Last week, the ELCA Churchwide Assembly took action be a “sanctuary denomination” – publicly declaring our intent to walk alongside immigrants and refugees as a matter of faith. In response to this action, a well-used question of Martin Luther again began to surface – “what does this mean?”

And yet, just as voting members were returning home and news of this action was traveling far and wide, another announcement also hit the news cycle — a final rule that changes the public charge policies used to determine eligibility for people seeking to immigrate to the United States or to change a current immigration status.

In short, the proposed public charge rule change favors wealthier immigrants and will negatively weigh the use of a wide variety of forms of public assistance, including non-emergency Medicaid for adults, low-income housing assistance and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; formerly called “food stamps”).

While the rule itself has many nuances and implications laid out in the 800-page document, the question again becomes – “what does this mean?”

First, it’s important to remember that this rule change is not aimed at undocumented immigration, though it may have indirect effects on undocumented immigrants. The people most affected by this rule will be potential immigrants applying for visas, current visa-holders seeking to extend their stay and immigrants applying for a change in legal status (for example, applying for permanent residency.)

One of the most immediate consequences may be a sharp drop in the number of people applying for and receiving benefits like Section 8 housing assistance and SNAP. SNAP is one of the most reliable federal safety net programs for helping people facing food insecurity get through tough economic situations. About 11.7 percent of people in the US rely on SNAP, according to the US Census Bureau. Contrary to rhetoric that suggests people receiving public assistance don’t work, about 79 percent of households receiving SNAP in 2017 had at least one person working in the year they received benefits. By contrast, of the households which did not receive SNAP in 2017, about 86.1 percent had at least one worker. The difference is far from huge. Often, households rely on SNAP to supplemental insufficient income or to pay for food when there is no work, such as during seasonal down-times.

In terms of citizenship status, in 2017, 11.2 percent of native-born US citizens relied on SNAP, while 17.1 percent of foreign-born non-citizens received SNAP. It’s important to remember that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for SNAP benefits, and most documented non-citizens working in the US pay taxes that fund SNAP. According to the USDA, in general, non-citizens must meet one or more of the following criteria to be eligible for SNAP (in addition to meeting limits for income): have lived in the country for at least 5 years, be receiving disability-related assistance, or be under the age of 18.

The decrease of SNAP participation is likely to leave food insecure families relying more heavily on community resources, like food pantries, to help meet their needs. But as most folks working in hunger-related ministries know, community responses to hunger cannot match the capacity of governmental responses. So, another likely result is an increase in hunger in communities across the US.

Community

In defense of the rule change, Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, took the opportunity to revise Emma Lazarus’ famous poem etched on the Statue of Liberty. In his rendition, “The New Colossus” reads: “Give me your tired and your poor who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge…” Self-sufficiency, he claimed, should be a litmus test for welcome.

On its surface, self-sufficiency may seem like a worthy ideal. After all, a lot of anti-hunger and anti-poverty organizations doing great work celebrate the steps they help people make toward self-sufficiency.

For the church, though, it is a matter of faith that we are not self-sufficient. One of the most basic tenets of Christian faith is that humans are created as dependent creatures. We depend on God for our creation and sustenance, on one another to meet our basic needs, and on grace for our salvation. We are created to be in community with each other and with God in part because we are not self-sufficient. Our well-being depends on the health of these relationships.

To be a sanctuary church means recognizing the reality of our interdependence. But it also goes a step further. To be a sanctuary church is to offer a different model of community, one in which welcome is extended to all and one in which our vulnerabilities and dependencies are laid bare. The social ethic the church offers is not merely its public voice but its very self – a community where blessings and burdens are shared.

Courage

As Lutherans, we affirm that one of the institutions on which we are dependent is government. Just laws are gifts from God for our safety, peace and well-being. But we also affirm that laws are not good in themselves. They are good insofar as they reflect justice and equity and insofar as they enable well-being within a community.

Providing public benefits is one way well-being is safeguarded in the US. SNAP benefits, for example, ensure that families have the means to obtain the food they need during hard times. Housing assistance equips people facing financial challenges to live in a safe, stable home. Health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid ensure that the most vulnerable neighbors among us will have access to the services they need to survive. And yet, these same programs are the targets of the new DHS rule. Accessing any of these may mean that a non-citizen in the US will be deemed a liability and barred from full participation in the community.

For many people, the prospect of this new rule is frightening. How can one choose between the help they need now and the legal status they may hope for in the future?

