Churches and Healthy Communities Project

Beginning last winter our congregation began a partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Dr. Nathan West. Nathan is leading a study entitled “Promoting Healthy Communities through Sustainable Faith Community Research Partnerships in Alaska” which seeks to engage congregations as “lay scientists” to promote health and well-being within our faith communities. 

A small group from our congregation met with Nathan and his student assistant Megan Waddell three times over the winter to visually survey our church. We used pictures to tell the story of how our congregation does (or does not) promote spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health and wellness.

Out of the small group’s work came three goals:

1. Community outreach and involvement with our garden. Deedee and Don have already been building a more robust relationship with Turnagain Elementary School to teach students about gardening. How else can we build partnerships to expand access to fresh produce for our neighbors and those served by Beans Cafe?

2. Conduct a congregation health-needs assessment (via this linked survey). What holistic health needs exist within our congregation? 

3. Host a fall community health fair based on results of the congregation health-needs assessment involving community health partners. TUMC will then advertise and market in the community. Our congregation’s needs are likely very similar to the needs of many of our neighbors.

Churches are important community spaces and places and our life together has significant impacts on our congregation’s spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical well-being. But of course we believe that in everything we do, we are called to positively impact those beyond ourselves as well. This partnership provides rich opportunities to do just that. We hope you will participate, first by completing the assessment linked below.

Survey Link