Rising Hope's new greenhouse to make debut at open house

With the help of the Arcadia Center for Food and Sustainable Agriculture, Rising Hope Mission Church is putting the finishing touches on its new greenhouse, which will be used to grow food for community members and teach them about gardening. 

The greenhouse and other parts of Rising Hope's newly renovated facility will be open for the public to view and tour during the church's open house on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The event will also feature music, art, games, hotdogs and hamburgers. Staff members will be on hand to provide information about Rising Hope's community services and needs.

The church's pastor, Kameron Wilds, said he has several aspirations for the new greenhouse.

"It is our hope that it will become a space designed to encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to gather, connect and share in life together around the cultivation of food," he said. 

Wilds added that the congregation hopes to provide guests with direct access to a larger supply of fresh produce through its food market, located in the basement of the church. The harvest also will be used in Rising Hope's daily kitchen operations.

"We also hope to use the greenhouse as a means of educating ourselves and the larger community around the goodness of God’s creation through getting our hands grounded in the dirt together," said Wilds.

Rising Hope Mission Church is located at 8220 Russell Road in Alexandria.