In Defense of Food

Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, has written another book about the food we eat that will definitely linger in the mind of the reader, especially when one reaches for processed food. In Defense of Food is an account of the evolution and ramifications of the Western diet, which encourages one to return to the real, well-grown and unprocessed food for healthy eating. As Pollan says, ”Don’t get your fuel from the same place your car does.” By reporting how our culture has been immersed in “nutritionism” for the past thirty years and has become progressively sicker and fatter, he makes a good case for his basic conclusion- “eat food, not too much, mostly plants”.

Pollan further states that the habits that surround our eating seem to be very important to the health benefits of food. Eat meals and do so at the table instead of devouring snacks on the go. Eat slowly and not alone. The act of cooking is more than a task; it is a ritual that claims healthy eating as a way of life. Michael Pollan’s books have certainly influenced the choices we are making in our food consumption and I encourage others to consider his compelling case for good eating.

Zoe Ministry

Currently, three First Church members are in Kenya as missioners with Zoe Ministry. Internet has allowed some of us to feel a special connection with them as they have this extraordinary experience. I share some of their thoughts and encourage you to keep them in your prayers as they continue sharing God’s love in Africa.

Some reports from Jean Clemmons:
"…We visited the Maua Methodist Hospital today. The most depressing thing I have ever seen...though they are so proud to have the hospital. The nursery for the premature babies was just deplorable. Had homemade incubators that looked like what mamma and daddy used to hatch biddys. A box with a glass in door and an electric light underneath the the base to give warmth. I talked to a girl (I don't believe she was over 13) who just gave birth to a baby girl ...she was outside with blood on her clothes looking into the window of the nursery.We also toured the lab and patient areas. Had an area especially for treatment for HIV/Aids patients of which they have many. The conditions here are worse than I had ever imagined."

"…This morning we all had a mountain top experience with "Moses". He is a young boy (20 years of age) in the ZOE Ministry who has been in the program 1 year. He touched us all with him ambition and hard work. With the help of ZOE training getting him started with farming, he has a beautiful crop of kale, maize, 2,000 tomato plants, coffee bean trees, and a tea plantation. He sells his crops and re-invest into his farm to increase productivity. He supports and sends 2 siblings to school, and also shares his produce with neighbors who have less."

"…We built a house yesterday and today for an orphan with 5 siblings. She presently is living in a 8x6 hut built with branches and cardboard. One sibling sleeps with her. The others go to different neighbors houses to sleep. I get emotional everytime I look at what sweet little "Faith" (the 17 year old) is presently living in. It is horrible. We will have the dedication for the two houses ( 24ft. x 24ft. 2 bedroom) our team has built on Friday. When we arrived at the site this morning...Faith had done some landscaping after we left yesterday using rocks for borders."

Shannon Hussey says: "...This has been the most wonderful blessing God has given me. I don't plan to simply make a scrapbook of "my tour of misery." See you soon!"

Our friends are part of a larger mission team and one of its members has created a blog to record some of their experiences and reflections. This is well worth reading.

All of this, plus a long-standing interest in Africa and a challenge from Shannon, has left me wondering about what it is that I need to be doing to reach out to my brothers and sisters in this part of the world. In God's time, I will know.

Older Adult Ministry

Maybe it is because I am about to have another birthday, maybe it is because I have been occupied with aging parent issues or maybe it is because I am planning for our Snowbird and Seagull ministry, but I seem to be encountering some interesting articles about the graying of the church that have left me wondering. In our efforts to attract younger members, do we forget the fastest growing segment of our population? According to AARP, 41% of American adults are older than 50 and this number is increasing each year and it is well-documented that the average age of a United Methodist is 57.

We know that the older population cannot be uniformly defined and accommodated. It is popular to name three groupings of older adults as the go-gos, slow-gos and no-gos. Yet, do we really consider this in our planning for and nurturing of this segment of our community? It is much more than fellowship groups and large-print. It is no different than any other age group – know the needs and concerns and how individual gifts can be shared to create a nurturing ministry that promotes faithful discipleship. Somewhere along the way, we have given permission for too many of our older members to retire from the active status. We need them and they need us. It seems to me that we need to rethink much about what we call older adult ministry.

An Ohio Visit

I have just returned from visiting my parents in Ohio. My sister and brothers joined me to celebrate our mother's birthday. Lots of memories were shared as we helped our parents make some important decisions. As my sister says, "Aging is not for the faint of heart." It made us each realize the importance of family when difficult times prevail.

Newsweek

Recently, Newsweek made some radical changes in its format and content that left me wondering if I had lost an old friend. However, during the last few days I have had a good opportunity to spend time reading some of the current issues and have discovered a most interesting new friend. I do miss the shorter articles on a variety of subjects, but realize that I do and can read that kind of journalism on-line. What Newsweek now offers are more in-depth stories with a variety of respected voices reflecting on the subjects. Since I still find a special connection with the written word when I can hold it, dog-ear the pages and carry it with me, I find this quite appealing. Although the July 13 issue had a special report on the life and death of Michael Jackson, the "What to Read Now" focus was also included. It is interesting to note that this was the cover story for subscribers and Jackson was on the cover for newsstand readers. All of this seems to reflect another phase in the evolution of print media.

According to the editorial comment, the list of fifty books recommended in this particular issue of Newsweek are ones that “open a window on the times we live in, whether they deal directly with the issues of today or simply help us see ourselves in new and surprising ways.” Each one has a short explanation as to why one should read it in 2009. Some I have read, some are familiar, but too many I don’t know. Also included in this issue are an interesting roundtable discussion of writing books by those who do so and an article by David Gates about the pleasures of revisiting our favorite books. A listing of the top 100 books of all time can be found at Newsweek.com. All of this has left me hungry to find a comfortable, quiet place and do some serious reading.