Friday Harbor Church is starting a creation-nature center as an outreach ministry in the San Juan Islands.

"We want to expose the truth of God's loving creative power to people through an intellectually stimulating and interactive creation-nature center," said Bonnie Bowman, executive director of the new center.

As the center develops, it will have fossil and geological displays, a nature theater, a children's park and more.

The outreach ministry recently started out of a desire to reach the island community and tourists who come to enjoy the natural beauty and marine environment.

At this point, the creation-nature center is still under research and development. The plan is to create a scientifically credible center patterned after other creation centers across America, including the Institute of Creation Research in California; the $27 million Answers in Genesis Creation Museum in Ohio; and A Key Adventure in Florida, an Adventist-founded creation center which attracts 60,000 people a year.

"We're networking with our Adventist universities and establishing relationships with prominent creation scientists who are excited to see a ministry like this happen in the San Juan Islands," Bowman said. "We will rely on their expertise to advise us how to create a scientifically credible center."

Not only does the church want to reach the nature-loving tourists who visit the beautiful islands but they are thinking of ways to become a caring presence in their island community. Natural extension ministries from this creation center include taking care of the Earth through an environmental ministry, and our bodies through health ministry, both subjects Islanders are passionate about.

Want to partner with this growing ministry? There are many opportunities for you to contribute your expertise to the development of this creation-nature center. E-mail Bonnie Bowman at rbbowman1@msn.com to participate and to share ideas and contacts.