ELCA Presiding Bishop Addresses Synod Hunger Leaders

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), addressed
the ELCA World Hunger Synod Leadership Gathering June 26 in
Techny, Ill. More than 100 synod hunger leaders representing 47
of the ELCA's 65 synods gathered June 24-27 to discuss the fight
to end world hunger.
Hanson offered nine challenges that synod hunger leaders can
consider in their work with hunger and poverty. He encouraged
synod leaders to build upon the generous response from members of
the church toward recent natural disasters to sustain a pattern
of giving in the area of hunger relief.
"Poverty in the midst of affluence is a disaster," Hanson
said. "Hunger in a world that has the capacity but not the will
to bring (hunger) to an end is a moral human disaster."
Hanson challenged participants to prepare strategically for
the upcoming fall elections and to "do it in a way that is clear
that ending hunger, reducing poverty and eradicating disease are
bipartisan issues," he said. In addition to confronting
candidates with "hard questions," Hanson stressed the importance
of asking candidates for commitments, and helping elected
officials follow through on their commitments to end poverty,
hunger and disease.
Hanson addressed the importance of connecting to the
ministries of Lutheran churches or "companion synods" around the
world in order to "learn from them the reality of hunger, the
reality of poverty, the reality of disease, and in that
relationship, build a commitment to eradicate those together," he
said.
In an age of massive deception, Hanson called on synod
leaders to be truth-tellers. "Fear drives us to become
preoccupied with defining boundaries, fortifying borders and
erecting barriers," he said. The church's role, according to
Hanson, is to create a safe space for civil conversation.
Other issues Hanson addressed included the need to connect
hunger and poverty to the "complex public debate about
immigration," the importance of congregations cultivating "a
sustained community of public moral discernment and
deliberation," the church's responsibility to engage in public
acts of repentance and lament, and the necessity of connecting
spiritual hunger with the hunger for food, justice and peace.
"Holding together a faith that matters and a faith that
makes a difference is the bridge that we need to walk across,"
Hanson said.
Hanson concluded his presentation by addressing the
importance of influencing public consciousness in an age of
information overload. Throughout his presentation, Hanson
highlighted the importance of the ONE Campaign and the ELCA World
Hunger Appeal. The ONE Campaign is an effort to rally Americans
to the cause of ending poverty and achieving the eight Millennium
Development Goals: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve
universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower
women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat
HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental
sustainability; and create a global partnership for development.
In addition to Hanson's presentation, the gathering featured
workshops, plenary sessions and an experiential learning
opportunity. Workshop topics included speaking effectively about
hunger, lifestyle stewardship, congregational fundraising,
building hunger networks in synods and creative hunger programs.
Plenary session topics focused on leadership development,
including biblical and theological foundations for hunger work,
the qualities of good leaders and how to work in a variety of
community contexts.
"The gathering is meant to bring together our synod hunger
leaders from around the country for a time of renewal,
inspiration, training and learning about the work of the world
hunger program, so that they can be equipped to go back out into
their synods and do the work of this program," said Nancy
Arnison, director, ELCA World Hunger Program. That work includes
"involving the congregations in their synods with helping to
raise money for world hunger, advocating for justice and world
hunger issues, and educating in their congregations," she said.
The gathering featured a field trip to Waukegan, Ill., that
allowed synod leaders to look at how communities face hunger and
to hear from community officials, said Bob Sitze, director for
hunger education, ELCA Church in Society.
"This is a very exciting time to work on world hunger
because we live in an era where we know that chronic, extreme
hunger is not inevitable," Arnison said. "We know that this is a
solvable problem, we know the strategies that work for long-term
development and we know that the resources exist on this planet
for everyone to have adequate nutrition. But what it will take
is the political will, the will of each one of us to do our part
and the will of our governments to do their parts," she said.
Individuals can play a significant role just by examining
their lifestyles, Arnison said. Purchasing decisions, energy
consumption, the clothing we wear and our contributions to the
ELCA World Hunger Appeal can make a huge difference, she said.
For every dollar given to the annual World Hunger Appeal,
just over 71 cents is allocated for relief of chronic hunger and
poverty and development of communities around the world. About
10 cents is spent on relief and development for chronic hunger
and poverty in the United States. Education programs for ELCA
members about hunger issues and advocacy receive just over 11
cents, and less than 7 cents goes to administration and fund-
raising expenses.
"We're not just giving people food," Arnison said. "We are
helping people learn sustainable agriculture so that they can
feed themselves. We're helping people become educated so that
they can contribute to their own livelihoods. We're helping
people lift themselves out of chronic poverty," she said.
All funds raised by the ELCA World Hunger Appeal come
through specially designated offerings and donations from ELCA
members, congregations and friends. The appeal surpassed its 2005
goal of $16.5 million and received $17 million in donations. The
income goal for 2006 is $17.5 million. The World Hunger Appeal
helps provide the core budgets of two ELCA partner organizations
-- Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and the Lutheran World Federation
(LWF). LWR, Baltimore, is an overseas relief and development
ministry of the ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The LWF
is a global communion representing 62.3 million of the world's
nearly 65.4 million Lutherans. It is based in Geneva,
Switzerland.
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Information about the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Program
is available at http://www.ELCA.org/hunger on the Web.

*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an
intern with the ELCA News Service.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog