The Bethany House of Hospitality (BHOH) Community Garden

 

¡Muchisimas Gracias!

To All those Who Helped to Make

Bethany Presbyterian House of Hospitality’s

Community Garden Dedication Event

A Memorable Event!

 

Ten minutes before our event was scheduled to begin, an impending thunderstorm created strong winds that nearly swept away the green tents, nutritious refreshments and elegant table arrangements that the Crisis Ministry staff had prepared and set up in the Bethany Garden. Our festivities were then immediately moved into the Bethany House and as our guests arrived it quickly became a packed house!

 

Our Regional Presbytery Executive, Wendy Baily, engaged all those who attended in a brief discussion about gardens mentioned in the Bible, and then offered a prayer of dedication. Urban Mission Cabinet, Inc. Executive Director, Jacque Howard, thanked all of the Bethany Garden partners, funders and volunteers. He also secured the services of a local professional video recording company, Exit 7A, to interview many of our guests including New Brunswick Presbytery’s Moderator Jean Woodman, of Hamilton Square Presbyterian Church. Our five residents offered tours of Bethany House and the staff of the Crisis Ministry offered tours of their Food Pantry located inside of the former Bethany Church.

 

Another highlight of the afternoon was the Fender Blender provided by David Byers and Linda Konrad-Byers, and through the pedal power of residents Jamie and Grant, fruit smoothies were cranked out for the guests. The healthy fruit and juice ingredients for the smoothies were provided by Crisis Ministry.  Rev. Nina Reeder, pastor of Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church, and President of the UMC, Inc. provided homemade chocolate chip cookie packets as an expression of our gratitude to those who attended the event. The guests also received vegetable seed packets.

 

David Byers, a retired New Jersey Department of Transportation Landscape Architect, and UMC, Inc. Board member, designed the Bethany House Community Garden and is currently coordinating the efforts of the garden volunteers.

 

 

            Please consider partnering with UMC, Inc. in one or more ways!

1.      Providing hospitality by joining with other New Brunswick Presbytery churches to: prepare a meal for a maximum of 15 guests and/or lead Vespers "only once every two months.”

2.      Accepting Hospitality: schedule to have BHOH Residents serve as your volunteers for your major church projects or events: September 2012 – July 2013

3.      Donate to or volunteer to help with the BHOH Community Garden

 

Please contact Rev. Karen Hernández-Granzen, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church, and UMC, Inc.’s BHOH Chaplain/Coordinator, for more information: Karisuhg@aol.com or call 609-462-3063.

Bethany House of Hospitality (BHOH) Community Garden

(Dedication Handout Wednesday, July 18, 2012)

 

The vision for the Bethany House of Hospitality (BHOH) Community Garden became a reality through partnerships between the Urban Mission Cabinet Inc., The Crisis Ministry, and Isles. In addition, volunteer efforts from urban and suburban congregations, businesses, and a number of supporting organizations played a central role in the success of this garden project.

 

We also extend thanks for funds provided by the Motel and Goldie Bass Fund through the Jewish Center of Princeton as well as several individual donors.

 

The goal of the Bethany House of Hospitality Community Garden is to assist in the efforts to increase access to fresh produce within the local community.  To accomplish this goal, residents of the BHOH along with other volunteers will maintain the garden by planting, weeding, watering and harvesting the fruits and vegetables.  Harvested items will be distributed to the Crisis Ministry and then shared with the immediate community through one of its food service programs.  The Isles organization is also hoping to assist by providing urban agriculture programming as the Urban Mission Cabinet Inc. manages the space, provides administrative support and offers community events.

 

Urban Mission Cabinet Inc. would like to thank the following organizations, churches and businesses as we celebrate this project:

 

New Brunswick Presbytery (PCUSA)                  Bethany House of Hospitality Residents

The Crisis Ministry                                    Isles Inc.

Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church            Westminster Presbyterian Church

Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church                   NRG Energy

Heath Lumber                                             PPM Princeton Property Management

Lawrence Twp. Ecological Facility             CobraHead LLC

 

Special thanks are also extended to the individual donors who wish to remain anonymous.

 

Follow UMC Inc. and our partners via social media @

https://www.facebook.com/UrbanMissionCabinetInc

https://www.facebook.com/TheCrisisMinistry

https://www.facebook.com/IslesInc

Celebrate the Bethany House of Hospitality Community Garden Initiative.  Click here for the info and a flyer. 

Please click here for a flyer about becoming a resident.

Please click here for the flyer for repairing East Trenton homes, coordinated by the residents of BHOH.



Urban Mission Cabinet

www.bethanyhoh.wordpress.com

 

Bethany Presbyterian House of Hospitality

Trenton, NJ

 

Residents are committed to volunteering in the

Community and in the Presbytery!

 

1.    

Seeking Hosts and/or Facilitators for Thursday Vespers

January 2013 – July 2013

 

The Residents will have Thursday night Vespers from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm at the Bethany House of Hospitality. New Brunswick Presbytery’s member churches are asked to participate in these weekly Vespers and to assist in hosting the dinner component of the evening, and/or facilitating.  Please click here for a sign-up sheet.