Tree of Life Forest Church

The Tree of Life Forest Church

The Tree of Life Forest Church in Wiesbaden sees itself as part of the Forest Church movement in German-speaking countries. We seek contact with the divine outside the walls of the churches, following the example of the Celtic Church in its modern interpretation of the Forest Church. The Lebensbaum Waldkirche is a network of people of all denominations and those who currently do not belong to any denomination or are close, and who want to relate to the divine in nature. We do not repeat the services that one would celebrate in a house, but seek the connection with nature, the plants, the animals and the landscape. We have described our idea of the Forest Church in the vision of the Tree of Life Forest Church. We are a green church and ecological responsibility determines our actions inside and outside the community.

Vision

The vision of our interdenominational network is to reconnect the church more closely with nature, following the example of the Celtic church. We regard nature and creation as the second holy scripture, in which God reveals himself, and we celebrate worship in nature and in the houses. We orientate ourselves on the idea of the Forest Church as a contemporary interpretation and concretization of the Celtic-Christian spirituality. We are a loosely organized group and avoid building hierarchies. We celebrate the seasonal festivals and also incorporate Celtic elements, such as the festivals of the Celtic annual cycle. We celebrate life and seek the sacred in the here and now. In the Tree of Life Forest Church, Christians of any denomination and non-Christians can become members and take part in church services and other celebrations even without formal membership. The Lebensbaum Waldkirche is not a denominational church.

Forest Church

"Forest Church" is the name for loosely gathered groups of like-minded people who are formally not assigned to any denomination. Participants will study the way God reveals himself in the natural world. Open and poetic language is used at the meetings to create a safe and welcoming space for people of all faiths, including non-believers, who are interested in spirituality in nature.

Each group has its own taste and range of events. The examples range from meditative hikes, workshops on natural history topics to more formalized rituals. In some groups, the rituals take on pagan forms that evolved from life in nature. In addition to the holy scriptures, the stories and myths of the country are celebrated and valued, thus allowing the forest church to find its center in its own country.

Many of the participants cannot connect to God within the walls of a church. The forest church recognizes this and therefore we meet and celebrate outdoors and relate to God as he reveals himself in nature.

We know that many of those who have left the Church have been mistreated by other Christians and given little space for spiritual development, but not because of the person of Christ. One aspect of the forest church is therefore to create a space for a renewed engagement with the person of Christ, free from strict dogmas, in the trust that God will enter into relationship with us through the Holy Spirit, whatever we call this spirit.

Our part in the Missio Dei ("The Mission of God") is relationship and respect: friendship without ulterior motives, openness and willingness to travel together as valued friends who learn from each other and who also honor the different paths we take and respect. We consider ourselves spiritual explorers in the Christian tradition and are creative in expressing our faith in the liturgy.

You can find out more about the Forest Church on the websitewww.forestchurch.co.uk.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be a church member or leave my old church in order to join the Lebensbaum Forest Church?
No, neither nor. The Lebensbaum Waldkirche is an ecumenical network. Each member decides for himself whether the Lebensbaum Forest Church is viewed as a church membership or membership in an ecumenical community.

Do I have to be a member to be able to take part in the events of the Lebensbaum Waldkirche?
No, our events are usually open to everyone.

Do I have to make a firm creed as a member?
No, the Lebensbaum Waldkirche seeks direct contact with the divine in nature without the detours of fixed creeds.

I am also interested in other religions and am active in them. Is that a problem for the Lebensbaum Waldkirche?
No, no problem, on the contrary. Experience in Eastern meditation, e.g. Zen or Yoga, can be brought into the forest church. Friends of modern Druidism usually already have the knowledge of the Celtic annual festivals and can also bring this to the Lebensbaum Forest Church. We often experience that people feel addressed by certain forms of spirituality and want to bring them into harmony with their Christian roots. We offer these people the ideal home. Religious tolerance and interreligious dialogue are very important to us.

How can I become a member of the Lebensbaum Forest Church?
Not at all, dhe membership in the Lebensbaum Forest Church is informal. You are welcome to use the contact form to be placed on a mailing list for future events.

Does the Lebensbaum Forest Church support me with typical life events such as birth, wedding, death?
Yes, we help them cope with life events, including the ceremonies associated with them.

What does membership in the Lebensbaum Forest Church cost me?
We do not have a fixed membership fee and do not levy any church tax. The groups on site organize and finance themselves. Everyone can contribute to the costs incurred on site at their own discretion. The conductors of ceremonies and liturgists do not receive a salary from the Lebensbaum Forest Church and can charge fees for hosting celebrations, e.g. for weddings and bereavement in order to make a living.

How can I found a group myself?
If you want to found an independent group, we recommend the Forest Church Movement Facebook group to join.

How can I work as a cleric or head of ceremonies myself?
As a leader of ceremonies, you can be commissioned by the Tree of Life Forest Church without further training if you have the personal requirements nong.

Which liturgy is used in the Tree of Life Forest Church?
Our outdoor events are very flexible and in some groups rituals are carried out that have Christian and pre-Christian roots, especially from the Celtic-Druidic culture. We do not give any binding specifications for the liturgy for classical church services.