29 posts categorized "Faith"

The first day of Bread for the World's 2013 National Gathering closed with an amazing treat: the debut of a new interpretation of Lazarus!

Lazarus is an original Bread for the World musical about hunger and poverty, created by Rev. Joel Underwood in the 1980s. Last night, a new version, with music and arangements by noted musical director Bill Cummings, debuted. The words and the story, however, were unchanged: the musical was based on the parable, found in Luke 16:19-31, featuring the story of a rich man (Dives) and a beggar (Lazarus) and their relationship in life and in the afterlife.

We'll be uploading a few video and music clips in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, here are a few photos from last night's performance to tide you over. (We are accepting pre-orders for a DVD of the performance, available early 2014. Contact publications@bread.org for details.)

Photo: Rev. Dr. James Forbes at the June 8 homiletic workshop. (Sarah Godfrey)

By Robin Stephenson

Food is not a minor detail, Rev. Forbes reminded us, but is essential to the fulfillment of God’s creation–before even creating us, in Genesis, God creates food. “If God in creation provides food,” Rev. Forbes said, "it is an anomalous situation to have a world where some people can’t eat.” Thus, starvation and hunger are a distortion of creation and our call is to heal the world–even when faced with the obstacle of disbelief.

Robin Stephenson is national social media lead and senior regional organizer, western hub, at Bread for the World.

By Dan Rohrer

The ongoing farm bill negotiations in both the Senate and the House, like so many issues in American public life, involve complicated calculations—especially for Christians. Those who claim to follow Jesus Christ are faced with the problem of translating his perfect love into an imperfect public sphere, one with diverse textures, concerns, and challenges. What exactly does Jesus Christ’s love look like in terms of the poor, the hungry, and the marginalized? Was Jesus for these people or against them?  In looking to what Jesus did and said in the scripture, Christians can find direction for more modern political decisions.

Those who wish to do nothing about the poor or the hungry often go to Matthew:  “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me” (Matthew 26:11, NRSV). On a superficial reading, this seems to be a blanket endorsement – from Jesus, no less! – of the plight of the poor in human society. Yet a deeper reading reveals quite the opposite. The preceding verses in Matthew tell of a woman who had applied an alabaster jar of ointment – quite a costly gift – to Jesus’ head, and how the disciples criticized her.  These pre-Resurrection disciples did not yet fully understand the significance of Jesus Christ.  They certainly did not understand the second half of that verse: “You will not always have me.” This is not a call to inaction: it is a call to value Jesus Christ more highly, in that very moment, than any social cause.  This does not mean that Jesus trumps engagement for the poor, however.  Who is this Christ if not one who stands entirely with the poor?

The key to reading this passage comes just a chapter earlier in Matthew 25:40: “[J]ust as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (NRSV). With these words, Jesus reveals that he shares a mystical union with those people who, quite arbitrarily, occupy society’s lowest classes. He speaks not just about individuals, although the least of these certainly are individual people with their own integrity, hopes, dreams, and worth. Jesus speaks about a class of people – one that is worthy of kindness in very abstract and very concrete terms.  Not only do the least of these deserve the same respect that richer and more powerful people enjoy, they also deserve to have their very immediate human needs satisfied: their shelter, their hunger, and their thirst.  Anyone who gives to the least of these in this way gives also to Jesus Christ.

Perhaps the most-cited verse against feeding the hungry comes from Paul or one of his followers:  “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10, NRSV).  This seems to be an early Christian endorsement of the modern pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps mentality.  In Paul’s time, this might well have been a pressing problem: people using the Christian community as a way of avoiding work while still claiming social benefits.  In our time, however, the problem has shifted drastically.  Not only are we faced with the problem of unemployment versus employment; we also face the issue of underemployment.  Even those who can find jobs don’t always make enough money to feed their families.  This is not an issue of rich versus poor; it is an issue of hard-working Americans not being paid enough for their honest labor in a national system that falls tragically short of Jesus Christ’s ideals for a loving society.

Time and time again, Jesus reveals himself as a prophet in the Old Testament sense, one whose concerns center on the widow and the orphan, the most marginalized people of his time, those without the social support systems enjoyed by wives who had husbands and children who had fathers.  Jesus represents a God who feeds people regardless of who they are.  Jesus gives food to all, without asking whether they have jobs, believe in what he’s saying, or go to church. Jesus represents the God whose  love comes to each of us, regardless of our social station.

