The Fig Tree - Stories of Faith in Action

Urban farming improves access to food

As a fifth generation member of his family in agriculture in Eastern Washington, Brian Estes brings a different face to farming from his maternal grandparents who operated the farm their grandparents started in the 1880s for herding sheep.

“I have begun to rediscover farming. It did not occur to me that farming was anything other than what my grandparents did. I didn’t realize I would want this career,” said Brian, who became interested in social justice and environmental issues during college. “I fell in love with food, good food and eating well,” he said.

Along with promoting urban farming, community gardens and farmers’ markets as parts of urban food production, he has his own small, for-profit farm in Vinegar Flats with a half-acre vegetable garden, a perennial garden, a pasture and experimental projects. . . . . . . .read more

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To keep faith in action coming

Five congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane are helping educate children in a Haitian village so they can rise out of poverty and help their community.

The Haiti project of the Spokane Episcopal Diocese has inspired tithing for many, especially for Robin Leiserson and Tracey Waring, as they share their stories.

John Olsen—Chef Gus—knows good food makes things happen, like Jesus gathering people to hear the Sermon on the Mount, telling stories and then feeding them.

St. David’s Episcopal Church offers Celtic worship at 11 am, Sundays, an alternative spiritual approach that gives flexible doctrine and artistic expression.

Women come to Christ Kitchen’s Bible study and workdays to assemble cooking mixes, and to help prepare food for their restaurant and catering business.

Center for Global Engagement, the Religious Studies Department at Gonzaga organized a recent interreligious dialogue on “The Role of Religion in World Peace.”

Brian Estes brings a different face to farming promoting urban farming, community gardens and farmers’ markets as parts of urban food production.

The Iraqi Student Project (ISP) brought Mustafa Mahmood to study at Gonzaga, where he is share about their families, communities and religion, as well as studying.

Second Harvest’s new Asuris Northwest Health Volunteer Center provides a safer and more ergonomic setting for volunteers to sort and box food donations for distribution.

Prophetic dancing in worship helps bring healing,and raises self-esteem attests Mona Martin of the Christian Dance Academy.

John Roth, a Holocaust educator speaking at the 2012 Yom Hashoah, challenged people to risk to speak up and speak out when values are in danger.

Editorial

Author, Wendell Berry, offers food for thought about mindsets that frame values

Editorial

Internship gives hope for new journalist that she can make a difference.