National Black Church Initiative is a subsidiary of the DC Black Church Initiative

Pillar One

THE PASTOR CAN:

Launch the Body & Soul program at a kick-off event. Sign “The Church’s Commitment to Good Health” pledge. Affirm the pledge before the congregation. A sample pledge is available for download within the Body & Soul Program Guide. Click here to download the pledge (PDF*: 16 kb).

Be a role model for the congregation by eating more fruits and vegetables every day.
Deliver inspirational messages about the link between good health and spirituality. Include Bible verses that refer to healthy eating and living in sermons, church bulletins, and newsletters.

Ask that more fruits and vegetables be served at church functions to help create a healthy church setting.

Start a “Body & Soul Sunday” where the church focuses on health once a month.

Recognize the Body & Soul Planning Team. Praise the church members who have improved their eating habits.

Pillar Two

Activities that encourage church members to eat more fruits and vegetables are the heart of Body & Soul. These can include workshops, cooking demonstrations, taste tests, and many others.

Such activities help in three ways:

• Church members learn about health.
• They get the chance to try new types of fruits and vegetables.
• They gain skills to change their eating habits.

The more activities you offer, the more church members are exposed to fruits and vegetables and are motivated to eat more. Body & Soul activities begin with a kick-off event. This is followed by a range of learning activities. Remember to celebrate the church’s success along the way, too.

THE BODY & SOUL KICK-OFF EVENT

The launch event sets the tone for your whole program. This event:

• introduces the program to the congregation,
• inspires members to take charge of their health, and
• excites members about activities that will take place at the church.

Make sure the event features many colorful and tasty fruits and vegetables. This will help get everyone excited about what’s to come. Examples of kick-off events include a Body & Soul Sunday; a health fair; a prayer breakfast, healthy lunch or dinner; or a healthy picnic. At the kickoff, be sure to give out a calendar of future events. Members can commit to the program by signing a pledge. The pledge is in The Body & Soul Program Guide. Click here to download the pledge (PDF*: 16 kb).

ONGOING CHURCH ACTIVITIES

Learning activities inform and inspire the congregation. Church members learn how and why to eat more fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Include activities that appeal to different groups within the church such as:

• Workshops on healthy eating; weight control; container gardening; preventing and controlling high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer; financial planning and budgeting
• Nutrition education activities in Sunday schools, men’s meetings, or other group meetings
• Tours of the produce department in a local grocery store
• Demonstrations and classes on healthy ways to prepare and cook food
• Tasting parties with fruits and vegetables (e.g., smoothies, different types of fruits and vegetables)
• Messages about healthy eating and living in church bulletins and newsletters, and on the church’s web site.

CELEBRATINIG SUCCESS

A successful Body & Soul program means everyone has come together to improve their health. Celebrate!

Examples of celebrations include:

• Recognition of the planning team during service
• Certificates for people who participated in the program
• Healthy luncheon or dinner
• A picnic or cookout

Pillar Three

Body & Soul is most effective when the church sets a good example. The congregation needs to hear the pastor speak about health. They also need to get information about healthy eating. But sermons, handouts, and even classes are not enough. Church members also need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables at church events. Serving more fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods at church shows that the church “practices what it preaches.” The church is committed to the health of the congregation and healthy eating becomes a part of church life.

IDEAS FOR A HEALTHY CHURCH ENVIRONMENT

Successful Body & Soul programs bring more fruits and vegetables into the church.

Here are some examples:

• Set up church policies that ensure more fruits and vegetables are served at church functions. The policies should include vending machines and church stores as well.
• Make changes in the church kitchen. These can include training the kitchen committee, changing recipes and menus, and stocking the pantry with more fruits and vegetables.
• Encourage members to share the bounty of their gardens with the church family.
• Give bags of fruits and vegetables to sick and shut-in church members.
• Sponsor a farmers’ market at your church.
• Ask your local market or convenience store to sell more fruits and vegetables.
• Start a garden committee to support a church garden.
  

Pillar Four

Peer counseling helps motivate church members to eat more fruits and vegetables. Interested church members sign up to talk with a trained volunteer. They can talk over the telephone or in person.

Church members talk with their peer counselors about how eating healthier relates to their life goals and personal values. Peer counselors tailor the talk to the person’s readiness to change. Together, the church member and peer counselor come up with an action plan for eating more fruits and vegetables. This approach empowers people to take more control over their health.

Each church chooses and trains members to be peer counselors. The counselors learn skills for talking about health habits. A program to train peer counselors is available on an interactive DVD. Please see the Resources section for information about how to order the DVD.

The peer counseling pillar of Body & Soul is based on principles of motivational interviewing. This kind of interviewing is a proven method for changing health behavior. These skills can also be used in many outreach activities at the church. Peer counseling helps “bring home” the Body & Soul program. It helps church members see how eating healthier can fit into their lives. It offers one-on-one attention and support to those who need it. This personal touch is the final pillar of an effective Body & Soul program.