Disciple: Plant and Reap

How two churches are using hands-on learning to teach children about food and family

By The Rev. John Gibson, Trish Stukbauer and Summerlee Walter

A parking lot is an unlikely place for a garden, but that is where the Vacation Bible School at Grace, Clayton, planted theirs in 2011. At the time the young congregation did not own property, so they made a hay bale garden on the asphalt in front of their rented worship space as part of the Abundant Life Garden Project from Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD). In addition to planting the garden, the children studied five lessons on water, seeds, soil, animals and harvest and donated their crop to a local food bank and their outreach funds to ERD. Thanks to improvements made by members Larry Dalton and Jack and Pat Bachelor, the annual spring ritual of planting, harvesting and donating has continued to grow.

On Pentecost Sunday, the children of Grace planted their newest batch of seeds - squash, pumpkins, watermelon, peas - as they continued to learn about Creation. One young member explained what would happen next in simple yet profound terms: “The seed will grow into two little leaves, then with water and sun it will keep growing and growing.” Perhaps more importantly, the garden has taught Grace’s children about sustainability, generosity and thankfulness for God’s bounty. The old saying goes, “Bloom where you are planted.” Grace’s children have shown that the abundant life of Christ can take root and bloom anywhere.

The children of La Escualita Bilingual Preschool at Holy Comforter, Charlotte, are connecting with food in a different way. They recently published a cookbook, “Recetas de Amor de la Abuela - Grandma’s Recipes of Love,” with a grant from the Arts & Science Council. The recipes in its pages are the traditional favorites of the preschool families, who went through the process of recalling their precious memories of cooking with loved ones in their native lands, gathered the recipes, and assembled them into the pages of the cookbook. The children provided the artwork and also planted a community garden, the harvest from which went to school families and clients of the church’s on-site Loaves & Fishes food pantry.

Copies of the cookbook are available for $10 each through Lauren Cavins ([email protected]), and all proceeds benefit the preschool. La Escuelita Bilingual Preschool serves three- and four-year-old, low-income Hispanic children with the goal of preparing them for success in kindergarten and beyond. For more information, visit laescuelitapreschool.com.

Reported by the Rev. John Gibson, Trish Stukbauer and Summerlee Walter