Newsline: Congregations encouraged to engage in anti-hunger action this fall

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl
Brumbaugh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

Congregations encouraged to engage in anti-hunger action this fall

(Sept. 14, 2011) Elgin, IL - The general secretary of the Church of the 
Brethren, Stan Noffsinger, has sent a letter to each congregation in the 
denomination encouraging each to engage in some new and specific hunger action 
during this harvest season. The new effort is sponsored by the church's Global 
Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) and the advocacy and peace witness office in 
Washington, D.C. 

"For people of faith, harvest season has been a foremost and festive occasion 
for celebrating the providence of God," said the letter, dated Sept. 8. 
"Through its mission and service ministries, the Church of the Brethren has 
long been a creative force in feeding the hungry. 

"From now 'til Thanksgiving, the themes of harvest and hunger will resound on 
many fronts. During this season I encourage each Church of the Brethren 
congregation to engage in at least one new action that addresses the mounting 
hunger in our nation and world," the letter continued, in part.

The letter listed a number of options for action against hunger that a 
congregation may consider, such as a special offering on World Food Day on 
Sunday, Oct. 16, to the Global Food Crisis Fund designated for drought victims 
in the Horn of Africa; or speaking publicly on federal, state, and local 
budgets that impact the hungry, forming a "circle of protection" around the 
most vulnerable; or taking the Food Stamp Challenge of eating on just $4.50 a 
day, and applying the savings to causes that strengthen food security.

Find out more about the effort and link to resources at 
www.brethren.org/hunger. 

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing 
the work of
Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. The 
denomination is based
in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic 
Peace Churches. It
celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 123,000 members across 
the United
States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, 
Brazil, the Dominican
Republic, Haiti, and India.

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org