Engage Your Church
Churches are the seedbed for strong and effective advocacy with Bread. In their life as a congregation — in the sermons, prayers, singing, offerings, Bible studies, and service — churches can help their members understand and act on their faith. Bread invites your church to join 5,000 churches across the country nation urging our nation’s decision-makers to end hunger.
Our Faith Community
One great way to get ideas on how your church can become part of Bread for the World is to hear how other churches and the members and pastors in them have done creative and energizing advocacy activities.
Start an Activity
Choose one activity for your church to get started. Gather ideas and support from your pastor and other church leaders.
Hold an Offering of Letters
You can use this powerful way to engage your church in advocacy. An Offering of Letters is doable, and it’s effective. With Bread’s help, your church members can learn about the year’s issue, write personal letters to their members of Congress urging specific action on that issue, consecrate, and send the letters. Members of Congress say that just a handful of personal letters from constituents get a staff member assigned to research the issue and decide how to respond. Letters are still among the very best ways to communicate with Congress. A heartfelt letter based on your own experience and passion can shape a leader’s opinion.
Engage in Bread Rising, a campaign to end hunger by 2030
God has made it possible to bring an end to hunger by 2030. Learn more about how your church can be part of Bread’s special campaign to pray, act, and give at this transformational time.
Celebrate Bread for the World Sunday
Your church can celebrate Bread for the World Sunday. According to your church traditions, a special service is held in October. The education, prayer, and worship that Sunday is about ending hunger. Congregations commit themselves to the fight against hunger and poverty according to their faith tradition.
Faith Tools
Bread provides many resources designed for churches. They include:
- daily prayers for an end to hunger
- understanding the biblical basis for advocacy
- Offering of Letters toolkit with bulletin inserts
- Christian study guide for Bread for the World Institute’s annual Hunger Report
- Subscribe to Bread for the Preacher, a free monthly resource for pastors
Order these and other resources in the Bread Store.
Ready to Get Your Church Started or Need More Information?
Send us an email at church@bread.org or call at 800/822-7323. We are ready to answer your questions and guide you to the best resources for you and your church.
"When you give a banquet,
invite the poor."
Luke 14:13
Did you know?
Private charities provide about 1 in every 20 bags needed to feed people who are hungry. The federal government provides the rest. Infographic by Doug Puller / Bread for the World
Child Nutrition
For children's minds to be filled, their bellies need to be filled first.
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets
These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C.
Fact Sheet: Hunger and Poverty in Puerto Rico
Even before Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck Puerto Rico, hunger and food insecurity were much more common among Puerto Ricans than among their fellow U.S. citizens in the 50 states.
Before...
Fact Sheet: Fortified for Life. How the U.S. Government Supports Global Nutrition.
Good nutrition is a critical part of ensuring that all human beings can use their bodies and minds to live an active life and reach their full potential.
For Faith
Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
Dear Members of Congress,
As the president and Congress are preparing their plans for this year, almost 100 church leaders—from all the families of U.S. Christianity—are...
In Times Like These … A Pan-African Christian Devotional for Public Policy Engagement
This devotional guide invites deepened relationship with and among Pan-African people and elected leaders in the mission to end hunger and poverty.
Sermon by David Beckmann at Duke University Chapel
Remarks delivered October 1, 2017 at Duke University Chapel in Chapel Hill in North Carolina.
Thank you for inviting me to preach here at Duke University Chapel. And I especially want to thank the Bread for the World members who have come this morning.
Bruce Puckett urged...
For Advocacy
U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets
These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.
Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017
Unnecessarily long prison sentences, combined with the lack of rehabilitative programs for people in prison, exacerbate hunger, poverty, and existing inequalities.
Overly harsh mandatory minimum prison sentences have contributed to the rapid increase of our country’s prison population. The...