(June 25, 2007) — The Church of the Brethren is cultivating 17 growing projects for the Foods Resource Bank this season. Sponsoring groups include 24 congregations, a camp, and a retirement community. Nine congregational sponsors are new to the program. The projects are located in nine states.
In two current ventures–Reno-McPherson County in Kansas, and Grossnickle/Hagerstown/Welty/Harmony in Maryland–winter wheat is being harvested, a first among Brethren growing projects. Another first for Brethren this season are fields of popcorn, the growing project of the Cherry Grove, Dixon, and Lanark congregations in Illinois.
In six of the projects, Brethren have enlisted neighboring churches from other communions as partners. The partners include United Presbyterian, United Methodist, Church of God, United Church of Christ, Lutheran, and independent churches.
–Howard Royer is manager of the Global Food Crisis Fund for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
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