Is it really Thanksgiving week? I feel like I’ve somehow missed it due the earlier-than-usual influx of holiday ads and decorations. Is anyone else feeling dizzying disorientation? Welcome to the season where shopping ads and holiday decorations bombard our mailboxes, inboxes and all manner of television, mobile and computer screens.

Right behind #TurkeyDay come #BlackFriday and #CyberMonday. According to a Philanthropy Journal article, “Last year, Black Friday brought in over fifty-two billion dollars while Cyber Monday sales topped one and a quarter billion dollars in the United States.” Before we feel too proud that all we’re doing is give, give, giving… I also heard an article on National Public Radio this morning that shoppers in the United States will spend an average of about $140 on “self-gifting,” buying something for ourselves while shopping for others.

Move over, Turkey (or delicious vegetarian Mac-and-Cheese-Style Cauliflower I will be digging into this year)—we need room on the table to plot out the perfect sale shopping route and timetable!

Well, amidst all the hustle and bustle, a beautiful little movement flashed on my screen yesterday—introducing #GivingTuesday. #GivingTuesday is a namely social media driven movement (hence all the #– Twitter hashtags in my post) started by a coalition of nonprofits to highlight charitable giving. Right on the heels of a frenzied shopping weekend, we are invited to give to the organizations that matter most to us. What a great idea!

Thanksgiving is a day dedicated to celebrating and being thankful for the harvest—the harvest of the fields (according to the U.S. Department of Ag lower than normal this year in U.S. staples like corn and soybeans due to earlier drought, though prices are heading up, up, up) and the harvest of the gifts we have been entrusted with. Let’s re-orient ourselves around what matters, what we are called to as people of faith.

So, bring it on holiday season. We are ready. We heed the challenge to be faithful stewards; we strive to work for justice so those without plentiful harvest can know wholeness; we give thanks for the call to serve; and we give thanks especially for all of our wonderful ELCA World Hunger leaders, friends and donors who join us in this call!

Mikka serves as program director for constituent engagement and interpretation with ELCA World Hunger. To join the network and for more information on how you can get involved, write hunger@elca.org. 

World Food Day celebrates the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. This year’s World Food Day theme is “Agricultural Cooperatives- key to feeding the world.” One particular strength of the cooperative lies in connecting farmers and members to one another and to the market. Connections allow farmers to benefit from greater access to goods and pooled resources.  Cooperative members are more likely to be invested community members and seek sustainability in their work.

 The FAO has a few examples of how agricultural cooperatives work: (A great line around 4:00 the woman talks about the forest as “the children’s heritage”).

httpv://youtu.be/W_ne6hi4uPo

The ELCA engages in global mission through accompaniment, a way which sees us (the ELCA) and our partners as mutual participants in the body of Christ. Working through partner church bodies, provides a way for our work to be deeply effective. The connections with church bodies in other countries mean that we are well positioned to support local and sustainable work.

The Lingson Family story illustrates a commitment to the local cooperative approach and reminds us that this approach to fighting hunger and poverty works in transformative ways.

httpv://youtu.be/LHNfSVI4iwM  

Best of all, this is work we can all be involved in. On this World Food Day, think of how you can best respond to ending hunger in the world.

Henry Martinez, ELCA World Hunger Education

Today, September 25 is the first National Voter Registration Day. This is a one day blitz for volunteers, celebrities and organizations from all over the country to hit the streets to raise awareness of voter registration opportunities. According to the site, in 2008, the year of the last presidential voting cycle, 6 million Americans did not vote because they did not know how to register or they missed their state’s voter registration deadline (based on U.S. Census data).

Just this week, I received the October edition of The Lutheran magazine. “2 kingdoms: Taking your faith to the election” reads the cover. Professor and Pastor Darrell A. Jodock, faculty member at my aluma mater Gustavus Adolphus College, writes an interesting article on Lutherans and politics. Jodock draws in his own farming roots, Luther scholarship and posits that the Lutheran tradition does not prescribe how to construct society, but rather invites us to start with and be guided by the orientation toward service to and with the neighbor and community.