Government is no stranger to fear. Indeed, fear is, to some extent, part of the role of government. Paul’s letter to the Romans, so often tossed about as justification for obedience to government, admonishes that “rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad” (Romans 13:3a). But what happens when rulers become a “terror” to all? Several ELCA pastors and leaders have noted the fear that plagues the people in their communities – fear that a visa may be denied or that an application to stay in the US will be rejected.

We need to bear in mind here that this new rule does not impact undocumented immigrants, who are ineligible for the benefits listed in it. This rule will directly affect the millions of non-citizen individuals and families who are trying to do things “right” but need help along the way.

To be a sanctuary church in this context is to refuse to be comfortable when neighbors among us are afflicted. To be a sanctuary church is to recognize that when government becomes a “terror” to “good conduct,” that government is fundamentally broken. To be a sanctuary church is to, in the words of Martin Luther, to rebuke that government “openly and boldly before God and men” (Luther’s Works 13:49). As Luther writes, this is not seditious but “a praiseworthy, noble, and rare virtue, and a particularly great service to God” (Luther’s Works 13:50).

When the well-being of neighbors is threatened, the church is called to hold government to account, not as a matter of politics, but as a matter of faith in the God who institutes government for the well-being of all.

What Can Be Done

State attorneys general have already begun the process of challenging the rule change in court, and there may be opportunities for advocacy in the weeks to come. Until then, here are some steps to take now.

Reach out to local ministries.

Local food pantries and feeding programs are a critical response to hunger in the US, though their capacity cannot match the need addressed through programs like SNAP. As the new rule is implemented, it is likely that many immigrant neighbors will forego SNAP benefits and need to rely more heavily on community interventions like pantries and soup kitchens. Reach out to local ministries to learn more about their needs and ways you can support them.

Listen to neighbors.

Effective responses to hunger start with meaningful, mutual relationships. The rule change, recent enforcement decisions by the federal government and public rhetoric have fostered fear and uncertainty. Take time to listen to neighbors and let them know our church supports them. Try to identify needs that can be addressed in the short-term as we work together for long-term change.

Share information.

If you are the leader of a community ministry, you may have clients who will be impacted by the new rule. It will be important to provide them with accurate, up-to-date information as the date for implementing the rule (October 15) gets closer. Consider developing handouts or posters that communicate information they may need to know. If your ministry involves caseworkers, be sure that they are equipped to handle questions about the rule. The National WIC Association has some helpful resources for clients and staff of community programs. (WIC is not one of the benefits included in the new rule.) The Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign also has some helpful resources, including newly updated pdfs on the public charge rule.

Be the church.

Much of the work to respond to this upcoming change has already been done – through the building of meaningful relationships with neighbors in our communities. But much more work awaits. In this time, we are called to bear witness to a new type of community – a banquet at which all are welcome. As a sanctuary church, the ELCA is committed to continue accompaniment of neighbors facing adversity, uncertainty and fear. This is lived out through local congregations and the ministry they do every day. Yet still, we must continually remind ourselves that hospitality is not an issue of partisan politics but of faith in the God who transcends all “principalities and powers.” To be a sanctuary church is to enter in to the vulnerabilities of our neighbors as if they were our own and to bear witness to the interdependence with which God has created the world and the diversity with which God has blessed it.

 

“When we begin to attend as a community to public issues, we exercise faith practices that embody our understanding of the gospel, witness to the world our public commitments, and communicate a different way of being a church.” – Amy Reumann, Director of ELCA Advocacy

Many people – Lutheran and non-Lutheran – are familiar with Martin Luther’s teachings on civil order and obedience to laws. Fewer folks, though, recall the Luther who admonished preachers to use the pulpit to rebuke rulers for injustice, argued for public support for education of girls and boys, and inspired generations of future Lutherans to stand against political oppression and injustice.

The authors of The Forgotten Luther II: Reclaiming the Church’s Public Witness (Fortress Press, 2019) offer this side of Luther and Lutheran faith to congregations today. Featuring chapters by theologians, pastors and teachers in the ELCA, this second volume in the Forgotten Luther series shares the stories of Lutherans from today and yesterday whose faith moved them into public advocacy and activism – and encourages readers to hear the call of faith to “strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”

Carter Lindberg, a contributor to the first Forgotten Luther book, Mary Jane Haemig and Wanda Deifelt deal with issues as diverse as war, education and embodiment, while Amy Reumann, the director of ELCA Advocacy, offers a clarion call to advocacy by congregations, shaped by faith and inspired by the stories of congregations already active in the public square.

