Last summer Cross Roads installed its first Good News Garden, and this year calls upon individuals, churches, and groups throughout the region to envision a larger agrarian effort to address food security and to serve and celebrate Creation Care.
The mission of the Good News Gardens movement is to partner with people in transformational agrarian ministry that feeds body, mind, and spirit. Good News Gardens is a church-wide movement of individuals, congregations, schools, colleges, seminaries, monasteries, camps and conference centers involved in a variety of food and creation care ministries – gardening, farming, beekeeping, composting, gleaning, feeding, and food justice advocacy. Collectively Good News Gardens share their abundance, their prayers, and the Way of Love in their communities and beyond.
This past season campers benefited from exploring and caring for the garden, and the Prison Ministry Kids group used the garden as one of its A Day At Camp stations.
Part of the expanded Cross Roads Good News Gardens mission is to include a broader garden curriculum at camp this year.
Cross Roads also plans to expand the existing eight-bed test garden to a larger program and needs the support of volunteers and groups to expand our Agrarian & Food Security programs. Types of support can be volunteer builders, gardeners, harvesters, and food bank delivery support. The commitment can be on-going throughout the season or a one-time commitment. A planning session is anticipated at the beginning of April. Those interested in learning about the program or want to plan and join can contact Julie Crawford at juliekayecrawford@gmail.com.
Sponsorship support is also welcome. Suggested sponsorship levels include:
- Sustainability Level $1000
- Harvest Bounty Level $500
- Germination Level $250
- Planting Seeds of Growth Level $100
- Garden Tools $250
- Wheel Barrel $130
- Seeds $10-50
The Good News Garden has created a network of gardens and farms and offers on-line support throughout the year. Addition information is available at episcopalchurch.org/good-news-gardens and in the Good News Garden Facebook group.