I say it every post—my area of study is political science—so I am already on this bandwagon, but I must just say it again. Okay, Hunger Leaders, what is ELCA World Hunger’s comprehensive approach to ending poverty and hunger? Relief, Education, Advocacy and Development—right on! Advocacy is really so integral to ending the cycle of poverty and hunger, because it grows out of our valuable relationships and experiences. *If we are able to, we are compelled to participate in the process that can address root causes of poverty and hunger, at all levels, local, state, federal and international levels.

Participating in the political process does not always feel like the most rewarding activity, but it is a gift, perhaps even a right to do so. Which “side of the aisle” is not the central question to me; rather, will you be actively participating in this process that shapes our communities?

Today’s the day to get registered, and I’ll see you at the polls!

Mikka serves as program director for constituent engagement and interpretation with ELCA World Hunger. To join the network and for more information on how you can get involved, write hunger@elca.org. 

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*This presents another set of interesting questions around who has access and “ability” to vote, but we will save that for another thread and another day.

The Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage report released on September 12, 2012 by the U.S. Census Bureau, states that among the 46.2 million in poverty in the United States in 2011, 16.1 million are children (page 16 of the report). Just considering the 16.1 million children and according to 2011 population numbers, this is slightly more than the combined population of Illinois (12.9 million) and Iowa (3.1 million).

The image of children in poverty inhabiting only two states is of course not helpful, but ironically (and entirely unconnected) this population of children is similar to the current population of two very agriculturally productive states, in one of the most agriculturally productive nations. Though we often think of small communities and local perspective, it helps to take in a bigger view; there is hunger in a land of plenty, the poor live among the rich.

On Sunday, Sept. 23, Mark 9:30-37 comes up as the gospel reading in the lectionary, where Jesus says to the disciples:

 ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes on such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’ (New Revised Standard Version)

I don’t know what the welcoming will look like, but I know that God calls us to do it and will help us along the way. On with the welcome!

Henry Martinez, ELCA World Hunger- Education

plumb line noun

1 : a line (as of cord) that has at one end a weight (as a plumb bob) and is used especially to determine verticality

2: a line directed to the center of gravity of the earth: a vertical line

Today is September 11. It’s been 11 years since the event that is one horror among the many (think of Hurricane Katrina and the Columbine High School shooting, to name just two) that have been said to shape my generation, the Millennials.

What shape is that?

USA Today says that Millennials have been shaped by the traumas of our formative years, but have not been broken. Millennials are resilient and are a seemingly irrepressibly optimistic bunch. Yet, even with our positive attitudes, Millennials are almost constantly stressed out about life. Those formative national tragedies we grew up with apparently bring Millennials together in our shock and fear, thinking — Are we next? Millennials are united in a sense of overwhelming urgency.

So, is the shape an optimistic smiley face getting the squeeze like this emoticon?

No, we all know about the great parts about being a Millennial, but what about the parts that make other generations cringe? Millennials are also known as the most narcissistic generation—I mean look at me, writing this whole blog post about my generation! In a New York Times opinion piece, Ross Douthat ponders, “how can the same generation be more solipsistic and more interested in human betterment and ambitious social activism? But maybe they actually go hand in hand.”

So, the shape is like a yin-yang, two seemingly opposing pieces coming together in harmony?    

At this moment, I find that the shape is not a shape (a space that is enclosed), but rather a line. A plumb line, perhaps, as defined by Merriam Webster: “a line directed to the center of gravity of the earth.” When I feel adrift, that is when I seek to return to the center— the center of who I am and who I am called to be—the plumb line.

Today, my plumb line is participation. I feel a sense of urgency in the work we are called to do toward justice and through ELCA World Hunger. I really do believe that all people deserve access to health and wholeness, even and especially in the midst of dismal circumstances. Even when I feel stressed out, I believe there is so much potential in what is to come.

So, friends, in one word, what is your plumb line? From the experiences you have had growing up and in life, to what do you return when you feel downcast? What cord ties together your life’s calling? What keeps you grounded?

I can’t wait to read your responses…join the journey.

Mikka serves as program director for constituent engagement and interpretation with ELCA World Hunger. To join the network and for more information on how you can get involved, write hunger@elca.org. 

