Download Letter

Warm greetings and blessings to you in the name of our Risen Savior, Jesus the Christ.

The enthusiastic response to Mission: 1 provided clear evidence of the commitment of the United Church of Christ, coming together as ONE, to address the critical issues of food security in the U.S. and around the world.   Mission: 1 further demonstrated that UCC people are more aware than ever that food and food choices are a moral issue that impacts all of God’s children

In July 2011, the General Synod adopted a resolution entitled “Mindful and Faithful Eating.”  As implementer of the resolution, Justice and Witness ministries is offering UCC members ways to be involved. We invite and encourage congregations, associations, and conferences to engage in a Lenten study opportunity – Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table.

The Just Eating curriculum was developed by UCC affiliated Advocate Health Care in parntership with Church World Service, and the Presbyterian Hunger Program. It was funded by a Practicing Our Faith grant from the Valparaiso Project on the Formation and Education of People in Faith and the UCC Genesis Fund.

The curriculum calls for churches to integrate the commitments and practices of our faith into the way we eat.  The study uses scripture, prayer and stories from local and global communities to explore five key aspects of our relationship with food.
            * Food sharing as sacramental
            * The health of our bodies
            * The access others have to food
            * The health of the earth, which our food choices influence
            * The ways we use food to extend hospitality and enrich relationships

We have created a Hunger and Food Security Task Force that seeks to energize our concerns about these issues.  We hope you will provide feedback about the curriculum to the task force that will encourage initiatives at the local congregation level and changes in public policy.   If your congregation is interested in participating in the Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table Curriculum, please contact Barbara Baylor at baylorb@ucc.org.

Sincerely,