Aldersgate - A Vegan-Friendly Church

"Despite all the problems of our times, I remain hopeful. More and more people are seeing the wisdom of nonviolence, including the wisdom of vegetarianism. In the U.S. alone, more than 1 million people adopt a vegetarian diet every year. As these trends gain momentum, they will have dramatic and positive consequences for our health, our environment, animal welfare, human rights, and, indeed, our disposition toward compassion and nonviolence.

Fr. John Dear, S.J.

Several of our Aldersgate families have adopted a strict vegetarian lifestyle. This is known as veganism -- no meat, dairy, or eggs. Through workshops and classes on vegetarianism and healthy eating offered at Aldersgate over the past few years, our congregation has become knowledgeable about individuals who have chosen to eat a plant-based diet and why*. Many of our members have decided to pursue a healthier, kinder lifestyle, and although they may not be strict vegans, they are learning to incorporate more vegan options into their diets. In response, our congregation has become inclusive and sensitive by offering alternative choices for meals we share at church functions. We celebrate how blessed we are as a church family.

For more information on the benefits of a healthy vegan diet, or if you are interested in attending a workshop on vegetarian living, please contact us at aumc-education@comcast.net.

*This is list of just some of the problems that can be cured or helped with a change to a vegan diet: overweight/obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, headaches, and allergies, not to mention animal cruelty and the destruction of the environment. It is worth checking out!

Recommended Videos, Books, and Websites

Videos:

Forks Over Knives (available at Blockbuster and Netflix)
Any of Dr. McDougall's videos, which can be found at his website www.drmcdougall.com
Eating (found at www.ravediet.com)

Books:

The McDougall Program by John A. McDougall, M.D.
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD
Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
The Food Revolution by John Robbins
Food for Life by Neal Barnard, M.D.
The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn
The Pleasure Trap by Douglas J. Lisle and Alan Goldhamer
Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell B. Esselstyn, M.D.
Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease by Dean Ornish, M.D.
Forks Over Knives edited by Gene Stone
The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone
Keep it Simple, Keep it Whole: Your Guide to Optimum Health by Alona Pulde, MD and Matthew Lederman, MD

Cookbooks:

The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook and The New McDougall Cookbook by John A. McDougall, M.D. & Mary McDougall
The Health Promoting Cookbook by Alan Goldhamer
Vegan Vittles by Jo Stepaniak
Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson
How it All Vegan by Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer
Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Mosowitz
Simple Treats by Ellen Abraham
May All Be Fed by John Robbins
Veganomicon by Isa Moskowitz & Terry Romero

Websites:

drmcdougall.com            Dr. McDougall
drfuhrman.com               Dr. Fuhrman
diseaseproof.com           Dr. Fuhrman
pcrm.org                         Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
healthscience.org           National Health Association
ravediet.com                   “Eating” video
fatfreevegan.com            Recipes
fatfree.com                      Recipes
happyherbivore.com        Recipes
farmsanctuary.org           Farm Sanctuary
vegweb.com                    Recipes
veganyumyum.com          Recipes
thevegetariansite.com      Recipes, store, vegan info.
veganstore.com                Vegan store, including food products
happycow.net                   List of vegan/veg stores, restaurants, etc. across US
jesusveg.com                    Christianity and veganism
christianveg.com               Christianity and veganism