Chapters by Kirsi Stjerna and Anthony Bateza recall the dangerous memories of racism and anti-Semitism that have pervaded Lutheran history, sins that have deformed the church’s public witness in history, while offering suggestions for building a more inclusive, just church today.

Together, the authors address critical questions for the church today: When should the church support the state’s agenda? When should it resist? What are the options for critical but constructive cooperation? Their answers are surprising, troubling and inspiring.

Discussion questions accompany each chapter to help guide conversations in education forums, adult Sunday School series and more. Interviews with each of the authors are also available at https://vimeo.com/showcase/5926704.

Order copies for yourself or your congregation from Fortress Press: https://fortresspress.com/forgottenlutherii.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to ELCA World Hunger to support the longstanding work of ELCA Advocacy as part of a holistic and transformative strategy to end hunger.

The Forgotten Luther III symposium is coming! The Forgotten Luther III: Reclaiming a Vision for Global Community will be hosted at Saint Luke Lutheran Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, October 25-26, 2019. Learn more here. Watch for more updates on the ELCA World Hunger blog!

In this post, ELCA World Hunger summer intern Aml Mohamed reflects on her experiences of accompaniment in her home country of Egypt.

“Why are you interested in this position at the ELCA?” A classic, expected question during an interview. I paused and asked myself three questions. What is the difference between interning at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a regular nonprofit? Would I care as a practicing Muslim to work at a Lutheran faith-based institution? Would my identity as an Egyptian allow me to work and understand hunger in the US?

These are challenging questions for a rising junior in college. I am still in the process of unfolding my answers to these questions.

My tentative answer to the first question is “I don’t know!” I didn’t have the chance to compare work environments at the ELCA and other nonprofits, yet. However, what I can say is that there is something unique about working at a Lutheran faith-based institution. During orientation, we were learning about accompaniment and how it is reflected in the work of ELCA World Hunger. At the ELCA, accompaniment is defined as walking together in a solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality. Initially, I was not sure how my life related to this model. However, after a few conversations with colleagues, I found that accompaniment is not an unfamiliar term to me. I was able to point to experiences where I saw accompaniment in my home country of Egypt.  

There is a hidden power in seeing people who look like you as change-makers. This what an old friend always used to say. For years, I was on the receiving end of nonprofit organizations’ work. I was involved in programs that focus on youth development and entrepreneurship. At the age of thirteen, I remember being impressed by the staff members working on these programs. Now I understand why — they looked like me.

It is important to see work done by people who look like you, speak your language, and understand your daily life. Those might be small details, but they matter. The nonprofits allowed people from my community to be leaders, therefore, my family and I were able to trust them more. The staff members and leaders were aware of the social views on education and extracurricular activities. For example, a shared view among my parents and others is that education and learning occur only in schools and classrooms. It was difficult to come to an agreement with them that extracurricular activities are as important as school education. However, the staff members understood the culture and communicated effectively and respectfully. Thus, they were able to show them that building life skills inside and outside the classroom is critical for one’s personal and professional growth.

There is also another aspect of accompaniment that I found prevalent in my context — trust. Do you remember when your teacher would assign you tasks to do in class, like resetting the classroom tables or giving your opinion and suggestions for an activity? In such moments, I always felt that I matter. I am young, but I am trusted. I am young, but I am responsible. I am young, but I can contribute with what I have and know.

Accompaniment is not always easy; sometimes it can seem as if organizations and individuals care more about seeing their logos and names on products and services than they do for the people they are working with. Accompaniment means walking together, but most importantly, it means giving one’s companion the full trust and agency to work in their communities. Trust that people can, and they will.

Why is it important to accompany? In my opinion, I think it makes all the difference. Seeing people who look like you, understand you and face similar daily trials sets a great example for the community where work is done. It gives hope, and it maintains dignity, freedom and agency. It means remembering that you are the partner that may be needed at that moment. However, you are not the most important piece of the work.

Working on hunger is sensitive, challenging and overwhelming. However, I work with these things in mind. I will remember the times when I was young and was trusted to do things on my own. I will remember admiring the fact that the leaders in the nonprofits looked like me and understood my context. I will remind myself that to the community I walk in, I am the guest. Everyone has assets that they can contribute to the work and the journey of development. Walking with each other, we can accomplish more together. I hope you can walk along!

Join ELCA World Hunger in welcoming (back) former intern and current coordinator for network engagement, Petra Rickertsen!

