Title: ELCA Presiding Bishop Addresses Synod Hunger Leaders ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 28, 2006
ELCA Presiding Bishop Addresses Synod Hunger Leaders 06-088-KH*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), addressed the ELCA World Hunger Synod Leadership Gathering June 26 in Techny, Ill. More than 100 synod hunger leaders representing 47 of the ELCA's 65 synods gathered June 24-27 to discuss the fight to end world hunger.
Hanson offered nine challenges that synod hunger leaders can consider in their work with hunger and poverty. He encouraged synod leaders to build upon the generous response from members of the church toward recent natural disasters to sustain a pattern of giving in the area of hunger relief.
"Poverty in the midst of affluence is a disaster," Hanson said. "Hunger in a world that has the capacity but not the will to bring (hunger) to an end is a moral human disaster."
Hanson challenged participants to prepare strategically for the upcoming fall elections and to "do it in a way that is clear that ending hunger, reducing poverty and eradicating disease are bipartisan issues," he said. In addition to confronting candidates with "hard questions," Hanson stressed the importance of asking candidates for commitments, and helping elected officials follow through on their commitments to end poverty, hunger and disease.
Hanson addressed the importance of connecting to the ministries of Lutheran churches or "companion synods" around the world in order to "learn from them the reality of hunger, the reality of poverty, the reality of disease, and in that relationship, build a commitment to eradicate those together," he said.
In an age of massive deception, Hanson called on synod leaders to be truth-tellers. "Fear drives us to become preoccupied with defining boundaries, fortifying borders and erecting barriers," he said. The church's role, according to Hanson, is to create a safe space for civil conversation.
Other issues Hanson addressed included the need to connect hunger and poverty to the "complex public debate about immigration," the importance of congregations cultivating "a sustained community of public moral discernment and deliberation," the church's responsibility to engage in public acts of repentance and lament, and the necessity of connecting spiritual hunger with the hunger for food, justice and peace.
"Holding together a faith that matters and a faith that makes a difference is the bridge that we need to walk across," Hanson said.
Hanson concluded his presentation by addressing the importance of influencing public consciousness in an age of information overload. Throughout his presentation, Hanson highlighted the importance of the ONE Campaign and the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. The ONE Campaign is an effort to rally Americans to the cause of ending poverty and achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and create a global partnership for development.
In addition to Hanson's presentation, the gathering featured workshops, plenary sessions and an experiential learning opportunity. Workshop topics included speaking effectively about hunger, lifestyle stewardship, congregational fundraising, building hunger networks in synods and creative hunger programs. Plenary session topics focused on leadership development, including biblical and theological foundations for hunger work, the qualities of good leaders and how to work in a variety of community contexts.
"The gathering is meant to bring together our synod hunger leaders from around the country for a time of renewal, inspiration, training and learning about the work of the world hunger program, so that they can be equipped to go back out into their synods and do the work of this program," said Nancy Arnison, director, ELCA World Hunger Program. That work includes "involving the congregations in their synods with helping to raise money for world hunger, advocating for justice and world hunger issues, and educating in their congregations," she said.
The gathering featured a field trip to Waukegan, Ill., that allowed synod leaders to look at how communities face hunger and to hear from community officials, said Bob Sitze, director for hunger education, ELCA Church in Society.
"This is a very exciting time to work on world hunger because we live in an era where we know that chronic, extreme hunger is not inevitable," Arnison said. "We know that this is a solvable problem, we know the strategies that work for long-term development and we know that the resources exist on this planet for everyone to have adequate nutrition. But what it will take is the political will, the will of each one of us to do our part and the will of our governments to do their parts," she said.
Individuals can play a significant role just by examining their lifestyles, Arnison said. Purchasing decisions, energy consumption, the clothing we wear and our contributions to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal can make a huge difference, she said.
For every dollar given to the annual World Hunger Appeal, just over 71 cents is allocated for relief of chronic hunger and poverty and development of communities around the world. About 10 cents is spent on relief and development for chronic hunger and poverty in the United States. Education programs for ELCA members about hunger issues and advocacy receive just over 11 cents, and less than 7 cents goes to administration and fund- raising expenses.
"We're not just giving people food," Arnison said. "We are helping people learn sustainable agriculture so that they can feed themselves. We're helping people become educated so that they can contribute to their own livelihoods. We're helping people lift themselves out of chronic poverty," she said.
All funds raised by the ELCA World Hunger Appeal come through specially designated offerings and donations from ELCA members, congregations and friends. The appeal surpassed its 2005 goal of $16.5 million and received $17 million in donations. The income goal for 2006 is $17.5 million. The World Hunger Appeal helps provide the core budgets of two ELCA partner organizations -- Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). LWR, Baltimore, is an overseas relief and development ministry of the ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The LWF is a global communion representing 62.3 million of the world's nearly 65.4 million Lutherans. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
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Information about the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Program is available at http://www.ELCA.org/hunger on the Web.
*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog