Lutherans Focus on ELCA Hunger Ministries

BALTIMORE (ELCA) -- About 150 people involved in hunger ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met at Christ Lutheran Church here June 25-27 to be inspired, to share information, to learn new ways of fund raising and education in congregations, and to reflect on the ELCA World Hunger Appeal's 26-year ministry. The meeting brought together leaders from 55 of the ELCA's 65 synods.
The annual conference, sponsored by the World Hunger Program, was hosted by Lutheran World Relief (LWR), a major recipient of funds from the appeal.
"This is a time to lift up our big partnerships with Lutheran World Relief and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service," said the Rev. John L. Halvorson, coordinator of the ELCA World Hunger Program. "It is also a time to celebrate our other partnerships with U.S.-based domestic hunger ministries."
Participants heard success stories of local and global projects that are supported by the program. "The Baltimore gathering was a time for celebration and thanksgiving. That's why we started the schedule with five stories of ministry made possible by the World Hunger Appeal," said Halvorson.
The stories included a shelter ministry at Christ Lutheran Church for homeless people, "Hunters and Farmers Feeding the Hungry," a regional ministry that provides deer meat for the hungry people and an LWR story of promoting peace and reconciliation in war-torn Rwanda.
One story was told by Gloria Luster, a member of the ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod. Luster works with the Baltimore Area Gleaning Network (BAGNET), which harvests food from fields after mechanical pickers have harvested what farmers will use. BAGNET gleans tons of usable fruit and vegetables for use in local soup kitchens and food banks. A less-than-perfect appearance does not affect the food's nutritional value or taste, she said.
"I have always been very concerned about hunger and malnourishment," said Luster, known as the "Garden Angel" by many people in the Baltimore area. "My grandmother used to tell me, 'Don't think it to death, play it to death, beat it to death. Just get started,'" Luster said. "That's what her faith moved her to do."
Some participants at the gathering saw Luster's influence first-hand when they visited four different hunger project sites, including Garden Harvest Farm. Others visited a New Windsor, Md., warehouse where LWR quilts, school kits, clothing, health kits and soap gathered from Lutheran congregations around the country are packaged and sent to people in need around the world. Some participants learned about state hunger advocacy efforts during a visit to the Maryland capitol in Annapolis. Others toured housing projects in Maryland.
Workshops were offered on a variety of topics from the basics of the World Hunger Appeal to the food crisis in the Horn of Africa. Miriam Campbell, associate director of education and evangelism, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, Chicago, and Stephen Padre, associate director for internal church communication-hunger/disaster interpretation, ELCA Department for Communication, Chicago, led a workshop on congregational resources for children.
"Right from the start (our congregations') kids are used to 'getting,'" Campbell said. "How can we turn that around to 'giving?'" Campbell explained the "Real Meal Deal," a resource that helps children think of hunger as something that actually happens to people, not something that appears as a picture on the news.
Some participants took part in optional pre- and post- conference meetings. The Rev. Russell O. Siler, director of the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA), Washington, D.C., led a workshop on advocacy and farm/rural issues, "Corn and Wheat Everywhere -- Why So Little to Eat?" LOGA receives funding from the World Hunger Appeal for its advocacy on behalf of poor people in the United States. LWR held an open house at the Lutheran Center here at the end of the conference so participants could talk informally with LWR staff members.
Other workshops included an explanation of domestic grants by Gaylord M. Thomas, director for community development services, ELCA Division for Church in Society (DCS), Chicago; ELCA program of Corporate Social Responsibility by Trudy Brubaker, director for corporate social responsibility and community development, Division for Church in Society, Pittsburgh; and environmental stewardship/urban gardening, by the Rev. Lee Ann Schray an ELCA pastor, Washington, D.C.
The conference featured the announcement of a campaign focused on Africa slated to begin in 2001. Tentatively titled "Stand with Africa," the campaign is a joint effort of the ELCA, Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod and LWR.
"The Africa campaign focuses on three things," said Lita Brusick Johnson, director of the World Hunger and Disaster Appeal, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries. "It focuses on the AIDS/health care crisis in Africa, sustainable development within the context of economic justice and reconciliation/peace building."
The gathering was also a time for forming strategies for fund raising. "The 1999 Churchwide Assembly charged the Hunger Appeal with doubling its income in the next five years," said Halvorson. "So Baltimore provided both plenary and workshop opportunities for participants to hear stories of how synod leaders are actually working to double Hunger Appeal income in their home synods, to strengthen synod hunger committees, increase the number of congregational contact people, and help identify major donors in synods for the awareness of Chicago-based Hunger Appeal staff."
The next Synod Hunger Leaders' Gathering will be held at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, in June 2001.

[*Melissa Pavolka is a junior at Indiana University, Bloomington,
Ind. This summer she is an intern with the ELCA Department for
Communication.]

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John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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