Churches of the Presbytery of Philadelphia reporting on World Food Day Sunday plans

As Hunger Action Enabler for the Presbytery of Philadelphia, I have asked churches to report to me what they are doing (about hunger) for World Food Day! Feel free to join them!

Pastor Preaching on Hunger during Sunday Morning Worship Service
Bethel Presbyterian Church, 1900 W York Street, North Philadelphia, 215-228-0328,
Rev. Jade Bass

Newtown Square Presbyterian Church, 3600 Goshen Road, Newtown Square, 610-356-8063, Rev. Lydia Rappaport

Summit Presbyterian Church, 6757 Greene Street, Mt. Airy Phila, 215-438-2825,
Rev. Cheryl Pyrch

Sunday Worship Service to include hunger-related prayers or liturgy
Church on the Mall, 500 W Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, 610-825-3388,
Rev. Phil Olson

Worship Service celebrating urban mission partnership
Wayne Presbyterian Church, 125 E Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, 610-688-8700,
Rev. Casey Thompson

Children's Christian Education doing a rotation on hunger
Morrisville Presbyterian Church, 771 N Pennsylvania Avenue, Morrisville, 215-295-4191,
Director of Christian Education Katy Yates-Brubaker

CROP Walks occurring in our communities (World Food Day afternoon)
Main Line CROP Walk (including Ardmore Presbyterian Church and Penn Wynne Presbyterian Church);
Swarthmore-Wallingford CROP Walk (including Swarthmore Presbyterian Church)

For details on CROP Walks:
https://secure2.convio.net/cws/site/SPageServer?pagename=crop_main

World Food Day resources

This Sunday, October 16, is World Food Day! I will do a separate post on what I know about churches of the Presbytery, who are doing something on World Food Day, to raise awareness about or take action against a part of the problem of hunger that is in our region, as well as elsewhere in the world. This post will provide links to websites for resources for World Food Day Sunday worship services and similar undertakings. If you find yourself reading this after World Food Day, please do not hesitate to lift up hunger in your worshiping community, on another date this fall. With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming, we are not short on reasons to make sure that people understand the need that others are experiencing.

Bread for the World Sunday Reflection Resource:
www.bread.org/help/church/bread-sunday/bread-sunday-2011-reflection.pdf

• An excellent essay on the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel passage for October 16, 2011 (Matthew 22:15-22), along with suggested prayers and worship resources.

Church World Service:
www.churchworldservice.org/site/PageServer?pagename=action_what_food_examples_wfd

• Prayers and other materials for sharing together a meal and conversation about hunger.

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance worship and study resources for World Food Day and Churches' Week of Action on Food: www.e-alliance.ch/en/s/food/2011-churches-week-of-action-on-food

• Gives consideration to global food issues.

Food Sovereignty for All Handbook: www.pcusa.org/blogs/foodfaith/2011/4/29/web-hand

• Steps that churches can take to help ensure "food sovereignty" (the right of all people to grow and have access to their own food) in our communities.

Jubilee USA: www.jubileeusa.org/en/get-active/jubilee-congregations/jubilee-sunday.html

• Jubilee Sunday resources, for this year and from prior years, for supporting debt relief for impoverished nations.

INQUIRER: HUNGER GRIPS PA.'S FIRST DISTRICT, REPORT FINDS

A report released last week by FRAC ( the Food Research and Action Center) shocked many with its news of the increased impact of hunger on families in this country, but especially in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District, which includes Kensington, parts of North and South Philadelphia, and Chester. PA's First Congressional District ranks as the second hungriest place for families in the US, with half of the families in the district reporting not having enough to eat.

This sobering report encourages us to stay awake to the problem of hunger in our communities, especially here in the City. It also draws attention to the pending legislation/actions in the US Congress that could effect the ring of protection, the safety net supports to those struggling with economic need.

Stay awake is the message! Write to congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle encouraging wisdom and restraint. Write, call, email. Take action and read the complete Inquirer article here...

