Imagine gathering with friends around a campfire, holding a cup of hot chocolate while the fire crackles in front of you. There’s something about sitting around a fire that changes the way we relate to one another. The focus shifts away from ourselves and toward community. People slow down. Sitting side-by-side instead of face-to-face somehow makes sharing easier. Stories, games, laughter, and meaningful conversations seem to come naturally. A Different Kind of Gathering One of my favorite images in Scripture is found after Jesus’ resurrection, when He cooks breakfast for His disciples by the fire on the shore. The simplicity of that moment has always stayed with me. Jesus didn’t just teach in synagogues or from mountaintops. He also gathered people around meals, around ordinary moments, and around shared experiences. What if creating space for spiritual conversations could be that simple? The Outdoors Don’t Have to Be Extreme When we think about outdoor Fresh Expressions, it’s easy to imagine epic hikes, mountain adventures, or long-distance runs. While those can absolutely become meaningful spaces for connection and discipleship, outdoor Fresh Expressions can also be much simpler. Sometimes they can look like a backyard fire pit. I live in a parsonage, and we have a fire pit built from stones taken from a house on our property that was lost in a fire decades ago. There’s something powerful about gathering people around those stones now sharing with one another in a place that once experienced loss by becoming a place of hospitality, storytelling, and connection. A campfire feels accessible in a way that an epic outdoor adventure may not. It doesn’t require expensive gear, advanced skills, or being highly athletic. Almost anyone can gather around a fire, and yet those gatherings can become deeply meaningful spaces for connection, belonging, and spiritual curiosity. I’ve been to campfires with potlucks. I’ve cooked meals over the fire and baked sourdough bread in the coals. I’ve played ridiculous games around campfires with friends. I’ve shared campfires with strangers while camping and shared them with lifelong friends late into the night. I’ve watched bears wander by in the distance. I’ve sat beside the fire with my husband, talking for hours about what God is doing in our lives and communities. Again and again, I’ve seen how the outdoors create space for deeper conversations. Sometimes Mission Starts Small That’s really what the Outdoor Incubator is about. It’s not about creating extreme outdoor experiences or becoming an expert adventurer. It’s about helping leaders discover simple, meaningful ways to use the outdoors to connect with people in their communities. It’s about creating spaces where people who are curious about faith can encounter authentic community and begin exploring what a relationship with Jesus might look like. Sometimes mission starts with something as simple as lighting a fire, pulling up a chair, and making space for conversation.

On the waters of Northwestern Pennsylvania , the steady rhythm of paddles cuts through the quiet—conversation drifting between kayaks, laughter echoing across the surface, and the beauty of creation all around. It doesn’t look like church. But it is. Here’s a quick look at what it is, how it works, and why it matters. What It Is Sacred Streams Kayaking is a Fresh Expression of church led by Jeff St. Clair, pastor of Saegertown United Methodist Church in Northwestern Pennsylvania. What began in Florida as a simple way to meet people on the water has continued in a new context—proving that a relational, outdoor expression of church can take root wherever people are. Today, it brings together church members and neighbors for kayaking, conversation, and simple spiritual practices. How It Works Participants gather for a kayaking trip, beginning with a brief time of prayer, scripture, and reflection before launching onto the water. As they paddle, conversations unfold naturally—creating space for relationships to deepen and faith to be explored in an unhurried, relational way. Open invitations are shared through social media and word of mouth, and partnerships with local outfitters help keep the experience accessible. Why It Matters Sacred Streams Kayaking reaches people who may never step inside a church building but are open to connection, community, and spiritual conversation. By meeting people in a place they already love—the water—it removes barriers and creates space for authentic relationships and encounters with God. It also offers a compelling reminder to other leaders: what starts as a small, context-specific idea can be reimagined and lived out in new places—wherever God leads. This snapshot was developed through thoughtful research using publicly available sources, including websites, news articles, community updates and a brief conversation with the pioneer.