Remember the Poor

We often close our worship with a phrase such as "Remember the Poor - Go and serve God". Organizations such as Free Rice, Bread for the World, America's Second Harvest, Mercy Corps, Feinstein Foundation and One is Greater than None are working to end hunger in the world. As we pray and fast during these 50 days of Easter, let's "remember the poor". A basket will be in the Narthex each Sunday.

Bread for the World: Individuals and churches, working together to make a difference in the lives of those affected by hunger and poverty.

When Jesus first began his ministry he read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19, NSRV

Bread for the World (BFW), is an organization through which people speak out on behalf of those who are hungry. Through my work with BFW, I have learned and have come to appreciate how much can be done to reduce hunger through federal nutrition programs and changes in government policies. As late as the 1960's, severe malnutrition on par with that found in the developing world existed in the United States. After this was brought to the attention of national policymakers, federal nutrition programs were developed and expanded. In 1977 physicians again conducted a study of some of the poorest communities in our country and found far fewer grossly malnourished people than had been found 10 years earlier. This fact was attributed to the Food Stamp Program, school lunch and breakfast programs, and other federally sponsored programs rather than any improvement in living standards or decrease in joblessness.

I became active with BFW in 1976. During my early years, I spent a lot of time calling representatives and asking them to improve funding for the Food Stamp Program, the WIC program, or for increased aid to Africa. We used phone trees as our mode of contact, where each person would call several others to pass the message on to call about a certain issue going through Congress. Now days this contact is done by e-mail.

Currently I serve as the 2nd District Coordinator for BFW and as a member of the St. Louis Chapter of BFW which meets once a month. At these meetings we discuss hunger issues and study the Hunger Report BFW puts out each year. We have made several visits to senators' offices and had a conference call with aides in Washington. On occasion, our members also write editorials which have been published by the newspaper in the past concerning hunger issues.

We also host a yearly Offering of Letters workshop through which we encourage people to do an offering of letters in their church. People usually present the idea first to their minister, and than to a committee which helps them with the project. BFW provides a kit and also provides church bulletins for the offering. Tables are often set up where people come for coffee between services and people are encouraged to write letters on a specific hunger issue. To learn more, visit the BFW web site at: www.bread.org.

I often pose these questions to others: "If people of faith will not speak out about hunger issues than who will?" "What would things be like if the church had remained silent on child labor, slavery, or the civil rights movement?"

I thank all the individuals and churches of the Central States Synod, ELCA, that have participated in this ministry effort to support people who live in chronic poverty and hunger around the corner and around the world.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
Edmund Burke, January, 1795.

Gayle Lyles
Bread for the World
2nd District Coordinator
Missouri
October 19, 2007

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." Hebrews 13:16 (NSRV)

Stirred to Action - Global Concerns Group at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lawrence, KS Speaks Up for the Hungry and Poor

Hunger and poverty exist in developing countries, as well as in our country. This issue should stir us to action. Our Lutheran church has been in the forefront in helping hungry and poor people through Lutheran World Relief, especially since WWII.

The ELCA World Hunger Appeal works through Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and Lutheran World Federation (LWF) as well as assisting with domestic concerns and providing education. Our congregation cooperates with these efforts through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) as well as locally with both LINK (Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen) and a community food pantry. We see our efforts to help others as a tremendous opportunity to witness to our faith as we follow Jesus' example.

Trinity Lutheran Church in Lawrence, Kansas formed a Global Concerns Group in 2003 which seeks to educate about world hunger and justice issues. Concerted efforts have also been made to promote giving to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. This led us to working with Bread for the World (BFW), in advocating for legislation that helps hungry people in the U.S. and worldwide. BFW is a Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. By changing policies, programs and conditions that foster hunger and poverty, BFW speaks up to provide help and opportunities far beyond our communities.

Both individuals as well as congregations can be a member of BFW. One person in our group has been a member for over 25 years. Trinity became a Covenant Congregation of BFW, which means we make an annual monetary contribution, participate in the annual Offering of Letters, and advocate for issues of concern. Several people became involved in calling, writing and e-mailing to our senators and congressmen throughout the year. The President of BFW is David Beckman, a Lutheran pastor.

Each year BFW chooses a specific project. In 2006 members focused on fighting extreme poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS in the developing world. We lobbied the U.S. Congress for significant budget increases in poverty-focused development assistance, in order to keep our nation's promises to the world's hungry and poor people.

At the September 2000 U.N. Millennium Summit meeting, 189 countries--including the U.S.--agreed to eight time-bound and measurable goals and targets for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women by 2015. These have come to be known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Chancellor Robert Hemenway of the University of Kansas, a Trinity member, attended the U.N. Millennium Summit in 2000. We were fortunate to have him talk about these goals during the education hour in the spring of 2006. His interest and concern extends now to a special class he leads at KU that focuses on poverty, as it relates to the Millennium Development Goals.

This year our Offering of 89+ Letters focused on improvements to the renewal of the U.S. Farm Bill. This Bill covers many areas: subsidies, food stamps, nutrition programs, helping rural communities and also helping farmers in developing countries. We are advocating for a just Farm Bill that helps small and average farmers and not just big agriculture companies. This is the third year we have made an Offering of Letters. We write letters one Sunday and bring them to the altar the next Sunday.

Members of our Global Concerns Group also cooperate with three other Lawrence churches on Bread for the World issues. We had a "Hunger Banquet" in 2005 with our ecumenical friends in Lawrence: Plymouth Congregation Church, First Presbyterian Church, and St. John's Catholic Church. The supper design came from OXFAM, a development, relief, and campaigning organization that works with others to overcome poverty and suffering around the world. During the banquet, we were able to experience something of what the many hungering people suffer. With our BFW ecumenical partners in 2006 we arranged a conversation with Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas in his Topeka office. Plans are underway for a community workshop pertaining to next year's Offering of Letters campaign. Elise Young, the Regional Organizer for BFW will be working with the local ecumenical groups to organize this upcoming event.

Imagine what an impact we could have as Christians/Lutherans if we had more voices to speak up for the hungry and poor. Join us and others by contacting Bread for the World either at their website: www.bread.org, by telephone at: 202-639-9400 or by mail at: Bread for the World, 50 F Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20001.

Janice Conrad
Global Concerns
Trinity Lutheran Church
Lawrence, KS
November 9, 2007

"Lord, when did we see you hungry?" Matthew 25:37

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