Why the Garden?
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 鈥淢ore than two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.鈥�1听Duke Divinity produced an independent study of Methodist ministers in North Carolina and found that their rate of obesity was 10.3% higher than their fellow North Carolina residents. The author of the study findings stated, 鈥淗ealth interventions that address obesity and chronic disease among clergy are urgently needed.鈥�2
香港六合彩官网鈥檚 Wellness Lifestyle Declaration states, 听鈥淎 wellness lifestyle addresses . . . the spiritual unity in the physical, emotional, social and environmental dimensions of life. Wellness lifestyle commitments include
- Nutrition and fitness听
- Rhythms of work, rest, and play
- Self-care commitments (emotional, mental health)
- Charitable/volunteer contributions (time, talent, treasure)
- Community and economic development 鈥� at home and abroad
- Creation care and sustainable living.鈥�
John Wesley said,
- 鈥淲e ought to preserve our health, as a good gift of God.鈥� 听
- 鈥淭o glorify Him, therefore, with our bodies, as well as with our spirits; to go through our outward work with hearts lifted up to him; to make our daily employment a sacrifice to God; to buy and sell, to eat and drink, to his glory 鈥� that is worshipping God in spirit and in truth, as much as the praying to him in a wilderness.鈥澨�
- 鈥淜now you not that your body is, or ought to be, the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?鈥�
Kentucky鈥檚 own Wendell Berry states about our care for creation,
- 鈥淒o unto those downstream as you would have those upstream do unto you,鈥�3听 and听
- 鈥淗ealing is impossible in loneliness; it is the opposite of loneliness. Conviviality is healing. To be healed we must come with all the other creatures to the feast of Creation.鈥�4听
With these thoughts in mind, one can easily see how time in the garden would benefit each person. The seminary’s garden听welcomes you to join with us in creating new rhythms of work, rest, and play for yourself and your family.
1 Ogden C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B.K., & Flegal K. M. (2014). Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. Journal of the American Medical Association, 311(8), 806-814. from
2 Proeschold-Bell, R.J., & LeGrand, S. (2010) from
3听
4听pg.99, 鈥淭he Body and the Earth鈥� 鈥�,.