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” Isaiah 43:19a

My name is Justin Rabbach and I am the (very) new Youth Group Organizer for ELCA World Hunger. Though I have found myself dealing with an information overload during my first week on staff, I have also stayed grounded by relecting on the verse above from Isaiah.

I moved to Chicago from Madison, Wisconsin, where I graduated in May from the University of Wisconsin with my Master’s in International Public Affairs, focusing on International Development. In the course of a week I have found myself in a new city, in a new apartment, working a new job. That’s a lot of new things…. While all of those changes were a bit daunting, leaving behind a lot of familiar things (family, friends, favorite restaurants and sports teams), it is also a very exciting time! I am aware that while I am experiencing new things, I am also at point where I am trying hard to focus on the “new thing” that God is looking to do through me and the rest of the staff here at ELCA World Hunger.

I grew up in the Moravian Church, and got involved in missions following a trip to Nicaragua in 2007 that really opened my eyes to the possibilities of building relationships and serving God abroad.  Five years later, God has taken me time and again through “new” experiences, I have found myself serving Him for varying lengths of time in Wisconsin, California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Alberta, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Israel/Palestine.

Everytime I allow myself to be taken out of my comfort zone, God places amazing “new” things in my path. I am excited to get started here on staff at ELCA World Hunger, and while I take time to learn a lot of things that are “new” to me here before I really begin to work, it is awesome to know that God has already begun!

“Water, water everywhere, we’re going to get wet!” These are words from a childhood song and lately, our cups runneth over with water and water stories. Here is one for today.

A few months ago, Pastor Ron Glusenkamp from Bethany Lutheran Church in Cherry Hill Village, Colorado visited the churchwide offices. We had a chance to meet Pastor Ron, shared some preliminary conversation and invited him to bring his youth group by the 100 Wells Challenge space at the ELCA Youth Gathering. Below is a reflection shared this past Sunday by Lindsey, a member at Bethany and matriculating 9th grader.

Youth from Bethany on the Walk for Water.

“The verse for our trip to New Orleans was Ephesians 2:14-20 14For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.15He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace,16and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.17So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near;18for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God,20built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.

The verse, along with our summer mission verse Hebrews 12: 1-2, explains the purpose of our trip to New Orleans very well. We ran through the rain, the streets, and the crowds, and we ran with the citizens. We were always surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic Lutheran teens, weather it was in the dome, a bus, or just on the street. The energy was amazing, every single person in that place was excited to do God’s work. God was reconciling all groups into one body through the cross.
Being from Colorado, sometimes I think we feel there are only a few other Lutheran churches, but being in the dome made me feel that we could conquer the world. Our first night in the dome, I remember thinking how amazing the cross was and how it was a huge glowing reminder that we were there for god. Every night there were speakers. Some of theme talked about bullying, some about how they came to be pastors, others told us that we were the future and hope of the world. There were also inspirational speeches done by teens; speeches about fear, truth, and listening. There were speakers like Nadia Bolz-Weber, the pastor who isn’t exactly what you’d call “normal,” Who spoke about what Lutheran “look like.” She compared Lutherans to Unicorns and Vampires. She hadn’t been exposed to people who actually lived by what the Bible says before she was introduced to Lutherans, to her, we were unnatural, mythical creatures.conciling all groups into one body through the cross.

On the day we were supposed to clean a neighborhood, we got stuck on a bus with a bunch of Minnesotans and had a opportunity to get to know them. We became unified as one group as we drove home in the rain. On the way back to the hotel we noticed people rushing to keep their store fronts dry despite the flooding water from the rain. Although we were concerned about all the water, the people of New Orleans appeared calm. Even though we didn’t get to complete our service project due to the rain, in the dry convention center, we experienced service through building framing for Habitat for Humanity houses. We also participated in the walk for water challenge. Each of us carried a five gallon jug of water for several hundred feet through a small hot tent, and over a homemade hill. I don’t really know how to explain how the challenge made me feel, but I suppose I could say that it changed the way I think about what life is like for women and children in those countries, and how hard it must be to actually live there. I guess you could say it was an eye opener. The point of this activity was to know what like it would feel to carry that much water home every single day. The Walk for Water Challenge is part of the 100 Wells Challenge. The idea is to build 100 wells all over Africa so that people can have clean water closer to their villages.

