Growing Together: St. Matthew’s ElderGarten

Just south of Lakeside Towers and west of the Southport Marina, a once-vacant piece of land in downtown Kenosha has been transformed into a place of growth, friendship, and community. The St. Matthew’s ElderGarten is a senior community garden with approximately 40 raised garden beds in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each year from May through October, the beds are available to gardeners age 55 and older for a nominal seasonal fee. Gardeners can grow flowers, vegetables, herbs, and whatever else brings a little beauty and nourishment to their corner of the garden.

The ElderGarten sits on more than an acre of land stretching from 3rd to 4th Avenues between 58th and 59th Streets. The property is owned by St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, and the garden is part of the church’s ongoing commitment to serving and connecting with our neighbors throughout the Kenosha community.

But the ElderGarten is about much more than gardening. It’s a place where people can get their hands in the soil, enjoy the outdoors, share gardening wisdom, and build friendships. A garden has a wonderful way of bringing people together—and the ElderGarten is no exception.

It is also a place for worship and spiritual reflection.

During the summer months, St. Matthew’s parishioners gather in the ElderGarten every Monday morning at 7:30 AM for Morning Prayer. Surrounded by growing plants, birdsong, fresh air, and the changing beauty of the season, we have the opportunity to begin the week by slowing down, listening for God, and giving thanks for the world around us. There is something especially fitting about praying in a garden. Scripture is filled with images of seeds, soil, vines, harvests, and new life. In the garden, those images aren’t just words on a page—we can see them, touch them, and watch them unfold. Morning Prayer in the ElderGarten offers a simple reminder that God’s presence is not confined to a church building. God meets us wherever we gather, wherever we pray, and wherever we make room to notice the beauty of creation.

Whether someone comes to tend a garden bed, share a conversation with a neighbor, or sit quietly for prayer, the ElderGarten offers space to pause and reconnect—with creation, with community, and with God.