ELCA NEWS SERVICE
September 25, 2007
ELCA World Hunger Leaders Meet, Discuss 'Challenge' 07-155- LL*
COLUMBUS, Ohio (ELCA) -- Lutherans striving to end hunger in the world were encouraged to take the "Food Stamp Challenge" at the 2007 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) World Hunger Synod Leadership Gathering held this summer at The Ohio State University here. The gathering brought together about 140 leaders from across the church's 65 synods to discuss world hunger and related topics under the theme, "Stirring the Waters."
The "Food Stamp Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for members of ELCA congregations (and synods), campus ministries and outdoor ministries to understand what it means to live on food stamps in the United States," said Christopher Carpenter, program associate, ELCA World Hunger Program. "The challenge (calls for) each member of the church to live for one week on the national average allowance or benefit for food stamps, which is $1 per meal, per person."
Carpenter said that would amount to a $21 food budget for a week for one person. "That is the challenge. Can $1 really curb your hunger? That's the reality for 25 million Americans, who are living on food stamps in the United States," he said.
Participants also considered the advocacy component of the Food Stamp Challenge. "The first step is to take the challenge. The second is to advocate among members of U.S. Congress to raise the minimum allowance for Food Stamps," Carpenter said.
The topic of food stamps is directly tied to U.S. Farm Bill legislation that is being debated by Congress, he said. A third component is to make a contribution to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. And finally, the third step is to build awareness of those who live in poverty and encounter hunger -- pray for people and take action, he said.
The event included workshops on topics ranging from reducing hunger in Ohio to the Farm Bill and hunger education, and from scarcity of water resources to global warming. Plenary speakers included Priscilla Singh, executive secretary, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Women in Church and Society, and various ELCA World Hunger staff. The Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director, ELCA Global Mission, Chicago, led vespers, and the Rev. George S. Johnson, San Marcos, Calif., author of the book, "Intersections, Following Jesus: Encouragement from the Beatitudes for a Troubled World," led a devotion. - - -
Information about the 2007 World Hunger Synod Leadership Gathering and the Food Stamp Challenge is at http://www.ELCA.org/hunger and http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy on the ELCA Web site.
A video news release about the gathering is available at http://www.ELCA.org/news/video.html on the Web site.
*Lauren A. Lamb is a senior public relations and speech communication major at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. This summer she was in 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