Monmouth Presbytery Hunger and Environment

Witnesses to God’s true Light - a message from Linda Valentine

2012-01-06T15:18:00.000-05:00

Greetings to members ofthe General Assembly Mission Council, mid council executives and friends,

This prayer for Epiphany – provided by theGAMC’s Office of Theology and Worship – is a fittingway for us to mark the celebration of this holy day:

Shepherd of Israel,
you sent a star to enlighten the wise
and a child to topple the tyrant.
Make us wise enough to seek you
among the least of your children,
wise enough to trade our treasure
for the gift of overwhelming joy.

As we we celebrate the revelation of God’s promise andpurpose to the nations of the world, let us also begin this New Year with arenewed commitment to seeking God’s face among the least of God’s children andto working together for justice, freedom, and peace.

In his Advent 2011 Letter, PC(USA) mission co-worker Mark Adams – co-coordinator for Frontera deCristo, the Presbyterian Border Ministry in Agua Prieta, Mexico – is bold tocite the prophet Isaiah, “the prophet who spoke (and continues to speak) of agreat light to a people walking in darkness.”

“In a world where the income gap between the ‘haves, thehave lesses and the have nots’ is reflected not only in economic separation butalso in social, cultural and political separations, a ministry in which rich,middle class and poor come together to seek to build relationships andunderstanding across borders is unusual,” Mark writes.

It is my prayer that the light of Jesus Christ will continueto guide and illumine Mark, his wife Miriam Maldonado Escobar, also a missionco-worker with Frontera de Cristo, and all of our faithful mission personnel asthey seek to show and tell of Christ as God’s gift of grace and salvation forall persons. And may we all respond anew to God’s call to be witnesses to God’strue Light.

Faithfully yours,

Our Blog Has Moved

2009-11-16T18:42:00.002-05:00

We have a new blog website for our Hunger Action and Advocacy partnership with New Brunswick Presbytery. There is still good info on this blog but the latest info is at the new site - hope to see you there!

November 2009 - Welcome to New Jersey Presbyterian Hunger Action and Advocacy, a ministry of Monmouth and New Brunswick Presbyteries. We share the goal of the Presbyterian Hunger Program: to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes. We are here to help congregations engage in a range of creative ministries to help hungry and poor people.

In the Spotlight:

Hunger in the U.S. is at a 14-Year High - please share your stories with us - What are you seeing in your community? What is your congregation doing? Where do you see God at work?
Winter 2009-2010 Newsletter
On Tuesday, November 17^th, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will consider approval of S. 1524, the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act. Please call NJ Senator Robert Menendez at 1-800-826-3688 before noon on Tuesday, November 17, and urge him to vote “YES” on S. 1524.
Holiday Postcard Campaign for Immigration Reform
from the Presbyterian Hunger Program's Joining Hands initiative: Transparency Bill before Congress, S1700

Check out our “Congregations” pages to learn more about what congregations are doing and find ideas of what you can do. Hunger Action Enabler/ Advocates, Rev. Marcia MacKillop and Rev. Phyllis Zoon, serve as educators and motivators–we are here to help.

Our website/blog is a “work in progress” that we hope will be informative, useful and fun. All comments welcome!

October 18 (or a Sunday of your choice): Bread for the World Sunday

When did we see you hungry and not give you food?

2009-06-26T10:48:00.005-04:00

Then the righteous will say to him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food?” -- Matthew 25:37

The headline read, “World hunger reaches 1 billion mark” - and I never got any further in praying for the news this week.

Lord, when did we see you hungry, and not give you food?

The global financial meltdown has pushed the ranks of the world’s hungry to a record 1 billion, an increase of 100 million over last year. One billion. That’s one out of six people in the world.

Lord, when did we see you hungry, and not give you food?

Pray the rest of this prayer (you will need a Yahoo Id

Good (no, great ) Coffee, Good (no, great) Cause

2009-06-24T17:48:00.004-04:00

1. Would you like to reach out to neighbors overseas not only with prayers and offerings but also by the products you purchase?

2. Would you like to know for sure that more of the money you spend on coffee goes to the hardworking farmers who grow it?

3. Would you like to know that the coffee you drink has been grown with care for the stewardship of the natural environment?

4. Would you like to save some money on your purchase of fair trade organic coffee (compared to prices in most supermarkets)?

5. Would you like to know that your coffee purchase will help guarantee that farmers will earn the income they need to feed their families, educate their children, and improve their communities?

6. Do you have a pulse?

If you can answer “yes” to at least one of these questions, check out the Presbyterian Coffee Project. Try a package from the presbytery —better yet, organize a project at your church! More info at www.pcusa.org/coffee

Food Crisis, Agribusiness Accountability & Pigs

2009-06-19T12:22:00.004-04:00

Whether or not you are taking part in the PC(USA) churchwide fast, July's fast materials are right on target for helping to understand issues related to food here in the U.S.

The fast materials explore the role of agribusiness in the food system and its relation to the food crisis. Pigs will be the teachers as we reflect how they are produced. By the end of this minicurriculum,
prayer, and discussion, you should be able to answer questions such as:

• Does agribusiness (large companies which increasingly control more and more of the
industry) produce them sustainably and humanely?

