Lutherans Say There is Enough Food for All

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  (ELCA) --  "There is enough food for all.   Decisions made by the United States Congress affect the children of our country, and we must speak on behalf of our children who are hungry.  Hunger does have a cure," according to Deborah Martin, Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, Roscoe, Ill.
     About 120 people involved in hunger ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America met  here, June 20-24 for the ELCA World Hunger Synod Leadership Gathering to worship, tell stories, influence public policy and foster education about the reality and underlying causes of hunger.
     "Members of the ELCA are working to provide relief for those who suffer from hunger and injustices related to hunger in this and other countries," said the Rev. John L. Halvorson, ELCA director for world hunger ministries.  "One of the objectives of the ELCA hunger program calls for members of the church to advocate policies and actions for social and economic justice relating to hunger with governments, business institutions and structures of this church and its related agencies," Halvorson said.
     "Nothing gets done in this country without tension.  Community organizing begins with angry people who want to make a change.  If we want to make a change in society, we need to exercise some of our own self-interest as a Lutheran church," said Gaylord Thomas, ELCA director for community development.
     "The church must do more than provide food and shelter for those who need it.  Those who need food and shelter are us.  These are lessons that the church learned and learned well," said Thomas.
     Thomas said one way to address hunger is to involve young Lutherans.  "Youth have been good to the church, and we must save the youth.  Youth must educate others about where they have been and must be given the opportunity to tell their story," he said.
     "I am here to learn about the church and its mission to reduce hunger," said Joshua Weiland, 16, Watertown, S.D.  "I plan to share information about the ELCA's hunger program with the people of my town," said Weiland, a member of Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Watertown.
     "It is very important that we speak on behalf of our children and others who are hungry," said Martin.  "I have written letters to my congressional representatives for the last five years, and have requested that members of my congregation write letters to their representatives.  I want to have a better understanding of my representative's position in ending childhood hunger, and for him to understand mine," said Martin.
     "The future for all is dependent on sharing what we have.  We have an obligation to share, and together we can make a difference," she said.
     "It is important for congressional representatives to know that Lutherans are a part of their district or their state, that Lutherans are socially interested and have statements to make about the political issues that are faith-based," said the Rev. Faye R. Codding, Washington, D.C., assistant director for the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs, the federal public policy office for the ELCA.
     "Advocacy is pleading for a cause for one another and helping to reshape the conversation toward the issues of justice and righteousness," said Codding.   "Advocacy and justice always involve God.  Justice is not just a matter of concern for humans.  God is concerned for the poor and the hungry, the marginalized, and the fairness of the economic system of a society," she said.
     "Lutheran grass roots activists can influence public policy by helping to get the right people elected and to develop a relationship with that senator or that congressional district representative," Codding said.
     "I am proud of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Lutherans are leading the way to combat hunger through thoughtful and constructive faith-based advocacy and the preaching of Christ to our brothers and sisters," said U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-S.D.).
     "The church is a beacon of reasonableness.  The goal of eliminating hunger cannot be done by government alone.  Everyone must play their respective role and do it well," said Johnson.
     "Last year, Congress cut nutrition and anti-poverty programs by $54 billion over six years.  One of the biggest justifications given by Congress for the cut is the need for a balanced budget," said the Rev. David M. Beckmann, an ELCA pastor and president of Bread for the World.  "This year, Congress is planning to cut $85 billion in taxes, so poor people are ending up with the short end of the stick," said Beckmann.
     "There has been a lot of rhetoric that irresponsibility of poor people is the primary cause of their own poverty, and that poor people are the cause of lots of our problems in our society," said Beckman.  "That change in public consciousness feels to me, as a pastor, as a hardening of hearts," he said.
     "Other variables that make our job tougher are the shifting attitudes toward government.  Many people will doubt whether governments can do much to reduce poverty and hunger effectively in our country or in other parts of our world.  There isn't the same skepticism about whether governments can be effective in some areas of life other than benefits programs for middle or upper income people," said Beckmann.
     ELCA participants also met with 500 members of Bread for the World at its national gathering June 21-24.  Bread for the World is a Christian citizens' movement that works for justice for hungry people.  "At this gathering, churches are coming together in a very practical way to lobby Congress.  When Christian people connect with members of Congress, they can make a real difference for poor and hungry people," said Beckmann.
     "While churches will do all they can to aid the poor and  hungry, they cannot by themselves solve the problem," said Michael Linder, a member of Community of Hope Lutheran Church, Tualatin, Ore. "The anti-hunger business is a lonely business.  There are not hundreds of thousands of people in our country on this bandwagon," said Linder.  "However, I am not alone.  I am not the only one working to reduce hunger."
     "My expectation in gathering with other Evangelical Lutheran Church in America members who work to reduce hunger is to be rejuvenated, to come together with people of like mind and like interest and like passion," said Linder.  "I get filled from a group such as this and know that I am not alone," he said.
     ELCA participants received the 1997-1998 ELCA Hunger Resource "tool kit" titled, "And Who Is My Neighbor?"  The kit contains 15 illustrated stories of "real neigbors whose lives have been touched" by the ELCA Hunger Program, a Bible study on the biblical parable of the good Samaritan, newsletter and bulletin inserts about the ELCA Hunger Program and a catalog of hunger resources.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html