51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ

WBU's Creation Care Week

The week of April 15-19, 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ students and staff participated in the annual spring event, Creation Care Week. Creation Care, led by Professor of Biological Sciences Dr. Matthew Allen, is a campus-wide event dedicated to recognizing and caring for God’s creation in nature in the same way God does.

Over the course of the week, Dr. Allen hosted a series of events, including giving a ‘Tree Tales’ lecture at chapel Wednesday morning, a viewing of ‘Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story’ at the Mabee Regional Heritage Museum, and ‘Come Plant With Us!’ Thursday afternoon. Dr. Allen also sent out daily devotionals to the entire WBU student body and staff relating to Creation Care.

Dr. Allen’s ‘Tree Tales’ lecture was given to the entire 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ student body that is required to attend chapel each Wednesday, along with other students and staff who chose to attend to hear him speak. In his lecture, Allen discussed his reasoning for hosting Creation Care Week. “Caring for creation is caring for people as well…We are to protect and steward it.”

In ‘Tree Tales,’ Dr. Allen also discussed the types of trees on the 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ campus and their history, telling of their “tree tales.” He went on to explain that knowing the names of trees is important so that we can participate in the glory that creation gives to God, and that creation is a testimony that points to Jesus.

Wednesday evening, students and staff gathered at the Mabee Regional Heritage Museum for a viewing of ‘Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story,’ a documentary celebrating diverse wildlife that covers the state of Texas.

To top off the week, 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ students and staff gathered outside of the Harral to beautify its planter beds with mulch donated by Plainview’s Home Base to improve the appearance and productivity of the beds. Students and staff gathered around the planter beds, divided out the mulch, and got to work.

“It’s about celebrating it as an expression of God’s good work,” said Dr. Allen, “recognizing it as a testimony of who God is, and protecting and stewarding it, to the glory of God and as a service to others.”