Grace
A grace before meals:
God, you are the giver of all good things.
We give thanks for the animals and plants of your creation which we have used in making this food.
We pray for all those who have brought this food to us, asking that they might receive a fair wage for their labour.
We eat and drink in the knowledge that many do not have this privilege and we ask that all might receive their daily bread and that your Kingdom come.
Amen.
Earth Matters
Sharing a meal
In this space, you are invited to a time of relaxation and refreshment. Imagine that you are welcomed to a meal with your hosts. You are invited to think about what the meal represents, how it relates to the themes of mission and ecology within this house and what you take from being a part of sharing food with those who live in the house.
You could also imagine that you have a chance here to talk to food producers, farm workers, and all who have a part in bringing us the food we eat. What might they want to say about their lives and how they feel about the food that comes to our tables?
As part of the activity section of this topic, you might enjoy using the recipe to enable your group to cook and share a meal together. You could cook or bring something else to share, but whatever you offer in hospitality, it would be worth reflecting on where the food came from, what happened to the animals and plants which supplied it, and to give thanks for it.
The recipe includes some questions for reflection about the simple ingredients and to enable prayerful thanks throughout the cooking and eating.
John
For reflection
In this space, food and drink matters, especially how it was produced and traded. Here are some things to think about:
- Fair-trade food comes with the guarantee that food producers receive a fair price for their food.
- See if you can find out what farmers in our own country get as a price for their food.
- Do you have a local farmer's market you can support? If you do you can ask about farming practices and welfare and find out what farmers are getting for their labour.
- Organic food should be produced in an environmentally healthy way, using sustainable farming practices – what can you find out about organic farming from your local supermarket labels?
- Do you have access in your local community to locally grown food that hasn't travelled so far? Why might that be better for the environment – and for you?
Find out more from the Fairtrade Foundation.
Write down any thoughts you might have in your notebook, journal or blog. Are there any ingredients you would like to carry in your rucksack for your further journey?
Where would you like to go now? Where else will this journey take you?
If you continue to explore the green pathway you can choose to:
- Arts: Discover films, TV programmes and music that relate to ecological issues.
- Resources: find more information on the Internet, explore resources such as a CO2 emission calculator, and choose books to further your knowledge.