Health Justice

Eight Sundays per year Saint Paul United Methodist Church prepares and serves a dinner at Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach for individuals with food insecurity. Roger Clinard, Saint Paul Health Justice Team, leads all aspects of this ministry including planning, grocery shopping, volunteer coordination, and cooking and serving meals. Volunteering at Matt Talbot provides a meaningful experience of interacting with the guests while serving a nutritious dinner made with healthful foods and offered with love and care. If you are interested in learning more and/or volunteering, please get in touch with Pam Edwards or Carol Knolle-Faulkner. Please note that a parent or other adult must accompany volunteers under 16 years of age.

The Health Justice team has coordinated a variety of health-related educational events presented by health-related professionals throughout the Lincoln community and beyond.  These have included programs presented by Bryan Health such as Foot Care, Diabetes, Mental Health topics, Bone Health, Preventing Falls, and AED and CPR training.  We have also learned about Brain Health & Your Memory and Climate Change &  Human Health.  Our Health Care team is always interested in planning health-related programs and activities related to the health of our congregation and the community.  If you are interested in learning more, please contact Pam Edwards or Carol Knolle-Faulkner.

The Health Justice Committee partners with Visionary Youth three times during the year to assist with worthy community events that assist many Lincoln families. These events include: 1) back-to-school haircuts and backpack distribution in August; 2) Thanksgiving meal and winter clothing distribution in November; and 3) holiday toy and gift distribution for children and youth in December. Volunteers are needed to help organize items for distribution and to assist families at the events. Volunteers of all ages find these activities to be very positive, uplifting experiences! If you are interested in volunteering for any of these activities, please contact the Saint Paul UMC office.

Loaves and Fishes (aka Lulu’s) provides food and personal necessities to our community neighbors experiencing food insecurity and homelessness.  Lunches are served on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. at Saint Paul United Methodist Church.  On Wednesdays, groceries and personal hygiene products are also made available to guests.  Volunteers assist with serving lunch and distributing groceries and hygiene products.  To learn more about volunteering and/or to make donations to Lulu’s, contact Karen Lamb at klamb45@hotmail.com or 402-540-8532.

Jesus asked us to love our neighbor as ourselves! The CROP Hunger Walk allows us to do just that! The CROP Hunger Walk is a movement taking place in more than 500 communities across the United States. Saint Paul United Methodist Church has participated in this walk for many years, helping to raise funds for food and resources locally and beyond. As noted on the CROP Walk website, www.crophungerwalk.org, “CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk fundraising events held in cities and towns across the United States, created to support the global mission of Church World Service, a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. After a CROP Hunger Walk ends, 25% of the funds raised is returned to the host community to support local hunger fighting efforts.” The event occurs in the fall and includes raising funds through donations and joining the Saint Paul team and community members from other Lincoln churches and organizations as they walk a designated route in a Lincoln neighborhood. It is a fun event, sharing time with Saint Paul friends, making new friends and making a positive difference in the lives of many. Every penny raised is a blessing to someone who is hungry! If you are interested in learning more, please contact the Saint Paul UMC office.

Saint Paul has had a Mission Produce Table for a number of years. Members and friends who are gardeners plant a little extra in their home gardens. During the summer, as produce ripens, they are invited to bring extra lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, etc. to church on any Sunday morning. The Mission Produce Table is located in the back of the sanctuary, where gardeners may deposit their produce.  Others in the congregation may take what they will use and leave a donation. All proceeds from mission produce help to fund Saint Paul mission projects in our own community and worldwide.

Saint Paul United Methodist Church is fortunate to have a garden that surrounds the church on 11^th, 12^th, and M Streets. This garden of mostly perennial plants is nurtured by interested members of the congregation who give it much loving care. This volunteer opportunity is not only fun but also an active and healthful way to enjoy nature while sharing time with a group of wonderful gardening-loving friends. If you are interested in being part of the Saint Paul UMC gardening crew, please contact Pam Edwards.

Clinic With A Heart is a faith-inspired organization that serves uninsured and underinsured people through a ministry of healthcare. Volunteers provide free healthcare services, including medical, dental, chiropractic, physical therapy, mental health, vision, hearing , dermatology, and spiritual services.  Saint Paul United Methodist Church has been a part of Clinic With A Heart since 2006. If you are interested in this important mission, both medical and non-medical volunteer help is welcome. Please call the Saint Paul UMC office and leave a message with your contact information and a Saint Paul Health Justice team member will contact you.

According to Heifer International, www.heifer.org, “Heifer International is on a mission to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way by supporting and investing alongside local farmers and their communities.” Over the years, Saint Paul United Methodist Church members have learned about the many Heifer International programs and have provided significant donations to Heifer International at Christmas time and throughout the year. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering and/or donating, please contact Diane Bartels at dbsharpie@aol.com or 402-429-3342.

On February 2, 2025, the Saint Paul Health Justice team invited Judy Harvey, UNL Associate Professor of Practice in the College of Education and Communication Disorders at Barkley Memorial Center, to speak about memory and how it is impacted by age. Judy has taught about many topics related to memory and how to implement memory improvement strategies. Judy has also developed a terrific memory workshop with Tabitha. View Judy’s presentation here.

Saint Paul UMC’s Climate Justice and Health Justice teams worked together to welcome experts from around the community to speak on climate and personal health. The series featured three expert speakers and a plant-based fellowship meal during the last session. 

January 21 – “A Plant-based Diet and Our Bodies” by Dana Norris, MS, RD, CSSD
Dana is a Registered Dietitian and Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. Eating a plant-based diet, generally meaning no animal products, has many benefits for our health including high dietary fiber, micro-nutrients, and anti-inflammatory effects. This diet works best when you use plant based protein sources and vitamin-mineral sources, incorporate a variety of colorful foods for different nutrients, and utilize different carbohydrates.

January 28 – “Regenerative Agriculture” by Mike Boehm
Mike is the UNL Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resource. Regenerative agriculture is a philosophy that encourages minimizing soil disturbance, plants in the ground year round, diversifying crops, precision application, and integrating livestock. Access Mike’s presentation here.

February 4 – “A Plant-based Diet and Our Planet” by Tim Rinne
Tim, along with his wife Kay Walter, have spent well over a decade developing urban gardens called Hawley Hamlet. They aim to expand Lincoln’s local food production, providing easier access to fresh produce for everyone — especially those living in low-income areas — and creating a housing and urban gardening model for Lincoln to follow. Local food tastes better, is healthier, boosts our local economy AND increases food security. Access Tim’s presentation here.