Re: [pf] where I am coming from

by Jill Taylor Bussiere

20 December 2000 14:04 UTC

Priscilla,
    I too have found that sometimes one must go slowly in order to make
progress on certain goals.  I have learned it, but can't always make myself
do it yet.

    Are there any CSA gardens around?  Perhaps you could bring the church
and agriculture together that way - the growing food part would already be
set up, and church members could fit into it - working on a certain day, or
working in exchange for produce for a food pantry, or in other ways.
    Christmas time too - if you could connect with a farm - my friend has an
alpaca, and they always take their alpaca at Christmas time.  Another year,
at a church in Green Bay, several of us took animals to the church hall part
of a church as part of The Heifer Project.  We also took samples of the
things that the animals produce.  For instance, I took my goats, some ducks,
and some goat cheese.  People saw a video about the Heifer Project, and
walked around looking at the animals, and the displays on each animal.  It
was pretty cool!
    Or perhaps one of the Sunday School classes could study an aspect of
farming - farming practices to help the earth - or somesuch, and draw the
whole congregation in.....

                            Jill

----- Original Message -----
From: <prichter1@aol.com>
To: <positive-futures@igc.topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2000 7:53 AM
Subject: Re: [pf] where I am coming from


> In a message dated 12/19/00 11:02:24 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> bbarnum@wavetech.net writes:
>
> > I hope your congregation decides to do the community garden.
>
> Me, too, Betsy, but I understand that there has been some recent conflict
> over this, causing a couple of people to leave the congregation. After the
> holidays I'm making it a priority to really understand the issues, but I
> think it's because some want to have a "nature preserve" to walk around
in.
> Now, we only have a few acres, much of which is already developed (parking
> and building -- not even a playground for kids).
>
> Those who want the garden have left, so I need to understand their issues
> better.  The church is in an unincorporated part of the area and there are
> not too terribly many neighbors, but I would like to see us develop more
> linkages. Since people in the congregation seem to be fairly self
absorbed, I
> am working first on changing attitudes and helping people to see
themselves
> linked to the larger community. This church has become a sanctuary *away
> from* rather than a bridge to the larger community.  This will be a very
> large piece of my work here, but they knew that about me when they brought
me
> in.
>
> Betsy, what you wrote yesterday about your interfaith efforts are
inspiring
> me. I think that Minnesota in general is way ahead of "groupthink" in this
> area, but we are ripe. This is a beautiful area that is largely rural and
> populated with many small farms. A large Amish population is part of our
> county. My congregants are mostly university faculty, who live so
estranged
> from other parts of the universe (other than the universe-ity). My work is
> cut out, but you all are inspiring me.
>
> One of the things that I'm doing is making my own community linkages --
this
> is a slow process, as I am an introvert and not terribly gregarious.  I'm
> hoping that my linkages will bring some like-minded folks to the church if
> not as members at least as resource people.
>
> The work of change sometimes has to go slowly or those of us who are
change
> agents find ourselves on the outside. This seems particularly true of
> churches, which absorb a lot of cultural change and be places where people
> bring their fears. Fear causes people to act out. Tradition also plays a
role
> here, but this is another subject. I moved too fast in my first church,
> causing me to have a very rocky tenure there.
>
> Thanks for your encouragement and challenge, pf-er's.  You make a
tremendous
> difference in my life.
>
> Blessings, Priscilla
>
> Blessings, Priscilla