Grateful for your warm ‘welcome back’ to the ELCA World Hunger team, I am elated to announce my graduation from 2018 intern to Coordinator, Network Engagement! My passion for working with the ELCA World Hunger began in high school at an ELCA National Youth Gathering, grew through creating educational opportunities at California Lutheran University, and blossomed through hands-on experiences spreading the news of our work as a Hunger Leader on my Synod’s Hunger Team. Along the way, I also worked with Lutheran Retreats, Camps, and Conferences for five summers (after many seasons as a camper), and Fit 4 The Cause throughout college, drawing camp and fitness close to my heart. Serving through each nonprofit fortified my joy for working with people diverse in their walks of faith and life.

Learning about God’s astounding creation from people to plants also piques my interest. It’s part of the reason why I eat vegetarian and feel so blessed to travel! Two great adventures included studying abroad one semester in Paris, then another semester at Oxford University (Balliol and Saïd Colleges) which included additional travel through Greece, Italy, and Israel. I find the most intriguing part of traveling to be learning about the relationships people create with their food and the communities that flourish around food’s journey from seed to body.

Though traveling abroad is brilliant, I’m just as excited for the adventures happening in my own backyard! As a people-person, everything is more fun with a buddy, whether that is skateboarding, camping, or simply staying in for homemade pizza and movie night. I’ll miss the mountains (and burritos).  However, I am curious about what it will be like to trade warm sandy beaches and palm trees on Christmas for dashing through the snow in Chicago. But, I am elated for the growth this change in scenery will bring! Most of all, I’m grateful to be here, supporting the incredible work you and our shared network is achieving through ELCA World Hunger ministries. I am inspired to be back working with you and this team until all are fed.

I’m excited to work with the ELCA World Hunger network in our shared mission to end hunger, from assisting to plan, manage and answer your questions regarding events like the ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering, to sharing on social media the astounding work you’re achieving in your communities, and our companions and partners are working on across the world.

This summer ELCA World Hunger welcomes two interns to the team. We are excited to have them share their gifts and talents with us. Learn more about them below!

Aml Mohamed, ELCA World Hunger Education Summer Intern

My name is Aml Mohamed, and I will be working as the ELCA World Hunger Education Summer Intern. ‘Aml’ means ‘hope’ in Arabic, which is the first language that I speak in my home country of Egypt. I am a student at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, and I am designing an individual major which is titled International Youth Development. The major captures my passion to return home and pursue a career in youth development.

Before going to college, I completed a two-year pre-university program at the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in South Africa, whose mission is to prepare the next generation of African leaders. My experience at ALA motivated me to develop an educational initiative in my home city, Luxor, Egypt, called the “Step by Step Initiative.” The initiative aims to increase young people’s self-efficacy through providing them with life skills such as problem-solving, communication, teamwork and presentation skills. We were able to reach eighty students during the summer of 2018 and hope to continue in the future.

This is my first time in Chicago. While I am here, I hope to explore and learn about the history and the culture of the city. I will use some of my free time to pack my reflective thoughts and luggage, before I go on a St. Olaf College faculty-led study abroad program. The program is called Global Semester, and its theme is Education in a Global Context. During the program, we will visit six countries: France, Egypt, Tanzania, India, China and Argentina.

I am excited for the projects that we will be working on as the ELCA World Hunger Education team, and thankful for the learning opportunities that will come with it.

Joshua Meribole, Community Granting and Community Engagement Summer Intern

The building is tall. The work is important. The learning is endless.

Hello, my name is Joshua Meribole, and I am a Summer Intern at the ELCA in Chicago. I will be working as the Community Granting and Community Engagement Intern with ELCA World Hunger. I am from Nigeria and came to the U.S. to study community development and journalism at Dordt University in Iowa. I will officially finish college at the end of the summer.

In college, I studied the different community development practices that organizations around the world have done to help impoverished communities. I am looking forward to learning how the ELCA works alongside its partners to help communities tackle the multiple and interconnected layers of world hunger.

My work for this summer ranges from organizing events to writing blogs and articles to reviewing documents. With each of the tasks that I will be doing, I am excited to learn and to gain new experiences and skills that will add to my dream and vision to work with community members in the countries I grew up in.

In my free time, I like to read, watch TV shows and video tutorials, and talk to people. However, living in Chicago for the first time, I have had to put visiting iconic landmarks and going to festivals to my list of hobbies. So far, I have enjoyed meeting new people, expanding my taste buds and walking around the city.

