EcoFaith Summit 2022
In March 2022, the EcoFaith Network of the Northeastern Minnesota Synod and St. Paul Area Synod Care of Creation along with seven partner organizations hosted a zoom conference entitled Holy Ground, Holy Table: Regenerative Practices for the Wholeness of the Earth. The presenters shared stories from their own remarkable work around food and farming which are now available as recordings, accompanied by original music videos.
2022 EcoFaith Summit Recordings:
2022 EcoFaith Summit Booklet
The Summit Booklet contains important information about presenters, storytellers, and partners, beautifully compiled by Dr. Diane Jacobson.
Summit Theme’s Guiding Questions
Let us consider the questions raised around the EcoFaith Summit’s twin themes of Holy Ground and Holy Table.
Holy Ground
Centering on Holy Ground roots us in the recognition that the earth is a divine gift that sustains all life. We humans are both products and caretakers of this Holy Ground.
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How are we to care for such a gift? What are the farming practices that best sustain and regenerate the earth’s holy ground? What is the ideal relationship between animals and holy ground that helps both to live productively? How can our holy ground provide good livings for those who care for it and food that is needed for the world? How does our holy ground help us to sequester carbon? What can we learn from generations of Native Americans who have loved and cared for this holy ground? What can we learn from the many generations of farmers about their love and care of holy ground? What can we learn from urban gardeners that might help us nurture our sacred ground?
Holy Table
We gather around the Holy Table both at church and in our homes. Holy table is a place of transformation of the ordinary into divine gift. Holy table is a place of radical inclusion.Holy table is a place of hospitality, welcoming neighbor and stranger. Holy table is a place for conversation and learning.
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How can we gather around our many holy tables in such a way that we support those primary caregivers of God’s Holy Ground? How can we learn from one another and be in conversation: urban and rural, traditional and experimental? How can we as consumers of food at our many tables buy food in ways that support practices that help our Holy Ground? How can we gather together to advocate for such practices? What can we learn about fair marketing? What can we learn from food coops, farmer’s markets and other grocery stores? What is the best language we should use in our conversations with one another? How can our tables be places of hospitality, racially and economically inclusive?
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Holy Table is a place where we laugh and cry together, where we dream dreams and tell great stories.
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
and fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed with the bread of life.
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.
ELW 182