Just Eating, with Children by Rev. Rebecca Barnes As a parent, I often feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle to help my kids to eat healthy food and to value the kind of food purchases that builds a more just food economy. They accompany me to the farmers’ market, but they aren’t as amazed as I am at the new life these markets bring to our community. They eat the vegetables that I put in front of them, but... Read more

Preparing Youth to Change the World by Andy Acton I will come with stories of Your great acts, my Lord, the Eternal. I will remind them of Your justice, only Yours. You have taught me since I was young, O God, and I still proclaim the wonderful things You have done. Now as I grow old and my hair turns gray, I ask that You not abandon me, O God. Allow me to share with the generation to come about Your power; Let me speak about... Read more

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 “Innovations that are guided by smallholder farmers, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and environment will be necessary to ensure food security in the future.” – Bill Gates “I tell my students, it’s not difficult to identify with somebody like yourself, somebody next door who looks like you. What’s more difficult is to identify with someone... Read more

Building a Barnyard by Rev. MargaretAnne Overstreet In the churches where I have served as pastor, one thing has been a consistent Advent tradition: the first week of Advent always begins with an empty stable. Regardless of where the nativity set is placed in the sanctuary, we always begin with the empty stable, anticipating all of those who will arrive there over the coming weeks. Last year, though, not only did we add the characters of the Advent and Christmas... Read more

Mutual Encouragement by Rev. Scott Keeble Samelton lives in southern Malawi.  He is a carpenter by trade, which means he occasionally gets hired to build a bench, a bed, a window frame for a neighbor. By and large, Samelton’s family survives on subsistence farming – eating what they are able to grow in their nearby garden. Throughout southern Malawi, life is lived on a razor thin margin.  The vast majority of residents (over 85%) live, like Samelton, on subsistence farming. ... Read more

Cup by Cup by Rev. Adam J. Copeland I’m a coffee addict. Every morning when I wake up, the prospect of my first cup of coffee is my primary concern. While my need for a coffee fix may feel greater than many people’s, I’m certainly not alone in my morning practice. According to a recent USA Today article, 83% of Americans drink coffee. In the U.S. alone, coffee makes up a $30 billion-a-year industry. I started my habit in early... Read more

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the... Read more

I Was Hungry and You Fed Me by Rev. Tim Green We live in a very small, very rural community.  The sign welcoming you to the largest town in our county reads “Population: 750.” (And I’m not entirely sure that number is up-to-date.) When I say we are “rural,” I mean that we are surrounded by farms and forests, and that the deer population outnumbers the human population. It is a 40 minute drive to a Walmart or a shopping... Read more

The Problem with Three Day Weekends by Rev. Rob Dyer Three day weekends are the worst.  On Tuesdays, when the kids return to school, many show up early, huddled at the school’s front door.  We can’t let them in until 7:45am or 8:00am.  I can’t remember the official school policy.  I just open the doors at 7:45am on those special Tuesdays.  I don’t care what the policy says. The kids know they aren’t supposed to run, but they sure know... Read more

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 “It’s easy for Americans to forget that the food they eat doesn’t magically appear on a supermarket shelf.” – Christopher Dodd “Shake the hand that feeds you.” – Michael Pollan “A country like America has twice as much food on its shop shelves and in its restaurants than is actually required to feed the American people . . . We, the... Read more