Deadline: June 8

Length: About 600 to 1,200 words. Photos would be a bonus.

Send submissions to editor@anabaptistworld.org.

Where would the Christian faith be without the influence of food and the act of eating and sharing it? The Bible uses metaphors of fruit, seeds, milk, honey and fish, just to name a few. We replicate Jesus’ Last Supper as a symbol of faithfulness and commitment. Potlucks and meal trains are acts of support and fellowship. For the July 8 issue of Anabaptist World, we invite you to consider how your relationship and experiences with food have influenced your faith.

• How has your definition of “Mennonite food” changed over the years?
• What role does food play in peacemaking?
• How do you eat sustainably, in ways that are consistent with justice for others and care for creation?
• What makes growing your own food — gardening or farming — an act of faith?
• Have you experienced a moment where the provisions extended like Jesus’ miracle of loaves and fish?
• What is an example of holy or sacred food to you? What makes it special? What recipe or meal will always bring you to the table and why? What food do you expect to be in the spaces of greatest joy, communion and support?
• What does the practice of Communion teach us about sustenance, both physical and spiritual? What about the spiritual practice of fasting?
• Anabaptists of European decent have sought lands of “milk and honey” to maintain a particular way of life. To what end does the pursuit of “milk and honey” lead?
• In the Garden of Eden there was approved fruit and forbidden fruit. Do we have “good food” and “bad food” today? What judgments do we make, and are they supported by faith, science, or something else? What do they do in terms of community building and sustaining?
• The image of a mustard seed is a favorite storytelling device, as a tiny beginning leads to an expansive tree. Do you have a story related to food that seemed small but had a large impact?
• A table prepared with food has been a symbol of welcome. How does your church maintain inclusivity and encourage fellowship as dietary restrictions complicate what used to be simple?
• Could Communion be creatively reimagined to become even more Anabaptist? Could it be expanded to an entire meal shared around a table? Using ingredients that embody God’s justice and shalom? How do the food and drink contribute to the event being a connection with God or with each other?