After talking to people within the ELCA and hearing about their experiences and projects, I am looking forward to being part of the family.

Hello! I’m Brooke De Jong, and I am very excited to join the ELCA World Hunger team as the Program Assistant for Hunger Education and share my diverse work background with the team. I can’t wait to see what new things we can do together. Most recently, I served as the Director for Youth, Family and Community Outreach at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wilmette, Ill. Prior to my work at St. John’s, I worked as a chaplain on an adolescent behavioral health unit, a grant writer for Heartland Alliance Health and as the ELCA’s Coordinator for the Observance of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and German with a minor in Ancient Languages from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D. I am currently working on my Master of Divinity and in the process of becoming a deacon in the ELCA.

I have a passion for faith formation that is culturally sensitive, socially responsive and aimed at creating lifelong, engaged members of the ELCA. I am looking forward to assisting the ELCA World Hunger team in creating resources that foster the growth of a faith that is active in love and seeks justice. I also look forward to hearing from you about how you are using ELCA World Hunger education resources and what your hopes are for the future of these resources.

When I am not in the office, I can often be found doing CrossFit, hiking, backpacking or biking. My last hiking trip was to the Grand Canyon (see photo). The last backpacking trip I took was to Colorado, where I did the Marron Bells Four Pass Loop. I traversed four mountain passes in five days! I am looking forward to exploring Zion National Park or more of the Rocky Mountains next.

To most of us in the United States, mosquitoes are nothing more than a pest. But in many places around the world, just one bite from an infected mosquito could transmit malaria. Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria – a preventable and curable disease. In a recent report, the World Health Organization warned that progress against malaria has stalled. World Malaria Day is a special time to remember our neighbors at heightened risk for this disease – and the ways God is working through and with them to reduce risk and build resilience.

More research needs to be done to help describe the relationship between hunger and malaria, but what we do know is that ending hunger means helping communities find ways to stay healthy. When malaria affects young children, costs for medicine, doctor visits, and transportation to health facilities can quickly add up. If an adult contracts the disease, it can mean time away from work, which makes it harder for their families to meet their needs.

But even seemingly simple interventions can make a big difference. One study from Zambia found that providing farmers with bed nets to prevent mosquito bites contributed to an increased output from their farms of more than 14 percent. A bigger harvest means more crops, more money, and less risk of hunger or poverty for a family. The interconnections between hunger and malaria – and the intertwined solutions to both – are one reason ELCA World Hunger continues to support efforts to address malaria.

Strategies for preventing malaria are just some of the ways the ELCA’s companion churches are accompanying neighbors in their communities. Though the ELCA’s Malaria Campaign officially ended in 2015, this important work continues in several countries.

Incidences of malaria can affect a family’s income, but the reverse is true, too. Increases in household income can reduce the likelihood of contracting malaria and make it easier for a family to afford treatment if someone gets sick. Building resilience by increasing opportunities for income generation is at the heart of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe’s (ELCZ) savings and lending projects in Zimbabwe. Here, the ELCZ helps community members form village savings and loan groups (VSLAs) and provides training to strengthen existing skills in tasks such as bookkeeping.

In the Hwange District, Bulowe Nyoni was responsible for getting a water well built that now serves as a source of drinking water for most of her neighbors. From her savings, she also started an organic garden near the well. As a volunteer in the project, Bulowe received two goats, which have now multiplied to over 30, thirteen of which she sold to buy a cart that allows her to fetch firewood and other items. In addition, Bulowe also works as a volunteer in health clinic where she conducts health talks for patients. Because of her efforts, her community has access to clean water, patients in the clinic receive the support and information they need, and Bulowe is able to earn and save the income that builds resilience to both malaria and hunger for her household.

Memory Hove, popularly known as Mai Mdlungu, is a member of a savings and loan group in the district of Gokwe North. She and a group of 25 other women started the group in 2015. Initially, her husband was opposed to the idea. But Mai Mdlungu was determined, and she started raising money by baking and selling buns in her community and used part of the money to save with the other women. By the end of the first cycle of the savings and lending group, she received goats that she has been raising and breeding. These goats now help her pay for her children’s school fees. In 2016, she used her share of savings from the group to buy a cow, which has since given birth to a calf.

