Garden Update: New Ministry Formed!

Whole oats have been planted as a Fall & Winter ground cover.

Last Sunday, on September 11th, 2010, FCC's Board of directors voted to form a new church ministry which has grown out of our Community Garden. And we thought we were just planting vegetables and flowers!

The new ministry is called the Community Development Ministry (CDM) and was formed for the purpose of assuring that FCC is contributing to our Mission of "Building a Community of Hope". The church garden was viewed as the logical starting point for the new ministry because it contributes to the beautification of our church and community, is a small, practical sign of our commitment to stewardship, provides support for Loaves & Fishes, and has placed FCC in a leadership role in promoting sustainable agriculture and sustainable communities. These are all "community development" outcomes and ones we hope to replicate next year.

Beyond an expansion of the garden in 2011, we're not sure what the new CDM will do. There are two steps that have to be taken before we know more. First, we'll have to develop a Ministry Budget (all church ministries develop individual budgets that get combined to form our Annual Budget) that informs us what the CDM will cost and, second; we need to talk to all our members to find out what they feel are the right community development activities for FCC to take on. Once we take those two steps we'll have a road map for the journey ahead.

Many gardeners and farmers put down a cover crop, as we have with the oats above, to replenish the soil after the summer's harvest. Cover crops also keep weeds down, keep soil from blowing away, and retain moisture. In the Spring, we pull the oat straw aside and replant the rows with vegetables and flowers.

Laying down a cover crop is a good metaphor for what we need to do with the CDM. As gardeners, and as a congregation, we are preparing for a rich and productive future by doing "the ground work" now. To find out more about the CDM, and how you can contribute, please talk to our Pastors, John and Judy Turner.