Greeting Holy People of God,
God’s work. Our hands. We have looked at this for many weeks, lifting up and recognizing the many organizations and ministries that we partner with as a community of faith and also individually. Thank you for sharing the ways you reach beyond our walls, following Jesus’ example whether that be as individuals or partnering with other groups. Another way we enjoy God’s work through our hands is through organizations that reach around the world bringing God’s work of mercy and love through hands that partner with us. ELCA World Hunger is one of those hands as well as Lutheran Disaster Relief.
“For 50 years we have joined together as Lutherans to address the root causes of hunger and poverty around the world through ELCA World Hunger. Part of our church’s long tradition of meeting human needs, ELCA World Hunger testifies to our hope for and commitment to God’s promise of a time when we will hunger and thirst no more. In 2024 we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of this ministry. We have made great strides, but once again we face a startling increase in global hunger. As we reflect on our last 50 years of ministry together, we know God calls us to respond to the needs of the world now more than ever. Will you join us?
“ELCA World Hunger walks alongside communities in 64 countries — including the United States — to create unique solutions to specific challenges. With your help, our church can grow its support for our most vulnerable neighbors in a changing world.
“I can proudly say I am now able to run successful projects without fear of failure. My family lacks nothing, I have all that I once dreamt of having, and I am a proud mother.” —RUMBIDZAI TOMU, Zimbabwe
“With support from ELCA World Hunger, Rumbidzai received the tools and training she needed to begin raising poultry. Her family can now afford to eat three meals a day, and she has been able to send her four children to school.” (HW50 Brochure 2024)
Let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 1 John 3:18
This past Tuesday, October 14, Bishop Current and ELCA Vice President, Imran Siddiqui hosted the World Food Day celebration looking back on the last 50 years and looking to the future together. The video will be available to watch soon. I hope you will watch it.
At our synod assembly in May, retired pastor, member of Gloria Dei and former Assistant to the Bishop, Paul Ostrem, put forth a resolution on behalf of the 50th Anniversary of ELCA World Hunger. As he spoke for this resolution, he encouraged each and everyone of us to give a gift of $50 (or more) in celebration of the ministry and work of ELCA World Hunger. I am going to do that and I invite you to as well. You may send your gift through the church or directly to ELCA World Hunger.
$50 for 50 Years of ELCA World Hunger!
If we give $50, we can:
· Provide a community with five fruit-tree seedlings ($50).
· Help a farmer grow their garden with new tools, seeds and agricultural training ($50).
If we give $50 x 2, we can:
· Serve 50 people at a variety of feeding ministries ($100).
If we give $50 x 10, we can:
· Provide a family with a cow, which produces nutritious, calcium-packed milk ($500).
· Empower four women to build a new business that will create a steady source of income and help their families escape poverty ($500).
If we give $50 x 50 we can:
· Provide clean, safe water for as many as 500 families ($2,500).
Let’s see what we can do in celebrating 50 years of ELCA World Hunger.
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