Seeing Mai Mdlungu succeed challenged her husband’s first impressions of the group. “I got married to an industrious woman,” he says, “and she has just woken me up from my deep slumber.” Mai Mdlungu’s husband joined the group and, at the end of the 2018 cycle, used his savings to purchase maize seed and fertilizer. Other couples are following their example, with men joining the savings and loan groups alongside women. This helps to strengthen the relationships within the family and, in Mai Mdlungu’s case, provide the opportunity for women to be part of the decision-making processes in their families.

These kinds of projects address the deep problem of malaria in holistic and transformative ways by building resilience and reducing risk. Because of the skills, talents, and hard work of community members like Bulowe and Mai Mdlungu, these projects are changing the lives of members of their communities and families. This work helps their families be less likely to contract malaria, less likely to face hunger and poverty, and more likely to be able to weather an illness if someone gets sick. And their efforts are helping to “wake up” others to the hope for a future free of malaria and hunger.

To support this ongoing work through ELCA World Hunger, please visit https://community.elca.org/good-gifts-2017/health.

From dust we came, and to dust we will return.

But between those two truths is a whole lot of life to be lived and work to be done.

Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the season of Lent, a time for reflection on how God’s intentions for the world – and how far our current reality is from that promise. It is a time to reflect on death and to repent for the ways in which we have allowed God’s promise of life to remain hidden from our own eyes and the eyes of our neighbors. Lent is a reminder of our own wanderings in the wilderness, away from our Creator.

Yet, Lent is also a reminder of the road ahead. The ashes are a reminder of mortality; the empty cross that they form on our foreheads is a reminder of the resurrection. We repent for how far we have strayed from God’s plans for us – and how far God has come to find us.

This Lent, ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving draws together the themes of repentance, self-reflection and renewal by focusing on the four spiritual practices, or disciplines, of the season: self-reflection and repentance, prayer and fasting, sacrificial giving, and works of love.

We are formed in these disciplines to be church – together and for the sake of the world. After a generation in the wilderness, the Hebrews came to the Promised Land as a people consecrated by God to be a “a priestly kingdom and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). After facing down temptation, Jesus returned to Galilee and declared the “good news” to the people (Luke 4:18). The journey of Lent is not the end of the story, for them or for us.

There is life to be lived and work to be done between the dust from which we came and the dust to which we shall return.

ELCA World Hunger, as a ministry of this church, is shaped by the Lenten disciplines. In repentance, we recognize the ways sin continues to disrupt communities and contribute to hunger and poverty. Through the ancient practices of prayer and fasting, we are renewed in our commitment to “to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke” (Isaiah 58:6). By sacrificial giving, we support ministries around the world that give our neighbors a chance at new life and livelihoods. And in works of love, we accompany our neighbors toward a just world where all are fed.

In Lent, we “take hold of the promise” of God’s grace together, knowing that the road does not end at Calvary but at an empty tomb – and the assurance of new life for us, for our neighbors and for all of God’s creation. It is the promise of a world in which all shall be filled, that turns us to the work of ending the hunger that confronts us.

There are resources available at ELCA.org/40Days to help you and your congregation be part of this effort. A Lenten calendar, with verses from scripture, reflections on Lent, and short snippets of stories from projects we support together can be used by individuals and families. Coin jar wrappers can be printed and attached to glass jars or cans to collect gifts this season, and a Lenten devotional study with discussion questions and reflections can be used at home or in small groups. There is also a promotional video that can be shared via e-newsletters or during services.

If you plan to lead your congregation in this effort, there is also a handy leader’s guide with tips on how to get started. A weekly email series is also available.

This Lent, journey with ELCA World Hunger and congregations across this church as we share in the work to which God has called us – and, in the words of Martin Luther, “take hold of the promise” of what is to come.

This post comes from ELCA World Hunger’s weekly email list, “Sermon Starters.” For this week, Rev. Angela Khabeb of Holy Trinity Church in Minneapolis, shares with us her reflections on forgiveness and how we are called to make this gift more than an act, but a lifestyle as followers in Christ.

If you’d like to receive posts like these ahead of the liturgical calendar, please subscribe to ELCA World Hunger Sermon Starters by clicking on the link, or email us at hunger@elca.org.

Here is a recent review of the resource from Vernita Kennan of the Saint Paul Area Synod:

“I receive the ELCA World Hunger Sermon Starters each week from the ELCA and find it is a helpful way for me to look ahead and “preach my own sermon” in preparation of what I will hear next Sunday at my home church, Incarnation Lutheran…You needn’t be a rostered person in the ELCA to find them inspirational.”

