Eco-Palms: Creativity and caring for Creation in trying times

Orders help the communities that harvest them

February 8, 2022

South-Broadland Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, Missouri, was able to deliver palms to members in time for use in an online processional. (Contributed photo)

I recently learned a new word that I thought was appropriate for the year we have all just navigated together:

Tohubohu

toh-hoo-BOH-hoo

a state of chaos; utter confusion.

If ever a year was appropriate to be deemed tohubohu it was 2020. It is hard to believe after all that has happened, that it could even possibly be time to turn our attentions toward planning for Palm Sunday. But even in such a state, with so many things looking different, including how we worship together, life continues.

Eco-Palms are a project of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management (CINRAM), which works with the Rainforest Alliance TREES program and SmartWood to certify palms for sale to Christian congregations in the United States. Other entities that have been involved include wholesaler Continental Floral Greens and distributors Greenwing and Hermes Floral.

In 2020, the harvesting community expressed deep gratitude for the 1030 Presbyterian congregations that those of you who chose to keep your orders in place despite the tohubohu. And for the Presbyterian Hunger Program it was so inspiring to see that from utter chaos came an abundance of creativity.

As everyone came together in these new ways to protect the health of our communities, we also protected forests, local jobs and sustainable livelihoods in the harvesting communities. Community members in the Maya Biosphere Reserve sort, package and sell the palms themselves — not via middlemen — so more of the money paid for the palms stays with the people who worked the hardest to provide them. Through the Eco-Palms project 25% of the cost of each frond is going directly back to the communities that harvest them.

Rosa Moreno, a member of the Cooperative Carmelita, has been doing quality control for palm selection since 2007. She shares that her work with Eco-Palms has allowed her to contribute financially to the care of her home and children and that she isn’t alone in that. “Everyone, from the harvesters to the transporters to the quality control selectors to the folks who package the palms for shipping, benefits in this way. We particularly thank the churches that annually make a special order. These orders provide a bonus to the communities that contribute to both education and health funds and strengthens the (emergency) fund set aside for the harvesters. Thank you on behalf of the board of directors and the Carmelita Cooperative … for your gesture of kindness in supporting the work of the Palm workers within the Maya Biosphere Reserve.”

The Presbyterian Hunger Program believes in the empowering work of Eco-Palms, perhaps now more than ever. Even though many of us aren’t gathering in a traditional sense, there is still a place for them in your virtual worship, so we hope that you will consider ordering in 2022. Even if you place a smaller order than usual for this Palm Sunday, your orders are still having a big impact. Learn more about the Eco-Palm project here.

Working together, we do make a difference!

Jessica Maudlin, Associate of Sustainable Living and Earth Care Concerns, Presbyterian Hunger Program

Today’s Focus: Eco Palms

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
José Jones, Mission co-worker serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Ray Jones, Director, Theology, Formation & Evangelism, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray

God of Justice, as we prepare to raise our palms in celebration, help us to remember we play an important role in protecting forests, local jobs and sustainable livelihoods in harvesting communities. May your spirit work in us and bring about more compassion, peace and justice. Amen.