“Just Eating? While this phrase could mean only eating, the word, just, also means ‘being honorable and
fair in one’s dealings.’ This play on
words captures a paradox that this curriculum addresses. Eating can be a mundane activity done with
little thought or reflection; or it can be an opportunity to thoughtfully live
out our faith and practice justice.” [Excerpted from Just Eating Leader’s
Guide]
Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at
the Table is a
seven-session curriculum for congregations that call us to integrate the commitments
and practices of our faith into the way we eat.
The study uses scripture, prayer and stories from the local and global
community 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
The
objectives of this curriculum are to:
- Bring
into dialog our day-to-day eating habits, the Christian faith, and the needs of
the broader world.
- Explore
faith practices which encourage healthful eating.
- Support
each other in taking personal and group action that reaches beyond this
seven-week curriculum.
The
curriculum comes with a Leader Guide and a book of Readings for Action and
Reflection. The Leader’s Guide is laid out in an easy-to-follow format. It includes suggested lesson plans, leader
resources and ideas for an optional meal that groups may want to share.
Participants
are invited to read in the Readings for Action and Reflection in between
sessions. The reading book includes five
days of readings for each session which bring together a scripture text, a
reflection on the text, and a contemporary reading. It also provides suggested Faith in Action
and Healthy Eating Tips and resources for exploring the topic further. The reading book can also be used as a
devotional guide on its own.
While
the Just Eating? curriculum was
designed for small groups of 6-12 people who have about one hour, it is meant
to be flexible so that congregations can use it in the way that is best for
them. For instance, the Leader Guide
includes tips for leading the sessions if you only have 45 minutes, if your
group is larger than twelve people, if you have five sessions instead of seven,
etc.
The Collegium invites and encourages all
conferences, associations and congregations to participate and engage in
dialogue and discussion during the Lenten Season using the Just Eating? curriculum.
The Just Eating ciriculum is a collaboration of Advocate Health Care – Congregational Health Partnerships, Church World Service - End Hunger Program, and Presbyterian Church (USA) – Food and Faith.
