Stewardship of Creation Curriculum - Food and the Environment


FOOD AND THE ENVIRONMENT SESSION Jason Bense BASIC CONCEPT Food is a gift from God to nourish all living things. A meal is a sacramental act where we are transformed into Christ’s body in the world. A meal expresses our relationship with God and each other and reminds us of our relationship with the earth, which is the source of our food. Eating is an environmental act. As the creation is broken and resources are not shared equally, some struggle with hunger while others exploit the earth’s resources. The foods that we choose to eat shape our environment, and the foods are shaped by the environment. God’s redemption is for our health, nutrition and salvation. OBJECTIVES FOR THE SESSION By the end of the session, learners will have had the chance to: Understand hunger as a spiritual problem and articulate forces underlying world hunger. Reflect on their diet and food choices as they impact the environment. See the sacramental connection to the earth, food, and God’s redemption. BACKGROUND FOR THE TEACHER The teacher may want to become familiar with the food production in the local area. Are there farmers in the area? A community sponsored coop? A local farmer’s market? Also consider the international food that is in the local US supermarket: perhaps an orange grown in Brazil and a pepper grown in Chile. Learn about world hunger and how the local congregation is responding to world hunger. Reflect on the importance of food in the cycle of life and the sacramental nature of all food. Review websites on the topic of food and the environment to learn of contemporary facts and information on world hunger and nutrition. Some websites you may want to consider include: www.elca.org/hunger; www.pcusa.org/hunger; bread.org; worldhunger.org; or webofcreation.org. METHODS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING YOU WILL USE: This session will use experiential and discussion methods of teaching. PROCESS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING Gather As individuals gather, provide food or snacks in unequal distribution. You may want to use a written description for each seat. While some may have an abundance of grapes, others may have none. Allow participants to note the uneven distribution. Introduce the topic of food and the environment that the two are interconnected. Begin by offering a lectio divino reading of two Scriptures: Genesis 1:29-31 and Romans 8:22-27. If comfortable, have one participant read the scriptures . I nvite participants to explore thoughtful Bible reading by using the lectio divina, a method of praying with scripture, which has been used in the church for centuries. An excellent introduction to this method can be found at http://www.valyermo.com/ld-art.html. Consider using a text related to baptism to encourage participants to reflect on their identity as beloved by God. In lectio divino style, the text can be read several times allowing time for participants to name and reflect the words and phrases that stand out to them. Allow participants to close their eyes and reflect on the food God is giving them. Engage Arrange participants into triads or groups of 3-4 to discuss grapes and bread. How did it feel to have an uneven distribution of grapes and bread around the table? How does the uneven distribution of food reflect the world’s food supply? What do you know about the biology of bread and grapes used in Holy Communion? What concerns of the environment are shown in bread and grapes? As you gather the small triads back into the larger group, reflect as a whole on the environmental impact of bread and grapes. Rather than condemning food producers, consider how the proper care of the environment and environmental factors such as rain and sunshine affect the growing and production of grapes and bread. Share the reflections of each small group with the larger group. Respond Divide the class into three groups to reflect on one question written on a large sheet of paper: What are the local food buying options in your community that nurture the environment? Make two lists of food options that are convenient verses foods that sustain the environment. Convenient foods will likely be ones that involve much packaging and individually wrapped. Sustaining foods will be communal in nature and use the resources of the environment. Convenient/ “fast” foods produce much waste while sustainable foods produce only composes for soil. What are some practices ways in which we can respond to the crisis of world hunger? Bless Join in sing the hymn “God, Whose Farm is All Creation” (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 734). Close with a prayer of intercession. Invite participants to name areas and concerns of the earth affected by food production during the intercessory prayer. Have the group respond to each petition with a response such as “Giver of food, hear our prayer,” ROOM SET UP (The environment of the setting) Prepare a centerpiece where the class will gather that includes the congregation’s chalice and paten used in Holy Communion. Also place in the centerpiece place some food; you may want to consider also using some food for other creatures besides humans. Even moss, lichens, soil, and weeds serve as food for some life. If possible, delegate this task to a biologically minded person who can tell your group what eats the things in the centerpiece. Bring bread, butter, and grapes or juice to share. You will also need cups, napkins, and knives. If possible, consider sharing a meal together. RESOURCES (What you will need in order to teach the session and room set up) Write up the three questions in the “respond” section on butcher paper ahead of time. Also, locate the hymn “God, Whose Farm is All Creation” and provide copies of the music for all participants. Have bread, butter, grapes and/or juice distributed unevenly throughout the room ahead of time.

