Build exercise trails around the edges of their properties, Butler said. Switch to low-calorie meals at church suppers. Serve fruit instead of doughnuts in committee meetings. Form weight-loss support groups. Organize aerobics classes in social halls.
Some congregations have a head start.
The group asks experts to talk to the congregation about important health issues, such as diabetes management. The church also has two basketball teams for young people, said the Rev. Walter Johnson, the pastor. Congregation members have even bigger plans. Rosa Johnson, the pastor's wife, plans to organize exercise classes for senior citizens this summer. The Baptist association already has begun compiling a booklet with sermon ideas and scriptural references to exercise and eating right, said Jody Stones, cardiovascular health coordinator for the health department.