June 15, 2010

This winter a group of people in our church began to meet regularly and to come up with ideas for how to save food from being wasted and to get it to those who need it most. They call themselves “The Glean Team” and they are about to kick off one of the most exciting summers in recent Harvard UU Church history.

“To glean” is to gather the food that is left in the field after the main harvest has taken place. It is to make use of the food that would otherwise be forgotten. Here is some of what the HUUC Glean Team is planning to do this summer…

…collect the unsold food from the vendors at the Harvard Farmer’s Market at the end of each market day…
…collect the unsold food from the Willard farm stand whenever they have any left…
…gather most of that perfectly good, nutritious food together and take it to local food pantries…
…use some of it to prepare food that can be served at a Community Caf� or which can be sold to raise money to contribute to local hunger relief efforts…

All of these projects are part of what we’re calling the “Squash Hunger” campaign, to put an end to hunger and to do so by sharing from our own abundance.

The thing about all of these plans for this summer is…we really want you to be involved. You could help squash hunger by offering to pick up the food at the farmers’ market or at the farm stand and deliver it to the church. Or you could offer to pick up the food at the church and deliver it to the food pantry. Or you could offer to get together with other folks to cook or to bake. There will probably be small task to do every day of the week.

Or you could start a garden, or enlarge an established one. You could plant some seeds, tend them, watch them grow…keep some of the produce for yourself, perhaps share some with your neighbors…but set some aside each week to share with those who need fresh, nutritious food the most…those who can’t afford to buy it—or have no place to grow it themselves. Grow some squash or other vegetables and bring them to the church to add to the collection that will be going each week to the food pantry.

I’ve been here now for nine years and year after year I’ve heard people say the same thing over and over. You want this church to be known for something. You want this church to make a positive and meaningful contribution to the community and to people in need. You want to do something that allows everyone—young and old—to be part of it…to make it happen.

Well, here’s your chance to really shine! A little space in your yard. A little tending. A little extra effort at harvest time. A few trips to the farmers’ market or the farm stand at the end of the day. A few small tasks, with many hands pitching in to help…that’s what it will take.

The congregational church is famous for their apple pies. We can be known as the church that helped squashhunger throughout the summer and fall. You’ve heard it said…now I say to you… at the end of the day…go out with joy and do likewise!

To find out more about how to get involved, call Susie Macrae 978-456-9570 or Cary Browse 978-456-8160.

I will be attending General Assembly this year in Minneapolis from June 22 through June 28th. As in past years, I will then spend 4 weeks of the summer on vacation and 4 weeks of the summer on Study Leave, preparing for the new church year. I will not hold office hours during this time, but there will always be a minister available to cover pastoral emergencies. When I am on Study Leave, I will be on-call. When I am on vacation, one or more of my very able area colleagues will be covering for me in my absence.

If you need a minister from June 22 through July and August, please call the church office and listen to the minister’s voicemail greeting to learn who will be on-call in case of an emergency and how to reach that minister. The Caring Committee will also know how to reach the minister on-call.

I plan to be back in the office for “regular” office hours beginning on Tuesday, August 31, and I look forward to seeing you and catching up with you then!

May your summers be refreshing, renewing, and restorative!

In faith, Rev. Wendy