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The emotional effects of hunger on children

Sometimes Al Lubrano's articles on hunger are printed so close together - we forget to share them here with you. Thankfully, the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger keeps track of all the articles on hunger and posts them on their website. Click here to read the stories of children in the area who are noticing their parents' sacrifices.

In addition to personal stories of hungry families, Al explores how these families' budgets compare to others around the country and around the world. Ironically, families who are food insecure are spending a HIGHER percentage of their income than most people on food.

Many anti-hunger organizations promote the concept of a food stamp challenge. Perhaps another approach towards better understanding the realities of a low-income budget would involve doubling or even tripling our monthly food budget - setting that extra money aside - and then seeing what other things we would have to go without if we were actually required to spend all of that money on food.

Among cuts in federal budget proposal: Funds for poor seniors' food

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Al Lubrano is at it again with a new piece on hunger.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is on the chopping block, with a proposed cut of 22%. This small program is aimed at filling a hunger gap - seniors who are living on very low fixed incomes, but have chosen not to receive SNAP (food stamp) benefits. One small box a month - 12 meals worth - can really make a difference.

Many seniors are eligible for SNAP but do not apply. They often find the application daunting (which it is!) and are also weary of receiving "welfare" - and thus feel more comfortable receiving this box from their local food pantry, even though it too is government funded. But this phenomenon is often missed by policymakers, who see SNAP and the CSFP only as a duplication of efforts.

Thank you Al for helping us see the full story. Stories such as these are exactly what we all need to pass on to our elected officials.

World Food Day 2011 Effort

Dear friends in faith, 

The Prayer Breakfast for Hunger Free Communities was successful in bringing attention to the problem of hunger in Philadelphia. But it was only the beginning of efforts to address the unacceptably high levels of hunger in our city. As people of various faith traditions, we know we are all called to not only feed the hungry, but to advocate for a just distribution of the abundance of creation. We are in unique positions in our communities not only to pray and feed, but also to educate and organize for change.

As part of the continued effort we are looking forward to World Food Day, on Sunday, October 16, 2011. During the Sabbaths of that weekend, we hope that congregations throughout the Philadelphia region will focus on hunger during their worship services.

There are three possibilities we have planned to connect to World Food Day:

Host a Guest Preacher/Speaker:

We can provide congregations with a preacher or speaker for your Sabbath worship connected to the weekend of World Food Day. Register to host a guest preacher. 

Be a Guest Preacher:

We will match guest preachers who have registered and that we have trained with host congregations for the weekend of October 16. Register to be a guest preacher. 

Receive Special Preacher/Speaker Training (same as Guest Preachers) for your own congregation:

If you or someone you know would like to be trained, register for a workshop on "Preaching on Hunger," on Friday, September 23, from 1-5 pm at The Brossman Center on the campus of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP). The preaching professor from LTSP,  the Rev. Dr. Karyn L. Wiseman, will lead the session and will equip participants to preach on World Food Day in the context of your own tradition. You will learn how to choose texts for the day and work with them, as well as effective homiletical approaches. You will also get helpful up-to-date information about local hunger from Diane Loucks, who has been instrumental in developing City Soup, has researched the issue for Mayor Nutter, and has been a leading advocate in Philadelphia. This workshop will be open to those wanting to preach in their own congregations as well as those willing to serve as guest preachers. Register to attend the preaching workshop. 

We look forward to your participation!

Two articles of interest:

From Monday's Inquirer: Campbell corporate exec. fights hunger/obesity.

And from last month's New York Times, an article about food policy in Detroit.

Detroit is rebuilding - and it's rebuilding with food at the center... because "it's something everyone can agree on". While I think the same is true in Philadelphia, and across the country, why can't we do something about it? Without being at the crisis level of Detroit (although Philadelphia is practically there, we just haven't quite publicly acknowledged it) - how do we build a movement?