February 24, 2019 – Seventh Sunday after Epiphany

Luke 6:27-38

We continue this week with the Sermon on the Plain. We hear Jesus proclaiming a new way. “Turn the other cheek, go the second mile, love your enemies.” Unfortunately, this passage has been misused in some religious circles.

Please allow me this commercial break…

If someone is in an abusive situation, they are not required to stay and risk their life and/or the lives of their children. There are times when it is best to forgive from a distance. We can continue to love the person but if the relationship is physically, verbally, emotionally, or economically abusive, the most loving and faith-filled response we can have is to practice self-care. When we try to enforce forgiveness like it is a law and not an act of God’s love and grace, all of humanity is in jeopardy.

We’ve heard these passages many times before. But for the original hearers, these words were earth-shattering. Jesus’ words were radical. More to the point, his life was radical. After all, Jesus constantly challenged the status quo. He repeatedly broadened the center so that those on the margins of society would be included.  He challenged the religious leaders of the day and caused so much political upheaval that he received the death penalty.

Jesus was revolutionary in ways that people never expected. Even today, Jesus enters our lives in unexpected ways and I love it. After all, Christianity should not be comfortable for us. The Gospel should not be like our favorite pair of jeans or a pair of old shoes or a worn-out sweater that we drag out this time of year. Certainly, we find comfort in God’s word. But we don’t need to have a hold on the Gospel because Jesus does not belong to us. Rather, the Gospel needs to have a hold on us because we belong to Jesus. Otherwise we are just nominal Christians playing church. We create our own brand of Jesus that suits our needs and pets our egos. We manipulate Jesus into whatever makes us feel safe, or superior, or righteous. So, what is the earth-shattering news we need to hear?

You see, the life changing power of the Gospel message has the greatest impact on our lives when it is destabilizing. Whenever we are challenged to redefine or examine who we understand Jesus to be, we grow. Whenever we challenge what it means to be a Christian in our world today, we grow.

In the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus is encouraging his followers to abandon business as usual. Through his sermon, Jesus turns the accepted societal norms inside-out. This is Good News because even when we dishonor God by our actions or inactions, God still seeks after us. Now, for the life of me I cannot figure out why. But Jesus chooses to use us as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Jesus chooses us even though we are broken, selfish, and woefully imperfect. Jesus chooses us to broaden the center in our own communities so that all God’s people have a seat at the table. Jesus uses us to increase God’s healing and hope in the world. Is this the earth-shattering news for us?

Genesis 45:3-11, 15

It’s hard to ignore the theme of forgiveness in this week’s lessons—and believe me, I tried. Yes, the story of Joseph is a powerful illustration of love and forgiveness overcoming hatred and bitterness. But even as I encounter this undeniable witness to the hidden hand of God, I find myself distracted by many questions.

Firstly, what does true forgiveness look like for us? What happens to trust? Is it wise for me to trust this person again if they had deliberately betrayed me? What if the best I can do is just be cordial to them? Isn’t that enough? Isn’t it enough for me to simply not hate the sight of them? Let’s face it, forgiveness is hard. There’s no “forgiveness switch” on our hearts that we can simply click on or off when we need more or less of it. I’ve been wondering if forgiveness is like love. You know, when you give away love it multiplies and comes back to you.

Sometimes it seems, in our country, we are more concerned with punishment than we are with peace. We seem more concerned with revenge than reconciliation. We find it easier to fight than to forgive. No wonder some of us find it difficult to accept God’s extravagant gift of love. Even when we are receptive to God’s mercy and forgiveness, we may yet be reluctant to give mercy and forgiveness to others. Maybe we feel that we are giving away our power when we forgive. Maybe we are simply afraid of being hurt again and use our grudges to keep us safe. But, at the end of the day, ministry involves risk.

It can feel like a risk to forgive. But what exactly are we risking? Our power, position, politics, morals, self-constructed ideas of who we are and how others should perceive us seem to be potential risk-factors to forgiveness. But on the other side of forgiveness, on the other side of the tension and resistance we often experience when confronted with someone who has “wronged” us, we find relationship. We find a leveling and sharing of power, we find mutual respect and dignity, and we find the Holy ground that lives between us all. If hunger and poverty are symptoms of deeply broken relationships around the world, forgiveness could be our first-step on the path to living lives of abundance and sharing.

Forgiveness is not necessarily an event, but rather a lifestyle. God doesn’t expect us to forgive perfectly every time. But God is encouraging us to live our lives with forgiveness as our North Star. In doing so, we honor God and we help heal the body of Christ. C.S. Lewis illustrates forgiveness as part of our baptismal identity as Christians:

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”

This is both gift and challenge.

