Ohio church serves God, Community with small scale urban gardening

[keljonma]

This is a fantastic story - I wish there were more stories like this in the news. This one comes from Farm and Dairy

http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/oh...y-with-small-scale-urban-gardening/12476.html

 

[punkin]

Great story - I wish there were more Churches with stories like this. What a blessing to their community.

 

[FarmerChick]

Nice story!

 

[big brown horse]

It is very refreshing to see a church doing something outside the box. I hope it will inspire other churches to do the same. What a wonderful project, I am so impressed.

 

[Beekissed]

I tried so hard for our church to do this....they have the space and good soils. They acted like I was crazy! Said they all had their own gardens and no one would be interested in working it. I told them I would work it, if they provided the plowing and the plants. They didn't think too much of it.

They feel like Angel Food is a ministry and it would be if the church bought the food and distributed it for free. But they don't. They just let folks participate in getting foods at a wholesale price.....the folks are all people in the church who have the money to buy retail. :/ They don't seem to see that the people who need help do not buy those kinds of foods. They want staples.....potatoes, corn, beans, onions...something you can stretch a bit, not stick in the micro and nuke for one meal.

I think its much easier for them to write out a check and feel like you are doing a good deed than it is to actually put their time, blood, sweat and tears into serving their community.

Personally? I am much more receptive to help when I know that it wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to my plight, but a regular, thoughtful effort to help everyone and anyone. THAT is a ministry.

 

[big brown horse]

I tried so hard for our church to do this....they have the space and good soils. They acted like I was crazy! Said they all had their own gardens and no one would be interested in working it. I told them I would work it, if they provided the plowing and the plants. They didn't think too much of it.

They feel like Angel Food is a ministry and it would be if the church bought the food and distributed it for free. But they don't. They just let folks participate in getting foods at a wholesale price.....the folks are all people in the church who have the money to buy retail. :/ They don't seem to see that the people who need help do not buy those kinds of foods. They want staples.....potatoes, corn, beans, onions...something you can stretch a bit, not stick in the micro and nuke for one meal.

I think its much easier for them to write out a check and feel like you are doing a good deed than it is to actually put their time, blood, sweat and tears into serving their community.

Personally? I am much more receptive to help when I know that it wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to my plight, but a regular, thoughtful effort to help everyone and anyone. THAT is a ministry.

I think I might even go to church if I got to garden instead of sit still!

 

[BeccaOH]

I tried so hard for our church to do this....they have the space and good soils. They acted like I was crazy! Said they all had their own gardens and no one would be interested in working it. I told them I would work it, if they provided the plowing and the plants. They didn't think too much of it.

They feel like Angel Food is a ministry and it would be if the church bought the food and distributed it for free. But they don't. They just let folks participate in getting foods at a wholesale price.....the folks are all people in the church who have the money to buy retail. :/ They don't seem to see that the people who need help do not buy those kinds of foods. They want staples.....potatoes, corn, beans, onions...something you can stretch a bit, not stick in the micro and nuke for one meal.

I think its much easier for them to write out a check and feel like you are doing a good deed than it is to actually put their time, blood, sweat and tears into serving their community.

Personally? I am much more receptive to help when I know that it wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to my plight, but a regular, thoughtful effort to help everyone and anyone. THAT is a ministry.

Yes, too many churches are like Bee described and not enough like the one in the article. I'd like to see our church do more active projects that help people physically and spiritually, but many use the excuse that they are too old or too busy to start something new and innovative.:/

 

[Beekissed]

That's the excuse my preacher used about his people also! Yes, we have an older crowd who cannot bend and flex like they used to do...but they have kids and grandkids they can get involved, can't they? They can sit and phone around to other church's who may want to participate. They can sit at a table and core tomatoes or snap beans. They can organize, plan, encourage and even provide equipment (older people have the best tools!)

I think the problem is that its been a long time since they were poor or hungry, if they ever were. They have forgotten what it is like to really NEED food for your family.

 

[punkin]

I tried so hard for our church to do this....they have the space and good soils. They acted like I was crazy! Said they all had their own gardens and no one would be interested in working it. I told them I would work it, if they provided the plowing and the plants. They didn't think too much of it.

They feel like Angel Food is a ministry and it would be if the church bought the food and distributed it for free. But they don't. They just let folks participate in getting foods at a wholesale price.....the folks are all people in the church who have the money to buy retail. :/ They don't seem to see that the people who need help do not buy those kinds of foods. They want staples.....potatoes, corn, beans, onions...something you can stretch a bit, not stick in the micro and nuke for one meal.

I think its much easier for them to write out a check and feel like you are doing a good deed than it is to actually put their time, blood, sweat and tears into serving their community.

Personally? I am much more receptive to help when I know that it wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to my plight, but a regular, thoughtful effort to help everyone and anyone. THAT is a ministry.

I think I might even go to church if I got to garden instead of sit still!

And isn't there a saying or something along the lines of "One is closer to God in a garden"?

 

[keljonma]

I love that this church is working with at-risk youth - "helping these youth to discover their interest and talent in agriculture or food production, thereby encouraging them to pursue further education and a related career".

It was truly a Godsend that the nursery was up for sale as the new church was looking for property.