In Search of Steak by Rev. MargaretAnne Overstreet When I first began to change my eating habits, my goal was to make food choices that fostered greater health for my body and the planet, as well as to opt out (as much as possible) of the injustices of the industrial food system. Some of the choices were easy. Organic produce instead of conventionally-grown produce. Buying local food in season and freezing or canning extra to use at other times, instead... Read more

Love Your New Hampshire Red as Yourself by Rev. Trey Everett I’m not a vegetarian. I eat turkey at Thanksgiving, grilled burgers on the fourth of July, baked ginger salmon, steak medium rare, and lots of awesome fire-breathing Kung Pow Chicken my wife stir-fries like she was born with a wok in one hand and numbing peppercorn in the other.  I don’t have issues with farms or farmers, eating meat, or raising animals to feed people.  But I do have... Read more

“Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’  So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”  Genesis 1:26-27 “I never... Read more

It’s All About Control by Jodi McKnight, PhD My perception of food justice begins at the dinner table and ends in the mirror.  When it comes to an attitude about what goes into our bodies, women have been faced with food issues for many years, and from many different forms of influence. Our obsessions with looking beautiful and being thin have been promoted by media and marketing campaigns for a very long time.  But how do these perceptions develop and... Read more

The South Hayward Emergency Food Pantry by Rev. Jeff Hutcheson There is an amazing collaboration happening in the southeastern part of the Bay Area, in Hayward, California.  The interfaith organization known as the South Hayward Parish is working for justice by empowering the Hayward community.  One arm of that justice is the South Hayward Parish Emergency Food Pantry.   They serve approximately 300 people a day, 4 days a week.  They recently dispensed about 3 tons of produce in just... Read more

“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.” Psalm 24:1 “We may find in the long run that tinned food is a deadlier weapon than the machine-gun.” – George Orwell “Man seeks to change the foods available in nature to suit his tastes, thereby putting an end to the very essence of life contained in them.” – Sai Baba “To put the bounty and the health of our land,  our only commonwealth,... Read more

The Changing Face of Farming by Rev. MargaretAnne Overstreet I grew up at the very southern tip of Illinois. Farm-country. Specifically corn- and soybean-country. Though my family did not farm, I learned early that conversations about the weather were not small talk, but rather were commentary on the economic forecast of the livelihood of my friends and neighbors. I also learned early that these farmers did not grow food . . . at least not in the traditional sense. I... Read more

Food Justice Through Agroecology By Rev. Andrew Kang Bartlett Did you know that you practice agroecology when you buy a pint of organic blueberries grown by a nearby family farmer, or, when you pick up your share of produce for the week? You further promote agroecology when you plant an heirloom tomato seed. And, even when you collect water off your roof into a rain barrel, you’re participating in agroecology by joining with agroecological water harvesters around the world. This... Read more

The End of the Kingdom of this World Rev. Trey Everett, artist The image below is a Holy Doodle called The End of the Kingdom of this World. Each Holy Doodle is an image that came to mind from meditating on scripture passages, books, past events, conversations with friends and family, and from simply trying to be attentive to God in my everyday life. The artwork is designed to be thoughtful, introspective, searching, and challenging. My hope is that the... Read more

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”  Proverbs 22:6 “Feeding one another, and offering children a healthy path to grow in body and spirit, is an act of the greatest love and respect for humanity. Caring for the land is an act of the greatest love and respect for the planet that nourishes us.” – Alice Waters “If we are to teach real peace in this... Read more