Synod of Alberta and the Territories

On May 3, 13 students from the University of Calgary’s Lutheran Campus Ministry and United Church Campus Ministry visited the family farm of Rev. Tim Wray near Irricana, Alberta.

Funded by an ELCIC Compassionate Justice Initiatives grant, the trip was to learn how Wray is using his farm for faith formation and to explore how farming can be a regenerative process for the Earth and for the soul.

“I came back to the farm as a sort of experiment, to see how ministry might develop through the interactions that a farm business affords,” says Wray. “Wearing a farmer’s hat and a clergy shirt has been a lot of fun and has brought many new challenges.”

Wray sees an economy of interconnected plants and animals as the cornerstone to growing healthier food. This is something that second-year University of Calgary student Jacob Dowling really appreciates. “As a young environmentalist, the way we get our food is one of the most important issues for me,” says Dowling. “In dealing with climate change, agriculture is the number one area that we have to work on in order to ensure our survival.”

Wray says, “I want to build an economy that can bring food production to the forefront of ecological regeneration. Our growing awareness of how all of life is connected resonates with my faith and calling.”

Wray’s work was inspirational to the students who visited, with many looking forward to a return visit in September. “Going to his farm and learning about the ecology that makes up the soil, the crops and the animals did more for my understandingand passion for agriculture than any classroom could,” said Dowling. “I consider myself blessed to have been able to share this experience with so many other passionate people who care about the environment and our place in it.”—Robert Massey