Lent
Lenten Resources
Lent is a time of prayer, service, and self-examination. During this time, many of us choose to live simpler lives, remembering those who do not have the food, money, or resources to simply live. Here are some resources to help your congregation remember those who are hungry and living in poverty this Lenten season.
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Lenten Meal Series
Does your congregation host meals before Lenten services? Why not join together for a meal and help fight hunger at the same time? Enjoy global cuisine while learning about the world and how gifts to ELCA World Hunger are making a difference. Instead of charging for the meal, collect donations to support ELCA World Hunger. Complete plans for six meals are below.
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Placemats
Download, print and use different placemats during your Lenten meals to raise awareness about hunger, poverty and related issues. | |
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Buck-a-Chick
This Easter, join congregations from across the country by having a “Buck-a-Chick” sale. Members can purchase and decorate a paper chick for themselves or in honor of a loved one for one dollar — the cost of providing a chick to a family experiencing hunger. Your gifts will help provide families living in poverty with chicks. Eggs from chickens are a great source of food and income. Hang colorful chicks in a prominent spot and announce the fundraising total on Easter Sunday. To date, congregations have raised more than $85,000 to support this effort. Thank you!
Download and print the coloring page. 
Send donations to ELCA Good Gifts (P.O. Box 71764, Chicago, IL 60694-1764) with “Buck-a-Chick” in the memo line. | |
WORSHIP RESOURCES
40-DAY CALENDARS
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World Hunger and Disaster Appeal 40-day Calendar and Coin Box
The calendar (left) invites individuals, families, classes, and other groups to journey for 40 days and seven Sundays, praying, learning, giving, and deepening your commitment to take steps every day to walk with neighbors in need. The new calendar pairs well with the ELCA World Hunger "God's Global Barnyard" coin box (below left). To order resources you will need to sign in or create an account. |
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Living Simply with God: A 40-Day Hunger Calendar (online only)
Any calendar helps you mark your days on Earth, comparing them to each other, making sense out of each one. This calendar is about hunger that God wants us to abbreviate, alleviate, eliminate. The calendar is also about how you can live a joyous and abundant life, filled with generosity towards others. A life modeled on Jesus’ own. A life that’s lived simply so that others can simply live.
>Go to calendar page
>Download calendar (PDF - 2.5 MB) |
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MORE FUND-RAISING IDEAS
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Lenten Fast and Give
A popular Lenten activity, refrain from engaging certain items or activities - meals, coffee, soda, desserts, movies, etc., during Lent. Give the money you saved to ELCA World Hunger.
Noisy Offerings
Children, youth, or adults can decorate plastic milk jugs with paint, stickers, and fabric. They can collect coins from congregation members during the offertory. The coins will make plenty of noise. Coins can be stored in a public place, so that everyone can see the progress.
Build a Barnyard
A display is created to house animals in a barnyard. This can be a barnyard on a poster, bulletin board, a swimming pool as a fish pond, or an actual barnyard area. As animals are purchased from God's Global Barnyard, they are added to the physical barnyard at the fund-raiser--a great way to display the progress of the fundraiser.
Bread Display
Bake a loaf (or loaves) of bread. Place the bread on display in your narthex, fellowship hall, or other common space as a reminder of hunger in the world. Put a sign indicating the purpose of the bread if it is not obvious or explained elsewhere. If you host a breakfast or lunch, leave one table empty/open and place the bread on it.
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