Humankind was created as God's reflection: in the divine image God created them, God created humankind....

~Genesis 1:27 (Inclusive Bible translation)

Imago Dei – The Image of God

Grace Garden is such a gem of the Saint John's community that I wish we ALL could experience. Our youngest, Bryce, spent his 2 preschool years as a Frog and Caterpillar in the GG community. Sixteen years ago, my husband and I visited many churches before landing at Saint John's. Finding a space to raise your children takes work. However, we found the community in which we wanted to raise our children — a place that welcomes you where you are and for who you are without disregard (at that point, we were tired parents of a newborn). Grace Garden is just that for our youngest friends. It is a place that welcomes and empowers children for their sacred worth. Without doubt, this culture is tied to the very real practice that all humans are created in the Imago Dei, the image of God.  

Every day the gates are open to the very tangible reality of welcoming the Divine in the form of children. Every morning the students are welcomed by everyone knowing their name, songs, bubbles, and friends. They are loved for whomever they are. Because they are treated as the Imago Dei, they also learn of their intrinsic self worth. They collaborate, learn through play, learn through practice, learn through song, and learn through hands-on developmental experiences that who they are is enough. Each student is encouraged to not only see and treat themselves this way, but guided to treat the outside world in the same manner. What a joy it would be if our world could welcome one another with such wide open arms.  

Every day they grow; every day they learn; every day it is reinforced that they are loved for who they are and who they will become. Because of this Holy atmosphere, I now find myself as a teacher in this community, learning to open my arms wide, welcome with hugs, care with force, and love without regard. Each morning I welcome Caterpillars who will graduate with their wings as Butterflies. They will be able to do this because they are seen not only as individuals whom we welcome each day at the classroom door, but also for who God will watch them become.

Grace Garden is blessed with tireless teachers, welcoming hearts, a foundation of love, and a little bit of mud. We are grounded in our knowledge that we are created in the image of God.  And, with that, we are creating a community where God's love changes people and God's people change the world.