To be clear, forgiveness cannot erase pain or eliminate the need for justice. But forgiveness is God’s gift to us. The Holy Spirit empowers us to share that gift with others. Fortunately, forgiveness, like most things, gets easier with practice. The more we remain open to the Spirit, the more able we are to forgive. Forgiveness can be extremely difficult, but it is possible. In fact, God makes all things possible for us. This is good news.

Children Sermon

Forgiveness seems to be an overarching theme in this week’s lessons. Forgiveness is an important concept that might be difficult for children to grasp. We learn to say we’re sorry but that does not always lead to forgiveness. Have you ever heard a child offer an angry “sorry!” because her mother told her she had to apologize?  It happens with my kids on occasion.

So, it might be a good idea to ask the children to help you describe forgiveness. This way you can gauge the understanding of the group. Invite the children to share examples of times when they needed to receive forgiveness or times when they needed to forgive someone (be prepared to share your own examples if need be).

For an object lesson, bring two items–something rather heavy and something rather light. A brick and a feather would work well and pretty easy to get. Grudges are heavy like this brick (or rock or concrete paver–probably less than $1 at your local hardware store). Forgiveness is light like this feather (or cotton ball or stuffing from a pillow). You could get a sturdy backpack and put several heavy objects in it and invite a child or two to try and carry it. Ask who would rather carry the heavy bag or the cotton ball all day.

Remind them of the words about forgiveness in the Lord’s Prayer. Say it out loud, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Encourage the children (and adults) to listen for those words later in worship. Remind them that Jesus helps us forgive and forgiveness brings joy.

 

The shutdown causes worry and doubt about when I will be able to return to work. I wonder if this will continue – how will I be able to make ends meet? I think the church can walk with those affected by the shutdown by raising the concerns of those impacted to lawmakers. Let elected leaders know their communities are being negatively affected. Churches can also be part of providing emergency assistance and relief to those in need. -Richard, furloughed federal worker and ELCA World Hunger leader, Washington, D.C.

During this government shutdown, those affected are at the front of our minds – and we know you share in this care and concern, too.

The current shutdown impacts many of us and our neighbors – from furloughed federal workers waiting for paychecks to hungry families worrying that the help they need to purchase food may not be there next month.

ELCA World Hunger and the MEANS Database have put together this short, practical list of things to consider and do to help our neighbors. Read and share. But most importantly, remember all our neighbors facing the immediate effects of financial uncertainty during this critical time.

Five Ways to Walk Together During the Shutdown

Check-in with your local food pantries, feeding ministries and other emergency shelters.

People facing food insecurity and the programs and ministries that help them are at significant risk during an extended shutdown. Federally-funded programs like SNAP, which help provide support to families facing hunger, have been able to send out payments for our neighbors in need this month and, thanks to a plan put together by the USDA earlier this week, through the end of February, too. But if the shutdown lasts into March or beyond, this funding will run out. Other anti-hunger programs are in danger, too. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, which provides nutrition for pregnant women and children under age 5, faces the same lapse in funds as SNAP, as does TEFAP, which is a primary way food banks and pantries get access to affordable foods for their clients.

Does your congregation have or host a food-related ministry? Stop by and check-in; ask how things are going. What are they seeing and hearing from guests? Ask what the ministry or service provider needs most right now – the answer may surprise you.

If you’re a rostered leader, consider stopping by the space before opening and offering a supportive blessing for the space and those that will share time together today.

Host a “pop-up” food drive.

Once you’ve checked in with your local hunger ministry, host a food drive to help provide the resources they’ve told you they need most. ELCA World Hunger’s “Road Map to Food Drives” resource can get you started.

Pray.

Pray personally and publicly for those who govern, those experiencing hardship due to the shutdown and those who walk with them. As the nation waits for agreement on a new spending authorization, pray that God will guide legislators in their work and will be with our neighbors affected by the government shutdown.

Make a monetary donation to a feeding ministry – locally or globally.

Providing physical food resources through a drive is good, but cash is often better. Cash in hand for your local pantry often means more cans on the shelf than you can buy at the grocery store.

Reach out and support those directly feeling the strain – listen and help make those voices heard.

Who in your congregation, school and community might be affected? Reach out, send a text, let them know you care. What do they need? If you are directly affected yourself, speak that truth and share your story as you can. Consider writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or website, sharing a temple talk in church or letting your elected officials know your experience.

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