We offer a collection of resources and actions that faith communities can explore that will heighten awareness of the sacred story of food and help refresh and reinforce the gratitude we feel for the bountiful yet fragile creation that sustains us.
Actions your faith community can take:
- Create climate friendly congregational foodscapes. Check out the National IPL Cool Harvest kits and guides.
- Create a community garden bed and make the climate connection. By making a simple sign stating “This Garden Makes the Climate Connection,” you can inspire meaningful conversation about the connections between climate and food.
- Borrow a copy of Nourish or Dirt from the NCIPL Lending Library and show it.
- Download a copy of:
Eating Well for Yourself, Your Neighbor and the Planet – a multi-age study guide by the North Carolina Council of Churches
10 Principles of Earth Friendly, Healthy Eating by Dr. Kathy Shea
Greenhouse Gases and Food Facts: Things you should know
Starter Ideas for Congregational Eating
- Invite us to give a program by contacting info@ncipl.org. See an example of a recent talk on Sacred Foodscapes given by Dr. Shea.
- Have your congregation join a CSA — Community Supported Agriculture. This is a way to support local farmers and stay tuned into the climate, weather, rains and challenges of your local foodscape. You will probably meet some new foods, too.
- Buy local at a farmers market close to your house of worship. Have coffee hour snacks be fresh and local instead of from a box off the grocery store shelf.
- Consider Meatless Monday as an experiment with your congregation. This is sponsored by John’s Hopkins School of Public Health as a healthy way to start the week — and is also a good thing for the environment and the climate.
Check out these resources and other possible actions:
- Explore what other congregations are doing by reading in-state success stories (scroll below the map and click on the Food tab for a list of congregations linked to success stories).
- Share your questions and ideas on our climate forum!
- Consider serving on our Food Working Group.
- Check out complementary food programs.
- Browse our abundant food resources.
- Advocate for healthy food for a healthy planet at the state and federal level. Check out our Advocacy Toolkit.
- Participate in our current Putting Faith in Action Campaign.
