Make social and environmental justice part of your congregation's worship
The great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus
was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to
meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the onewho comes in the name of
the Lord — the King of Israel!" (John 12:12-13)
The Eco-Palm Project
Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, accented by the jubilant waving of palm branches, is re-enacted each Palm Sunday in Presbyterian and other Christian congregations worldwide as Holy Week observances begin. Unfortunately for the communities where these palms are harvested, palm fronds do not always represent the same jubilation they do for us.
Production of eco-palms begins in forested areas of Mexico and Guatemala where
workers, known as xaterros (sha-tare-rows), walk miles into the forest
to harvest palm branches. Photo courtesy of Lutheran World Relief. In 2007 the PC(USA) teamed up with Lutheran World Relief, Catholic Relief Services and the University of Minnesota to offer congregations the option of purchasing responsibly harvested Eco-Palm branches for Palm Sunday. The palms come from communities in Mexico and Guatemala where workers are paid fairly and engage in sustainable harvesting in order to protect the local ecosystem. Learn more about the benefits of Eco-Palms.
Read the Presbyterian News Service article about Eco-Palms.
Enough for Everyone
Eco-Palms is part of Enough for Everyone, a PC(USA) program that offers hands-on options for congregations to participate in the global economy in faithful, just and responsible ways. Enough for Everyone is a partnership ministry of the Presbyterian Hunger Program. |