Dan Rohrer is a doctoral student at Union Theological Seminary.

Photo: A woman praying during Bread for the World's 2011 National Gathering at American University.(Laura Elizabeth Pohl)

Did you know that each month the church relations department at Bread for the World produces a resource specifically for pastors? Whether you are searching for inspiration for a sermon you're writing, or just a lectionary enthusiast, Bread for the Preacher is for you.

After reading this introduction, explore this month’s readings on the Bread for the Preacher web page, where you can also sign up to have the resource emailed to you each month.

By Rev. Gary Cook

June’s lectionary readings are filled with stories that recount powerful and miraculous acts. Often, however, a significant aspect of the story is the radical nature of who was included in the miracles: not just the starving widow, but also a man possessed by demons and a despised foreigner. While our own beneficence tends to have limits, God’s doesn’t.

On Capitol Hill, we see efforts to limit access to programs to the “deserving” poor, reduce funding for services available to those who struggle with their own demons, and narrowly define who is worthy of living in our country. Some members of Congress use scripture to bolster their arguments for restricting eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps). Join us in praying for a miracle that moves our nation closer to embracing God’s gracious and expansive love for all people.

Photo: John, a former banker who is one of the subjects of The Line, shops for himself and his three children at a food pantry. (Film still from The Line, courtesy Magnolia Pictures)

By Alicia Vela

Recently, I worked with Bread for the World regional organizer Zach Schmidt and a few of my seminary classmates to organize a viewing of The Line--a documentary that takes a look at poverty in America. The event was part of a class called “Mobilizing for Justice,” taught by Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, professor at North Park Theological Seminary, and Dr. Dennis Edwards, senior pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis.

After watching the documentary, which follows four highly-relatable stories of Americans living in poverty, we participated in an exercise that shows how poverty cuts across all demographics. We then entered a period of small- and large-group discussion, reflecting on issues surrounding poverty in America and the ways in which the church can and should respond. The night ended with a plea for those present, as future pastors and leaders, to use our power—our pulpit, our congregation members, and our voices—to impact the issue of poverty in our communities and across the country.

During the event, we discussed different ways of responding to poverty, from helping local food pantries and soup kitchens to advocating for policy changes. We had an opportunity to sign Bread’s petition to President Obama, urging him to set a goal and work with Congress to end hunger. The conversation was productive in raising awareness as well allowing us to brainstorm more ways to be involved in addressing poverty. We also collected canned food for the North Park Friendship Center, an organization fighting hunger on Chicago’s North Side.

There are several pieces that I personally took away from my experience with Bread for the World, but the idea of using my voice for advocacy really stood out. I had always thought that as a pastor, I shouldn’t get involved in politics. Being an advocate seemed too divisive in my mind. I have always hidden my political affiliation while working in the church because I thought people would try to argue with me if they had different views. Then I realized that fighting for the hungry is not a political opinion or side, but rather a biblical mandate.

If we take seriously Jesus’s call to love the orphan, fight on behalf the defenseless and care for the weak, we begin to see advocacy as an essential response. As Christians we cannot stand alongside and watch those around us hurt because of the broken systems we have created. We are called to fight for them, to call or write our government leaders and ask for better laws and more care for those who are most vulnerable.

Alicia Vela earned her B.A. in psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and recently completed her Master of Divinity coursework at North Park Theological Seminary. A Colorado native, she is currently interning at Deer Grove Covenant Church in Palatine, Ill.

God’s willingness to become one of us in the person of Jesus Christ is evidence of God’s deep and abiding love for us. We understand God’s love through Jesus: “We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another” (1 John 3:16). Scripture shows us that Jesus was compassionate to all people, especially the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the hungry, the poor—those most vulnerable in society. Jesus loved all people, rich and poor, and actively cared for those in need. He urged his disciples to do the same, to reflect God’s loving nature.

As followers of Christ, we can reflect Jesus’ love and compassion. Jesus calls us to respond to the reality of hunger and poverty in our world. We can model Jesus’ care for vulnerable people we encounter, whether they live next door, in the next state, or across the world.

