International Health Fair Draws the Community

Contributed by Angeline D. Brauer, Health Ministries Co-director at Ellicott City Church

Health Fairs are a common tool used by churches to connect with their communities.  Seventh-day Adventist Churches, in particular, often use banners that discuss various lifestyle-based approaches to prevention and support of healing.   The health ministries team of the Ellicott City Seventh-day Adventist Church (ECC), however, took a different approach for their 2024 HealthyYOU Community Fair.

Jonathan Brauer, co-director for health ministries, shared the idea of giving the health fair an “international” focus.  ECC had previously hosted several International Sabbaths, which were very much enjoyed by the church membership.  It highlighted one of the strengths of the local church — the wide cultural diversity that makes up its membership.  With this idea in hand, the team set out to provide a health fair that had a strong international and cultural perspective.

The idea was equally inspired by the interest in Blue Zones® — a discovery by researchers at National Geographic magazine.  This concept explored the health behaviors that lead to longevity in various regions of the world, identifying secrets to not only living longer, but also to living better.  Loma Linda, California, which has a large population of members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was named as one of the original five locations around the world with the healthiest, happiest, and longest-lived persons.

In order to bring this to the ECC health fair, the planning team decided to offer a wide variety of healthy foods from around the world.  Through the recruiting efforts of two skilled individuals, Sherry-Ann Alexander and Cheryl Ramkisoon, numerous church members volunteered to provide foods from the countries they represent.  General guidelines were provided in order to maintain the health focus, and the church membership did not disappoint!  Foods represented six regions of the world: Africa, Asia/South Pacific, Caribbean, Central/South America, North America, and Mediterranean.  The over 40 different dishes received enthusiastic praise from attendees, and enough was available at the end of the program for many to take meals home.

It was also important to offer free health screenings, health talks, and other health resources during the event.  ECC was able to enlist support from the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center to provide free blood pressure screening, stroke risk assessment, body mass index screening, and pre-diabetes risk assessment.  They also shared resources for individuals who needed further care.  Free hearing screenings were also provided by a member of ECC.

A bioelectrical impedance machine was also offered from the North American Division Health Ministries Department.  After a short training, volunteer staff were able to help individuals learn more about their muscle mass, fat mass, and body water.  Results also shared the distribution of where the fat was located on the body, which is a key indicator of the health risks associated with body fat.

A key highlight were the “Tent Talks” — a variety of brief health presentations shared by medical professionals who are members at ECC.  Topics included how to create your own Blue Zone, obesity, diabetes prevention, stress management, and information on everyday household toxins.  The outdoor tent provided a welcoming environment for attendees to stop and hear the 15-20 minute presentations.

Under the guidance of Debbie Rivera, Associate Pastor of ECC, children’s activities were also provided, include face painting and arts and crafts.  The youth and young adults at ECC were also a key part of the activities, providing fun for the children and support for the other booths throughout the day.  One youth, Ms. Tolulope Oluwafemi, was exceptionally inspiring as she shared her high school research poster on food as medicine for treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Adults and children alike were also able to visit with Emme — the teaching bus from the Emmanuel Brinklow Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Through interactive stations within the bus, attendees learned about the human body, how food is healing, and also have a bit of fun in the kitchen.

Additional stations included ministries at the church that were of interest to the community, a local Pets on Wheels group, bouncy house activities for kids, LivingWell Adventist Book Center, mortgage and insurance resources, free chair massages, and the Spanish ministry of ECC.  At the check-out station, attendees were offered free books and literature on health and spiritual topics, as well as opportunities to connect with the Personal Ministries of the church.

The engagement from the community was overwhelming.  Over 500 individuals pre-registered for the event through the online registration system and event posting on social media, indicating that this event struck a chord with the community.  Many families used this time as their outing for the weekend, some staying through the entire open hours.

An exit survey was taken as attendees left the health fair, which shows that the most enjoyed parts of the event included the food, health screenings, Tent Talks, and meeting people.  We were also able to learn that many community members were interested in future cooking classes, classes on specific health topics, and mental and emotional health classes.

One of the most wonderful results from the HealthyYOU Community Fair was that the church was introduced to Barbara (name changed for privacy).  Barbara came to the fair because she was experiencing loneliness and isolation.  She came to connect, and that was what happened.  Barbara even stayed behind to help clean up, but it seems that she found so much more.  Barbara attended church the following Sabbath, joined the church choir, has since attended an evangelistic series held at the Church, and has been a consistent and regular attendee at ECC.

“We are excited to have met a need in the community,” said Pastor Matthew Piersanti, lead pastor at ECC.  “The Ellicott City Church wants to make meaningful connections with our community, and the health fair was a key part of our cycle of evangelism and outreach ministries.  We are looking forward to more activities from our health ministries team.”

Pastor Debbie, who met regularly with the health ministries team for the planning of the health fair remarked on the impact the event had on the church.  “I was encouraged by the widespread involvement of church members.  So many were present to help set up the many tents and equipment, prepare and provide the delicious foods, and run the different stations.  We were truly together in mission, and it affected us and the community in positive ways.”

In a follow-up meeting, the ECC health team members shared the joys and challenges of the event.  This was only the second health fair conducted by the church and much was learned in the process.  The positive response from the community and church members alike gives courage to host the “international food and family fun fair” again in future, and the team is already looking at simple ways to make it even more engaging, informative, and inspiring.