FOOD AND THE ENVIRONMENT SESSION
Jason Bense

BASIC CONCEPT
Food is a gift from God to nourish all living things. A meal is a sacramental act where we are transformed into Christ’s body in the world. A meal expresses our relationship with God and each other and reminds us of our relationship with the earth, which is the source of our food. Eating is an environmental act. As the creation is broken and resources are not shared equally, some struggle with hunger while others exploit the earth’s resources. The foods that we choose to eat shape our environment, and the foods are shaped by the environment. God’s redemption is for our health, nutrition and salvation.

OBJECTIVES FOR THE SESSION
By the end of the session, learners will have had the chance to:

Understand hunger as a spiritual problem and articulate forces underlying world hunger.
Reflect on their diet and food choices as they impact the environment.
See the sacramental connection to the earth, food, and God’s redemption.

BACKGROUND FOR THE TEACHER
The teacher may want to become familiar with the food production in the local area. Are there farmers in the area? A community sponsored coop? A local farmer’s market? Also consider the international food that is in the local US supermarket: perhaps an orange grown in Brazil and a pepper grown in Chile. Learn about world hunger and how the local congregation is responding to world hunger. Reflect on the importance of food in the cycle of life and the sacramental nature of all food.

Review websites on the topic of food and the environment to learn of contemporary facts and information on world hunger and nutrition. Some websites you may want to consider include: www.elca.org/hunger; www.pcusa.org/hunger; bread.org; worldhunger.org; or webofcreation.org.

METHODS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING YOU WILL USE: This session will use experiential and discussion methods of teaching.

PROCESS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
Gather
As individuals gather, provide food or snacks in unequal distribution. You may want to use a written description for each seat. While some may have an abundance of grapes, others may have none. Allow participants to note the uneven distribution.

Introduce the topic of food and the environment that the two are interconnected.

Begin by offering a lectio divino reading of two Scriptures: Genesis 1:29-31 and Romans 8:22-27. If comfortable, have one participant read the scriptures . I nvite participants to explore thoughtful Bible reading by using the lectio divina, a method of praying with scripture, which has been used in the church for centuries. An excellent introduction to this method can be found at http://www.valyermo.com/ld-art.html. Consider using a text related to baptism to encourage participants to reflect on their identity as beloved by God. In lectio divino style, the text can be read several times allowing time for participants to name and reflect the words and phrases that stand out to them. Allow participants to close their eyes and reflect on the food God is giving them.

Engage
Arrange participants into triads or groups of 3-4 to discuss grapes and bread.

How did it feel to have an uneven distribution of grapes and bread around the table?
How does the uneven distribution of food reflect the world’s food supply?
What do you know about the biology of bread and grapes used in Holy Communion?
What concerns of the environment are shown in bread and grapes?

As you gather the small triads back into the larger group, reflect as a whole on the environmental impact of bread and grapes. Rather than condemning food producers, consider how the proper care of the environment and environmental factors such as rain and sunshine affect the growing and production of grapes and bread. Share the reflections of each small group with the larger group.

Respond
Divide the class into three groups to reflect on one question written on a large sheet of paper:

What are the local food buying options in your community that nurture the environment?
Make two lists of food options that are convenient verses foods that sustain the environment. Convenient foods will likely be ones that involve much packaging and individually wrapped. Sustaining foods will be communal in nature and use the resources of the environment. Convenient/ “fast” foods produce much waste while sustainable foods produce only composes for soil.
What are some practices ways in which we can respond to the crisis of world hunger?

Bless
Join in sing the hymn “God, Whose Farm is All Creation” (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 734).

Close with a prayer of intercession. Invite participants to name areas and concerns of the earth affected by food production during the intercessory prayer. Have the group respond to each petition with a response such as “Giver of food, hear our prayer,”

ROOM SET UP (The environment of the setting)
Prepare a centerpiece where the class will gather that includes the congregation’s chalice and paten used in Holy Communion. Also place in the centerpiece place some food; you may want to consider also using some food for other creatures besides humans. Even moss, lichens, soil, and weeds serve as food for some life. If possible, delegate this task to a biologically minded person who can tell your group what eats the things in the centerpiece. Bring bread, butter, and grapes or juice to share. You will also need cups, napkins, and knives. If possible, consider sharing a meal together.

RESOURCES (What you will need in order to teach the session and room set up)
Write up the three questions in the “respond” section on butcher paper ahead of time.

Also, locate the hymn “God, Whose Farm is All Creation” and provide copies of the music for all participants.

Have bread, butter, grapes and/or juice distributed unevenly throughout the room ahead of time.