Our proclamation of God’s love and our demonstrated concern for others are two sides of the same coin. We work to end hunger and poverty in our communities, in our country, and in other countries because we hear God’s word and see Jesus’ model of compassion and justice.

We express and embody God’s reconciling love at all times and in all places.

In scripture, God calls people into community and sets the expectation that leaders (whether they are kings, pharaohs, or governments) should care for their people. Therefore, we also reflect Christ’s love by challenging individuals and institutions that have the power to change laws and structures that keep people vulnerable. As God’s hands and feet in the world, we work toward a beloved community in which every person has an equal opportunity to thrive.

Read and download this new resource, which can be used for personal reflection, group discussion, or congregational study.

You may also order The Biblical Basis for Advocacy to End Hunger as a pamphlet through the Bread store.

Photo: A young man reads his bible at an Assemblies of God service in Saclepea, Liberia (Laura Elizabeth Pohl/Bread for the World).

Did you know that each month the church relations department at Bread for the World produces a resource specifically for pastors? Whether you are searching for inspiration for a sermon you're writing, or just a lectionary enthusiast, Bread for the Preacher is for you.

After reading this introduction, explore this month’s readings on the Bread for the Preacher web page, where you can also sign up to have the resource emailed to you each month.

By Rev. Gary Cook

May’s liturgical observances locate Jesus in heaven, the Spirit among us, and both within the community of the Trinity. By month’s end, all are in place to continue the divine drama of God’s saving work among us. As preachers, our challenge is to help our listeners discover their own place in that drama. The month begins with the reminder from Revelation that the destination of our story is a place for “the healing of the nations.” May your preaching be an invitation to that place.

Rev. Gary Cook is director of church relations at Bread for the World.

Rev. Gary Cook, director of Church Relations at Bread for the World, holds up "A Place at the Table," the 2013 Offering of Letters handbook during aconversation with Barbie Izquierdo, who is featured in the documentary film of the same name. Photo taken at Ecumenical Advocacy Days, held April 5-8 in Washington, D.C. (Robin Stephenson)

By Robin Stephenson

More than 700 people gathered in Washington, D.C., last weekend for Ecumenical Advocacy Days, and Bread for the World staff and members were counted among them. This year’s gathering, held April 5-8, began with three days of worship and workshops on the theme "God’s Table: Food Justice for a Healthy World." The conference, of which Bread for the World is a sponsor, culminated in a Capitol Hill lobby day, during which participants told their members of Congress that a faithful farm bill will alleviate hunger and malnutrition, support farms and communities, and protect God’s creation.

With the agricultural and nutrition challenges we face today, food and farm policies that end hunger are something we must get right. Bread for the World Institute dedicated last year’s Hunger Report (PDF) to the concept of the farm bill as a legislative vehicle that can help meet those challenges as we work to address root causes of hunger. With this year’s Offering of Letters calling for a place at the table for all of God’s children, Bread for the World is closely following farm bill negotiations and calling for robust funding for both food aid and SNAP (formerly food stamps) as programs that can end hunger.

Staff members from Bread for the World—from across our government relations, church relations, and organizing departments—and Bread Institute presented in several workshops during Ecumenical Advocacy Days. Issues workshops Bread staff participated in included "Harvesting a Healthy Farm Bill: What’s at Stake?," "Food Insecurity 101:  Hunger in America," "Immigration in the Food System," "1,000 Days: The Foundation for Life," and "The Most Important Policy Conversation This Year: TAXES."  Bread staff also led skills workshops on social media and advocacy and conducting an Offering of Letters.

Bread for the World’s Women of Faith for 1,000 Days Movement hosted an opening night reception with Bread president David Beckmann giving an address on the importance of nutrition during the critical 1,000-day window, from a woman's pregnancy through her child's second birthday. 

One event highlight was an evening conversation with Barbie Izquierdo, whose story illustrates the importance of domestic nutrition programs. She is featured in the documentary film A Place at the Table, and also in Bread’s 2013 Offering of Letters.