Our trip to New Orleans was an amazing experience. We saw God everywhere we went, especially in the dome when we sang, and when we listened to the speakers and their inspiring stories. As my life continues to rush past me, I think that going to New Orleans is one of the best memories that I will always have.”

The 100 Wells Challenge was created to lift up and support the water projects of this church where needed most, including wells and including the region of Africa as Lindsey mentions. The 100 Wells Challenge has engaged and continues to engage the youth and congregations of this church in ways we had not even been able to imagine, and we are so thankful to be part of it.

The tide is rising and the current is bringing us closer and closer to health, wholeness and reconcilitation for all. So, hop in the boat with Lindsey and Pastor Ron, friends on the journey—there’s plenty of room!

As of next week we will bid farewell to our summer interns. They are a talented group and contributed greatly to the ELCA World Hunger Team. We wish Colleen, Kristyn, and Louis well and thank them for their partnership and work. 

By Colleen Peterson

As I reflect on my summer internship with ELCA World Hunger, there are several lessons I will take with me; however, there is one thing I would like to share with all of you before I leave.

Despite being raised and deeply engaged in a Lutheran church in Minnesota, it was only this summer that I learned about the incredible things that the Lutheran Church (in the larger sense) is doing to address poverty and hunger domestically and internationally. Although I attempted to comprehend the approach and methods of ELCA World Hunger before the summer, it has been a remarkable experience to hear staff members describe the accompaniment model (www.elca.org/accompaniment) as the way we do our work. Instead of going into communities in need and proclaiming what is best for them, accompaniment describes us as building relationships and working with people rather than over them. While many people may assume the Church works in a way that does things to communities or for communities (both of these approaches not utilizing or valuing local knowledge and skill), that is not the reality of how we are responding to hunger and poverty. Rather, the Lutheran Church works with congregations and other partner organizations to help communities lift themselves out of poverty. How great is that?!   

For someone who entered this summer feeling annoyed by the drama and gossip that can occur in small town Lutheran churches, I am pleasantly surprised to leave the Churchwide Office of the ELCA with a deeper understanding, appreciation, and excitement for the Church’s work in the world. It’s truly remarkable what we can do when we work together to end hunger and poverty.

With only a few days left of my internship, I thank you for sharing in my blog experience and wish you well as you continue to follow ELCA World Hunger and work to eliminate hunger in this world.

Colleen Peterson is an ELCA World Hunger intern

By Kristyn Zollos

I had a plan for this summer, and ELCA World Hunger had nothing to do with it.  I knew where I wanted to work and everything about it seemed perfect for me and my future goals.  In my mind, it was so clearly meant to be, that God had to have placed that opportunity into my life.  When the opportunity was denied to me, I was devastated.  That was God’s plan for me!  How could it have gone so wrong?  There must’ve been some mistake.  I cringed every time someone told me that God had something better for me and that the opportunity I had wanted so badly was not meant to be at the time.   What could possibly be better?  The only possible explanation was that God was out to ruin my plans, my life, and my goals for the future.

 My plans.  My life.  My future goals.  Now, almost five months later, I can confirm that the Lord was most certainly out to ruin these things for me.  However, I say this without bitterness, but with joy and humility.  Those things were never my own.  They were never under my control.  I was on my own path, wanting things so desperately for myself, that I was confusing what I wanted for what the Lord wanted for me.  

Today, as I near the end of my internship I can also look back and say that in fact the Lord did have something better for me and I am exactly where I was meant to be.  God ruined my plans and replaced them with something unexpectedly and exceedingly better.  I end this internship in awe of how God has used this experience in my life and excited for the ways I will be used for God’s purpose in the future.  God’s purpose. God’s future. Not my own.  Lesson learned.

As you may have picked up from reading this post, as well as the others, this summer has been one filled with many realizations and deeper understandings.  This has been brought about through discussions with co-workers, their recommendations, and research using educational tools including books, videos, and articles.  There is certainly an endless supply of resources out there.  So if you are not already doing so, I encourage you to educate yourself on the matters such as poverty and injustices that are taking place around the world.  Share your resources with those around you and ask for suggestions from others.  Go deeper by starting discussions with your friends, family, and your church.  

