poet or artist. Both of these are very, just, fundamental aspects of humanity and I think that our society is pretending that they’re separate, but they’re actually not.”

Endlings – Bizarre Beasts

Recently I have been appreciating this new series by Bizarre Beasts on Endlings, the last living member of a species. The series asks questions about the permanence of extinction and humanity’s relationship to the species that have gone extinct. Check out the first episode on the Passenger Pigeon. You may be surprised to learn what actually caused this famous species’ end.

• Zoe Matties, Manitoba Program Manager

A Good Pair of Rain Pants

A friend of mine often quoted me the saying “There’s no bad weather, just bad clothing” on a camping trip this past summer.  That is why in my all weather cycling adventures I found my more recently purchased rain pants by MEC so very helpful.  On drizzly days, sometimes I can feel the pull of wanting to take the car; but knowing I have good rain pants that are easy to pull over and off my regular clothing sure helps me choose my bike!

• Scott Gerbrandt, Manitoba Director

Explanatorium of Nature – DK Smithsonian (the 2024 version)

One of the things that we always have at the ready during day camps and adventure days are a variety of books for kids to explore if they find themselves with nothing to do. The best one (in my and many of the kids’ minds) this year was the new 2024 version of DK Smithsonian’s The Explanatorium of Nature. Part way through the summer I brought it to a park and read it in the sunshine just for my own delight! The images are incredible (You HAVE to see the caterpillar on the “How Invertebrates Work” page), the facts are endless, and each new page brings some new, up-close look at something from the natural world around us that we have never thought to look at before.

• Ellis Hamm, Environmental Education Coordinator

Major Gifts for Small Nonprofits – Small Nonprofit Podcast

I have grown to appreciate the Small Nonprofit podcast as it has helped me think through some of the challenges of navigating the charitable philanthropic world. September 23rd ‘s episode “Major Gifts for Small Nonprofits” was a good and quick listen that had many helpful reminders of some essential principles of fundraising – which has help me greatly in my efforts to grow a community of people with the goal to care for the earth… give a listen even if you are not a fundraiser and give me a call – would love to know your thoughts

• Scott Gerbrandt, Manitoba Director

The Book of Belonging – Mariko Clark & Rachel Eleanor

We read this book together as a team for morning prayer throughout the better part of the year. Even though it is a book meant for children, it opened up many of the Bible’s stories for us in new and compelling ways. As the title suggests, it emphasizes belonging and belovedness, and encourages thoughtfulness and kindness.

• Zoe Matties, Manitoba Program Manager

“And then something lovely happened: It wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last, but it was as if the world around them split open. The swaying grasses and dancing clouds peeled back to show a glimpse of heaven: God’s world. Like a grin breaking open with joy, like a door creaking to reveal a room full of wonders. Light and love poured out, and somehow Jesus entered in.” – Mariko Clark, The Book of Belonging

Featured Photo by Gigi on Unsplash