Next up is Bread for the World’s 2013 National Gathering, "A Place at the Table," which will be held June 8-11 in Washington, D.C. The event will offer many informative workshops, as well as the opportunity to hear speakers like Rev. Dr. James Forbes and Rev. Luis Cortes, among others. The National Gathering also includes the premiere of a new arrangement of the musical Lazarus.  Take advantage of early-bird registration, and join us in June.

Robin Stephenson is national social media lead and senior regional organizer, western hub, at Bread for the World.

Two men chatting at Bread for the World’s 2011 National Gathering. (Alisa Booze Troetschel)
 

By Mary Getz

When I was in college, I had the opportunity to spend a month in Honduras on a service-learning trip. We worked on a variety of projects and spent time talking to those alongside whom we worked. We learned about culture, agriculture, and the economy.

One afternoon after our group had finished putting in a concrete floor to a community building and we were feeling pretty proud of ourselves, we heard chuckling from some of the men with whom we had been working. We could tell that we were the source of their amusement. When we asked to be let in on the joke, the answer turned our perspective on the day upside down.

The men explained that while we did a fine job on the floor, they were capable of doing it more quickly without us. They said that the important work that day was the friendship we built and the details we learned about each other’s lives.

The men told us, “You have something that we don’t have. You have a voice. You can go back to the United States and tell our story.

"Tell about what it means to be a small farmer here. Tell about what you’ve learned about how trade in your country affects people in our country. Tell our story.”

Our friends’ call to us that day mirrored Proverbs call to action:

Speak out for those who cannot speak,
for the rights of all the destitute.
Speak out, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)

We are called to advocacy—to work for justice—to speak out for those that cannot. 

Advocacy is about building relationships to achieve goals. We tend to focus upward towards our elected officials when we think of advocacy. But that focus can obscure the important relationships that are at the heart of our advocacy—people who are hungry or living in poverty. Our most authentic advocacy is done when we are in relationship with those that we are assisting.

In Matthew we read,

for I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you gave me clothing,
I was sick and you took care of me,
I was in prison and you visited me.  (Matthew 25: 35-36)

By meeting Christ in those around us, especially those who are in any kind of need—and by being in relationships with them—we can learn their stories and share those stories with people in power.

We can speak up for those who cannot.

Mary Getz is the grassroots and online communications officer for the Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations. She manages the Episcopal Public Policy Network, a grassroots network of Episcopalians committed to the active ministry of public policy advocacy.

[This piece originally appeared in the April edition of Bread for the World's e-newsletter.]

A photo of an immigrant in North Carolina, who lives in the United States without legal authorization. (Laura Elizabeth Pohl/Bread for the World)

By Krisanne Vaillancourt-Murphy

Immigration reform is perhaps the only policy issue in the nation that has both bipartisan support and political momentum. It is a popular issue in Congress these days, with the real possibility of bipartisan action. This week, the New York Times published an op-ed on the series of breakthroughs moving the nation toward a historic overhaul of the immigration system this year.  

While reducing poverty may not be the primary goal of most immigration reform efforts, it should certainly be one of its explicit objectives. Bread for the World envisions immigration policies that reflect both biblical perspectives toward immigrants and the spirit of U.S. democracy. Immigrants who are living in the United States without authorization, regardless of their countries of origin, need a timely and fair path to legalization. Meanwhile, targeted development assistance in immigrant-sending communities that supports inclusive and sustainable economic opportunities abroad can reduce the need for people to migrate illegally to the United States.

Immigration has stymied policymakers for decades but the coalition of faith communities and religious organizations supporting reform this year is unprecedented. A big part of the increased push is coming from a group of evangelical organizations that have prioritized immigration reform. The Evangelical Immigration Table includes the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, and the National Association of Evangelicals, and other prominent faith groups. Bread for the World is also proud to be part of the Table and its efforts to promote just immigration reform of a broken system.

On April 17, hundreds of evangelicals will gather in Washington for the Evangelical Day of Prayer and Action on Immigration Reform to raise an evangelical voice proclaiming a biblical vision for immigration reform that respects the rule of law, reunites families, and upholds human dignity. The event will include prayer services with the participation of Bread for the World President David Beckmann and other leaders, including Bill Hybels, senior pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., and Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.  Find registration information and an event schedule here.

Resources on Bread’s unique immigration perspective are now available online, in both English and Spanish.

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy leads national evangelical church relations at Bread for the World.