UALC Community Garden

From Garden Steward and area pastor Irma Chon:

 

Since its conception in 2011, hearts have been centering and ministries developing here in Hilliard around a common ground. This common ground is a Community Garden where we as the Church work together in partnership not only to grow fresh produce for hunger relief and human development organizations but also to plant and grow rich relationships. Since the start of the Garden, we have delivered about 30 tons of fresh produce and have developed countless human connections.

 

Several years ago, we began to develop a deeper relationship with some of the refugees in our Hilliard community who were receiving fresh organic produce from the Garden.  Through the start of an English conversation class, God was giving us an opportunity to deepen our relationships with the nations that He was bringing to our own backyard!  We always need more volunteers in the Garden, and our students in the English conversation class needed more opportunities for English conversations.  People gardening together can't help but chat, so friendships were becoming well rooted!

 

We began to change our crop selection to grow more produce our international friends enjoyed in their homelands. They began to invite their friends and as a church, we began to understand more of what it meant to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Over time, we have become better equipped  to build upon the good work that God has begun for the His kingdom. We are now offering culinary classes where we will teach one another different ways to prepare and serve what we grow.  We are also teaching canning and other ways to preserve the harvest.  Stewarding over God's gifts and provision has become a shared passion.

 

The Kingdom of God is getting closer as we continue to share the love of Christ with each relationship that is formed. The food we provide through the Garden is great for many of the families we serve who are financially strapped, but this is not nearly as great as the fellowship we've formed.  It's hard to describe the joy we all experience!