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Dear Friend,
Thank you for your partnership in proclaiming God’s care for hungry and poor people and inviting your church members to be part of God’s loving response. This month’s lectionary texts provide a clear invitation to preach on these themes. I hope you find the lectionary reflections below to be helpful in preparing powerful sermons for the coming Sundays.
Many of us take a summer vacation away from work. If you are like me, there are usually a few things on your desk that need to be taken care of before you leave. That last day in the office is full of little tasks that just “have to get done.”
Congress will be taking a break very soon. Bread for the World is trying hard to convince members of the House of Representatives that one of the things they “have to get done” before leaving is to sign on as a cosponsor of H.R. 2139, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act. This legislation is the first step in the reform that our 2009 Offering of Letters has been asking Congress to undertake. It will assure that the United States has a plan for foreign assistance that actually focuses on reducing hunger and poverty.
A few phone calls from members of your congregation might make signing on as a sponsor of H.R. 2139 one of the things on your representative’s final to-do list before leaving on vacation. Please consider putting the announcement below in this week’s bulletin.
Grace and peace,
Rev. Gary R. Cook
Director of Church Relations
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Lectionary Reflections
From Hunger for the Word, Year B
This month, Elizabeth Vander Haagen and Sister Christine Vladimiroff, O.S.B., remind us that God is always with hungry and poor people, and that we are called to create a world free of poverty, oppression, and hunger.
August 2, 2009 Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
God hears when people cry for lack of bread. Throughout Scripture, God is in the business of feeding people, and food is a sign of God’s care and provision for people. Read more »
August 9, 2009 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
God always hears the cry of oppressed people. Sometimes, as with Abel, God hears the blood crying out. With Israel in Egypt, God hears the nation’s cry. Salvation history shows that God always hears the cry of those who suffer from injustice and is roused to action on their behalf. Read more »
August 16, 2009 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
What would it look like if the desire to do right not only appeared in our political rhetoric but actually determined our nation’s political priorities? Read more »
August 23, 2009 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Worship is always political. It always has to do with power, recognizing that power ultimately resides with God. Read more »
August 30, Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
True religion enables us to fashion a world of love and caring, a society in which social justice, love, and compassion are so prevalent that violence becomes only a distant memory. By our actions we give witness to the heart-changing power of true religion. Read more »
Praying Together
Bread Meditation
Be gentle...when you touch bread.
Let it not lie...uncared for, unwanted.
So often...bread is taken for granted.
There is such beauty in bread;
beauty of sun and soil,
beauty of patient toil.
Wind and sun have caressed it.
Christ often blessed it.
Be gentle...when you touch bread.
(Discovered next to a loaf of bread, tucked in an alcove at Cartmel Priory, England)
Youth Corner
At times, it is easy to feel like the youth have vacated the church during summer months. Families are vacationing, summer camps are frequent, and late nights might be taking their toll. Many churches realize that a summer mission trip can engage youth and help them gain an understanding of poverty and hunger. If traveling isn’t an option this summer, consider working at a local soup kitchen or food pantry. Putting a human face on hunger issues can help youth become passionate advocates for hurting people. And it is now clearer than ever that youth can be a powerful voice for change. Service activities during the summer months can provide a great time for the youth to bond while growing closer to God.
An Announcement for Your Bulletin
Bread for the World’s 2009 Offering of Letters is asking Congress to reform foreign assistance so that it is more focused on reducing hunger and poverty. The campaign is asking members of the House of Representatives to sign on as cosponsors of the bipartisan Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act. More than 80 Republicans and Democrats have already signed on, but Bread is hoping that number will reach 100 before the August recess begins. Please call your representative at 1-800-826-3688 and encourage him or her to become a cosponsor of H.R. 2139. If he or she has signed on, use the opportunity to thank your representative.
Resources for Your Ministry
Bread for the World Founder Art Simon’s new book, “The Rising of Bread for the World,” tells the inspiring story of Christian citizen action against hunger. The book is an excellent text for adult study groups. It is available at Bread for the World's online store.
For an in-depth study of global poverty and the actions needed to overcome it, read Bread for the World Institute’s “Hunger 2009: Global Development, Charting a New Course.” You will find insightful analysis, illustrative stories, and helpful statistics. The report can be ordered or downloaded from http://www.bread.org/hungerreport.
