Holly Springs Baptist Church in Franklin, NC is taking their congregation’s spiritual and physical health seriously. The church established a wellness committee to identify and lead their congregation in several faith and health based initiatives. Their goal, in addition to increasing overall wellness, is to be the first church in WNC to earn a Gold Level Certification from Partners in Health and Wholeness. Partners in Health and Wholeness is an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, designed to bridge issues of faith and health together.
Holly Springs earned its Bronze, and then Silver, Level Certification by hosting health related classes; starting a sports league; creating a walking trail at the church; designating the church as a non-smoking area; having pastors who model good health by maintaining a healthy weight; creating a community garden which provided food for a recovery ministry; participating in Senior Games and Health Fair; and healthy cooking classes. In order to earn their Gold certification, the church will mentor other churches to help them reach Bronze status. Holly Springs was the first church in western North Carolina to receive Silver Status.
The process started when they began to offer health education and healthy eating programs such as First Place 4 Life and Lighten Up 4 Life. Macon County Public Health (MCPH) health and nutrition educators taught healthy cooking classes and provided nutrition services for young parents. The church also established a breast feeding room at the church, making it easier for mothers to care for their babies during service.
In 2011, the church participated in the Walk to Jerusalem program. This faith based program works to increase the physical, spiritual and emotional health of participants. To prepare for the program, MCPH provided pre- and post- event health screenings to participants. To complete the program the congregation had to walk 6,348 miles. The program was a huge success; the church logged 7,142 miles. To accomplish this goal, a walking area was marked off outside and inside the church. This walking area is still available today and is accessible to the community.
The wellness committee reached out to Macon County Public Health to host Faithful Families Eating Smart and Moving More program. The Faithful Families program promotes healthy eating and physical activity in communities of faith. Holly Springs is the first church in Western North Carolina to offer this program to it’s congregation.
Holly Springs Baptist Church shows how a community can come together to support each other and work towards making the healthy choice the easy choice. For more information, please contact MCPH Community Health Promotion Supervisor Dawn Wilde Burgess at [email protected].