ELCA World Hunger Appeal Celebrates in November

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its World Hunger Appeal this year. Members of the church are praying, conducting "services of recommitment" and planning activities and offerings in celebration of the appeal during a special 25-day period Nov. 1-25, 1999.
The ELCA World Hunger Appeal is designed for members of the church to support its work to eradicate hunger in the United States and throughout the world financially.
"More than one billion people living in developing countries live in absolute poverty, often lacking food and basic necessities, let alone the opportunity to shape their own lives. Here at home, one child in five lives in poverty," said Lita Brusick Johnson, director of the ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
The goal for the 1999 ELCA World Hunger Appeal is to raise $12.6 million.
The appeal's anniversary "is a time of celebration and giving thanks for what has been done, but it is also a time to commit to the serious work of developing a plan for increasing the appeal's amount to $25 million by 2005," said Stephen Padre, associate director for communication, ELCA World Hunger Program.
A special packet of resources, mailed to the 11,000 congregations of the ELCA in September, helped members plan a 25th anniversary emphasis beginning Nov. 1 (All Saints Day) through Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving Day), or any time this fall, Padre said. Resources are designed to help "lay the foundation for a renewed and revitalized commitment for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal into the next century," he said.
The packet includes materials for worship, music, adult and child education, gift-giving and church bulletins. Congregations can plan a three-Sunday emphasis in November based on three themes of the anniversary: remember, reflect and recommit.
"We remember and give thanks for the folks back in 1974, who had a vision of what our church could and should do," Johnson said. "The 25th anniversary of the appeal also causes us to reflect on where we have come, to reconnect with our brothers and sisters throughout the world, and to recommit to the grand cause of ending hunger in our lifetime."
"The World Hunger Appeal is a product of holy imagination. It is our church's main campaign to fight hunger, to use the best of our hearts and heads and pocketbooks and bank accounts to alleviate poverty," Johnson said.
The 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Denver this summer adopted a resolution that calls for members of the church to increase their awareness of hunger in the world, to increase financial support of the ELCA World Hunger Appeal through regular contributions and designated gifts, and to thank supporters of the appeal.
Earlier this year, members of the ELCA Conference of Bishops pledged $25,000 to the appeal in honor of its 25th anniversary. Bishops raised more than $30,000. Members of the ELCA Church Council and Cabinet of Executives pledged $25,000 to the appeal.
The ELCA World Hunger Appeal was established at the 1987 Constituting Convention of the ELCA. Churches that formed the ELCA launched the appeal in 1974. Since 1974 the appeal has raised more than $200 million.
"Funds generated from the ELCA World Hunger Appeal provide for advocacy, development, education and relief," said Padre. "The majority of funds raised are given to domestic and international relief agencies and organizations as grants," he said.
"Hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved or changed for the better," said Johnson.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html