As you go on this journey, do not travel alone, but with the Lord as your companion, and more importantly, your guide.  It is the Lord from whom all blessings flow and it is the Lord who calls us to use these blessings for the greater purpose.  I can honestly say that I don’t know where I’m going, I’m not sure if I ever have known or I ever will know.  Life is complicated and confusing, but that’s often what makes it so beautiful.  Life and the journey I feel called to take do not have to make sense, for they are not under my control nor within my understanding.  As Proverbs 20:24 states, “A person’s steps are directed by the Lord, how then can anyone understand their own way?” 

God’s blessing to you all and thank you for your support during this blogging adventure.  I have truly enjoyed sharing with you, all that I have learned through this internship with ELCA World Hunger and in experiencing the incredible work being done through their efforts.  God is certainly using the ELCA to do incredible things and we should all be excited and humbled to be a part of it!

Kristyn Zollos is an ELCA World Hunger intern

 By Louis Tillman

Growing up in the city of Atlanta, GA I thought I’ve seen everything that the city of New Orleans has to offer. Recently I went to work at the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans on behalf of ELCA World Hunger for our 100 Wells Challenge. The ELCA youth had the opportunity to support the clean water challenge by donating to the “100 Wells Challenge” in conjunction with the Gathering. Just $2500 could build a well that can bring clean water to as many as 500 families at a time. The 100 Wells Challenge unites the hopes of Lutheran youth across the country to raise $250,000 and support water projects where they are needed most.

            The majority of my time working in Practice Peacemaking was dedicated to collecting donations for the 100 Wells Challenge. This was absolutely my favorite memory of the entire gathering. I have never witnessed so many excited youth in such large numbers in one given area. Being surrounded by eager youth that were proud and ecstatic due to the fact that they raised hundreds or thousands of dollars to help us in achieving our goal of $250,000 was simply phenomenal. It’s moving to see the youth’s expressions as they put their hard earned funds into the donation bins with smiles that literally stretched ear to ear!

Plenty of congregations came to the 100 Wells space with funds from their congregation; while other individuals came to the gathering clueless and then stumbled into our spaces wanted to know more about the 100 Wells Challenge. I felt that God was using my spiritual gifts by being a vessel to these individuals in helping them to decide whether or not they would like to donate to this cause. I would like to say with confidence that roughly 95% of the individuals that I spoke to ended up donating to our cause by the end of our short conversation. There was one experience that I really enjoyed where I had an individual cut a check for $2,000 which was a little bit short of sponsoring one well. Being on the ELCA World Hunger team helped me realize that I am really helping to make a difference in the world.

Successively, one of the most touching stories of my entire experience was the one where my hometown congregation, Christ the Lord Lutheran Church from Lawrenceville, GA; brought a group of 35 youth and 10 adults to the 100 Wells Challenge space of the interaction center. At first, they wanted to see me and see how I was doing, but after speaking with them about the challenge all of the youth performed a random act of kindness. They readily and willingly decided to sacrifice their lunches for that day and personally donated $20 each to the 100 Wells Challenge! This was extremely touching and made me even more proud to be a member of this congregation.

I was so excited about my congregation’s youth doing this, that it raised a few questions:

What if we all sacrificed the money that we normally spend on one meal and donated it to a great world hunger or poverty cause once a week?

Would we ultimately be one step closer to ending world hunger and poverty? Would this be a key ingredient in helping to feed millions of people living in poverty?

Could this be a great outlet into having more and more people firsthand experience something on a minimal level of what people in poverty go through on a daily basis?

Overall, I greatly enjoyed the sights and aspects of the Practice Peacemaking section at the National Youth Gathering. The ELCA World Hunger team did an outstanding job with engaging and educating all of the participants at the gathering. I would also like to on the fact that we not only met our fundraising goal for the 100 Wells Challenge of raising $250,000 but we exceeded it by raising over $406,000. These funds will be used for various water projects all over the world in the next few years. Thus, I leave you all with this: If you ever decided to skip a meal in the near future, think about how many people that you could potentially help and feed by donating that money to a good cause like the youth from Christ the Lord Lutheran Church in Georgia did. Would you sacrifice a meal to save a life?

Louis Tillman is an ELCA World Hunger Intern