Food & Faith in Our United Methodist Churches
All summer long, I had a wish to get corn on the cob from a local farm to serve at our free drive-through lunch ministry. It finally happened in August when we discovered Huff Farm in Maryville, Tennessee. One of our ministry helpers, Marci, met Eddie Huff at a local farmers market and gave me... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, we did an informal survey to identify ingredients for the favorite potato salad for our meal ministry. It’s not what I would choose or expect, but we went with it. The ingredients are simple but seem to blend well so every taste comes singing through the somewhat less-vocal potatoes: dill pickle, onions,... Continue Reading →
The first time I saw cornbread salad at a church dinner, I was reluctant to try it. Now that I’m older and wiser, I’ll say you should definitely try this. I couldn’t find the origin, but cookbook writers have wondered if this recipe is related to the old Southern snack enjoyed by our elders --... Continue Reading →
Martee Buchanan served this casserole to us during a recent visit to the Wesley Foundation at Radford University. I loved the colors in the dish along with the mixture of vegetables and of course, the taste! I like traditional green bean casserole – with the French fried onions and canned soup – but I like... Continue Reading →
About a year ago, we ended up with a last-minute mess of donated collard greens we wanted to serve at our takeout lunch ministry. We knew just who to call for guidance. JaNaé Swanson-Brown says she learned to cook her Southern-soul collards by first watching her mother and grandmother in Millen, Georgia, and then perfecting... Continue Reading →
A month ago, we went on a quest for a great broccoli salad to serve at our free community drive-thru lunch. Several tasty suggestions were shared, but we chose this recipe from the collection of a 102-year-old woman who lived in Kenbridge, Virginia. We didn’t expect all of our 90 guests to like it, but... Continue Reading →
I’m on a small team of people who run a food ministry in north Knoxville, Tennessee. Our friend Marci Villanueva created these cookies because we need to use up sweet potatoes stored in our freezers, but also because we wanted to provide dessert a little special for last Saturday's free takeout lunch. The sweet potatoes... Continue Reading →
The Henderson Settlement campus is nearly empty this summer. But tucked away in one of five greenhouses is Casey Smith with a water hose. She's nurturing the vegetables and greens she planned and planted before everyone realized the pandemic is going to stay awhile. “God gives me the ability to do it,” she says. “I... Continue Reading →
It starts with thousands of potatoes that were dropped on the parking lot at Concord United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, on a chilly Saturday morning in January. The potatoes were gleaned by the Society of St. Andrew, which redistributes produce that would otherwise end up in landfill, so that it can be used to... Continue Reading →
The photos that come out of Elk Garden School Community Ministry Center are always intriguing. The onions-and-pantyhose post led me to give Rev. Brooke Atchley a call! Brooke is a Church and Community Worker -- a local missionary in The United Methodist Church -- who hosts all sorts of mission teams and volunteers at the... Continue Reading →
The Call to Cook 