by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service
The World Hunger Resource Packet of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) for winter 2006-2007 is now available.
The packet contains resources to help individuals, congregations
and synods of the church learn more about and participate in
ending world hunger.
"Each of the two annual ELCA World Hunger Resource Packets is
designed to help leaders weave world hunger and disaster response
stories, activities and information throughout congregational
life and throughout the church year. The resources help leaders
encourage members to expand their understanding of neighbor and
exhort them to follow Christ's command to 'Go and do likewise' by
living faithfully and giving generously to the ELCA World Hunger
Appeal," said Sue Edison-Swift, associate director for marketing
and interpretation, hunger and disaster communication, ELCA
Development Services. "We hope leaders will route (the) packet
to other key leaders involved in worship, Sunday school, adult
education, social or global ministry, and the like. We are so
grateful to the network of volunteer hunger leaders in our
congregations and synods. Their energy, creativity, organization
and persistence are why our church can set a goal to raise $17.5
million for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal this year, while keeping
administration costs extremely low -- under 10 percent," she
said.
New features of the packet include a hunger guide for
congregations, reproducible hunger and domestic disaster response
stories for church newsletters and worship bulletins, a "Good
Gifts" catalog, Christmas postcards, a two-page flyer exhibiting
hand-crafted fair trade items to support Stand With Africa and
more. Financial gifts to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal designated
for Stand With Africa help communities and churches in Africa
banish hunger, overcome HIV/AIDS and build peace. The packet
also contains a bulletin with fold-out map to help members of the
church understand how their contributions to Stand With Africa
support life-saving ministries in sub-Sahara Africa. The
bulletin is available for free from the winter 2006 Top 40
Resources Catalog, which is also included in the packet.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
