Is Foodsharing an Opportunity for the Church?

[thomas t]

Dear community,

 

I understand foodsharing as handing out free food that would have been thrown away otherwise.

Food, for me, is a gift of God. So, it shouldn't be thrown away.

 

Additionally, producing food means creating an environmental burden.

For instance, any production of foods causes co2 emissions.

In regions with shortage of water, agriculture can be a threat for the water balance, in my opinion. And if the food is just going to be thrown away after having been produced, it comes down to wasting water.

Furthermore, Germany has a huge problem with nitrate pollution. This is primarily caused by stock farming. Germany has too much of it.

 

At church, friends of mine distribute foods that have been thrown away. For me, this is a blessing. This food is still great (although having been thrown away).

For others, too.

 

A friend of the church has a bakery and lets us know when she has bread to share out for free. Many people from the church praise God for this.

 

Another friend brings leftovers from her working place for after service. The brothers and sisters enjoy apples, bananas....

 

Our colleagues from the local mainline protestant church go as far as to share out free food for anyone in town. They cooperate with an initiative that provides them with foods for their fridge; foods that would have been thrown away otherwise.

Anyone can come in get their food and leave.

 

Regards,

Thomas

 

 

Edited May 30, 2018 by thomas t
ooups, spelling mistakes/ typos ("bread", "environmental burden"))

[Guest shiloh357]

Food sharing is a double-edged sword because  you cannot be assured of cleanliness and sanitation of those handing out the food.   Not only that, but the cleanliness of those who made it and then how long the food has been standing before it was handed out.   

There are legitimate health concerns.   I never eat food at a party unless I know who brought it and how clean they are.  

[Adstar]

2 hours ago, thomas t said:

Dear community,

 

I understand foodsharing as handing out free food that would have been thrown away otherwise.

Food, for me, is a gift of God. So, it shouldn't be thrown away.

 

Additionally, producing food means creating an enviroanmental burden.

For instance, any production of foods causes co2 emissions.

In regions with shortage of water, agriculture can be a threat for the water balance, in my opinion. And if the food is just going to be thrown away after having been produced, it comes down to wasting water.

Furthermore, Germany has a huge problem with nitrate pollution. This is primarily caused by stock farming. Germany has too much of it.

 

At church, friends of mine distribute foods that have been thrown away. For me, this is a blessing. This food is still great (although having been thrown away).

For others, too.

 

A friend of the church has a bakery and lets us know when she has bred to share out for free. Many people from the church praise God for this.

 

Another friend brings leftovers from her working place for after service. The brothers and sisters enjoy apples, bananas....

 

Our colleagues from the local mainline protestant church go as far as to share out free food for anyone in town. They cooperate with an initiative that provides them with foods for their fridge; foods that would have been thrown away otherwise.

Anyone can come in get their food and leave.

 

Regards,

Thomas

 

 

It is good to give if we have been blessed with things to give..

It is good to be a happy giver. giving willingly with joy..

It is good to give as secretly as possible so that we do not humiliate or cause shaming on the one in need of what is given..

Matthew 6: KJV

1 "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. {2} Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. {3} But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: {4} That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly."

Edited May 30, 2018 by Adstar

[thomas t]

1 hour ago, Yowm said:

Are the Christians in Europe hung up on ‘saving Mother Earth’?

no, Yowm. They are discovering the issue (my impression). I can only speak for some Christians in Germany and France.

[thomas t]

1 minute ago, Yowm said:

Which issue? Speaking of food, are they still passing out the Bread of Life?

I meant environmental issues.

But Christians in Germany are still passing out the Gospel of Christ.

Thomas

 

[Neighbor]

Hi, If one gives of the best first then perhaps it is an opportunity to honor Christ Jesus, but if it is just a way of getting rid of waste food what  good is there in that? It is no sacrifice, it is not a fellowshipping, it is not even welcoming. It is a come around the back door and there you will find scraps. Instead of opportunity it will perhaps be seen as disdain.

It will be opportunity to share of our Lord, in action, if one shares of the very best, and not just the waste of the tables. Even then it need to be accompanied with  opportunity to work  to share in the preparations, or else it will breed laziness.

The hungry are hungry for a reason, giving them opportunity to have fine food and then opportunity to earn fine food  seems  an opportunity for the individuals of a church to be of service to our Lord, least it does to me.

 

[thomas t]

1 minute ago, Davida said:

The USA & Canada has Foodbanks which operate by receiving donations from restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, agencies &  act as distributors of food to needy people in the community. 

In Germany, there are foodbanks, too, called "Tafel".

However, food still gets thrown away, here. I don't know why, but it still happens.

My friend who brings food from her working place brings food in relatively small amounts. Too little to bring it to the local Tafel.

The bakery friend also caters for the Tafel. But still, she gives us, too. As far as I know, the Tafel only opens its doors for giving out food twice a week. When the lady has bread half an hour after the Tafel closes its doors, she often calls us.

 

[thomas t]

10 minutes ago, Yowm said:

I didn't realize the Church had any such mandate. 

When they praise Jesus for the food they get? In my opinion, it is another opportunity to praise the Lord on Sunday morning.

First you get the sermon, then the worship and afterwards, you get an apple for free. Which is still good.

 

Jesus has made all the earth. It is his work. Including every bit of nutrition we get. So we can talk about it and magnify Jesus' name. Even for an issue like food, I think.

 

12 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

waste food

Hi Neighbor,

it shoudn't be junk food, I agree with you. I mean the good food. And it is good.

 

13 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

giving them opportunity to have fine food and then opportunity to earn fine food  seems  an opportunity for the individuals of a church to be of service to our Lord, least it does to me.

Yes, of course.

[thomas t]

Hi Yowm,

On 30.5.2018 at 6:33 PM, Yowm said:

No, I was referring to this your comment, which took up a bulk of your OP (IOW, an environmental mandate)...

well.

For me, food and environment belong together somehow.

God created food, so we can live with it.

Environmental madate? God created the environment, so we can honor him by respecting it.

I mean, I agree that it is sad when the church engages in many things beyond their biblical mandate which is spreading the gospel of Jesus.....

But respecting God's creation? that's totally fine.

Kind regards,

Thomas

 

P.S.: yesterday, there was a holiday in southern Germany and I couldn't be online. I write you from public computers, and the place was closed....

Edited June 1, 2018 by thomas t
Typos "environmental", "Yowm"

[Neighbor]

Seems to me God has his own environmental plan- it's all going to burn.