Members at the small United Methodist Church in Cornelius, Oregon were looking for a way to reach out to their community beyond providing food through the newly formed Community Table Food Pantry. Several persons within and outside the church had expressed interest in using some of the church’s lot for a community garden. It finally all came together when church member Don O’Rear drew up a plan for a garden in the shape of a labyrinth and presented it to the Board of Trustees which accepted it and designated the front lot as the site.  

The community labyrinth garden has the added benefit of uniting the community and the congregation. Mira Conklin, Western Washington County Hispanic Ministry Developer, and Pastor Eric Conklin have facilitated the cooperation of church and neighbors in this collaborative endeavor. The small congregation recognized that they could not do all the work alone, and participants in the PODER Family Literacy program, which empowers Latino families and meets in the Cornelius church, were more than happy to work together with members. On the first work day about thirty Hispanic volunteers not affiliated with the church joined about fifteen church members to break through the turf and till the ground. As they worked, the names of various vegetables in both English and Spanish were shared.  Volunteers celebrated their work with a barbecue lunch and for the first time on such a large scale at CUMC, Latinos and Anglos sat together in table fellowship in spite of language difficulties.  

Many of the volunteers are recipients of the food that is given away at the monthly Community Table and the garden reminds them that they are not just receiving a hand-out, but are growing their own food and are participating in something that benefits the entire town. This helps to fulfill the purpose of the two related food programs to provide food for the hungry and build community. According to Mira Conklin the project has formed a new bond, has given all involved a sense of ownership, and has presented the church as one which is open to all in the community. Additionally, some of the Latinos involved in the project are now interested in the new Hispanic faith community being formed at the church.

-by Ron Whitlatch, GBGM Missionary