• Are there other models of production? And what are the positives and negatives?

• How do we engage to make our food system better?

A Taste of Things to Come? Fast Food Facelift

2009-06-18T09:24:00.001-04:00

Chipotle's Fast Food Facelift

Shared via AddThis

No matter who you are . . .

2009-05-16T20:29:00.000-04:00

Palm Sunday - Scene 2

2009-04-08T17:21:00.001-04:00

The following essay is by Peter Sawtell, Executive Director of Eco-Justice Ministries. I put it up on the blog last year and decided to repeat it this year. It really is "food for thought"!

"Palm Sunday is that occasion in the church year when we try and get ourselves into a really joyous mood, so that we can experience the full roller coaster effect of Holy Week.

"In many churches this weekend, the members of the Sunday School will be drafted to form a palm-waving procession through the sanctuary. Some lucky child may even get to play the part of Jesus, and ride the wooden donkey, the same one used by Mary in the Christmas pageant. Meanwhile, in the pews, well-dressed adults will sing All Glory, Laud and Honor and look very self-conscious about waving their fronds.

"Through it all, we make a noble attempt to capture the genuine spirit of celebration that is part and parcel of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. We try to claim the hope and excitement of the Messiah's arrival in the capitol city. And we set aside the awareness of what comes later in this Holy Week -- the agonizing times of betrayal and death, and the astounding joy of resurrection.

"The Christian liturgical tradition packs a lot into Holy Week. We observe Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter itself.

"And yet, as I re-read the Palm Sunday account in the gospels, I'm struck by what our liturgies skip over. The tradition of the triumphal entry is truncated. Scene 2 is skipped.

"Picture this in your church's observation of the day: The bathrobe-clad Jesus rides the wheeled donkey down the aisle, while the congregation sings familiar hymns of praise and wave their palm branches. Then, as the music comes to a close, Jesus strides to the chancel, sweeps the silver communionware onto the floor, and shouts, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer', but you are making it a den of robbers."

What do you think? Is this true? Read the rest of the article

The painting is undated by Solomon Raj. Asian Christian Art Association

The sculpture of Christ cleansing the Temple is by Brian Burgess.

Making it all count

2009-03-25T08:49:00.003-04:00

In C. S. Lewis’s “Chronicles of Narnia” Aslan the Lion takes Lucy, Edmund, Peter and everyone to the New Narnia—we might call it “heaven” or the New Creation. It’s a place of astonishing light and beauty; a place where every blade of grass seems to mean more and where every creature sings for the sheer joy of the Creator. It is a place where everything is just so real in depth and color that the mere sight of a daisy takes your breath away and makes you weep for the sheer beauty of the thing.

But there, in the midst of all that beauty, they see a group of dwarfs huddled together—convinced that they are living in the rank stench of a barn. Lucy—upset that they aren’t enjoying the New Narnia—begs Aslan to help them, and he tells her, “I will show you what I can and cannot do.”

Aslan shakes his golden mane and a sumptuous banquet appears. But when the dwarfs dive in, they start gagging and complaining. “Doesn’t this beat all,” they lament. “Not only are we in this stinking stable but now we’ve got to eat hay and dried cow dung as well!”

The dwarves, Aslan goes on to say, had chosen suspicion instead of trust and love. They were prisoners of their own minds. They could not see Aslan’s gift of the New Narnia for they would not see it. Aslan can but leave them alone to the hell of their own devising.

Living now, in a time of economic crisis and uncertainty, it’s easy to feel anxious—a lot like those dwarfs. It happens to people, it happens to congregations and presbyteries, too. The temptation is to hunker down and hold on tightly to what we have. But now, I think, is a good time to remember and claim God’s promise of abundant life by opening ourselves up even more to the glorious bounty that is all around and to choose trust and love. It’s also a good time to see that everything we do really counts. Give to One Great Hour of Sharing and other Presbyterian mission; spend your money on fair trade items that are beautiful and help the communities that make them.

Remember your treasure isn’t in your IRA or your building. Spend your precious time building relationships—with God, with God’s creation, and with yourselves. And enjoy the abundance!

Where is your treasure? One Great Hour of Sharing: Sharing Resources, Changing Lives

2009-03-10T21:42:00.005-04:00

The financial crisis that began here has now touched all corners of the world. Here including many in our congregations) and around the world poor people are wondering, "Can I feed my family today?" Now, more than ever, those who are most vulnerable are looking to us; now, more than ever, we need to ask ourselves how much greater our capacity for sharing might be.

There are very few things you can do in a given week that will impact lasting change around the world. Here is one: take time this week to promote the offering with congregations, groups, and individuals in your circle of influence.

forward this post to people you know;
visit the One Great Hour of sharing website;
find tools that help congregations promote the offering including ads for newsletters, the video posted below, minutes for mission, and more;
make sure your congregation has received their offering materials and contact Alan Krome in Louisville or Phyllis Zoon at the Presbytery Center if you haven't;
consider how you might contribute to the offering through your congregation - or if you will not be present when your local congregation receives the offering - give online now.

Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow has put a challenge before our churches to double their offering this year in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the One Great Hour of Sharing, and because now more than ever those who are most vulnerable in our communities and around the world are counting on us to help them make a difference in their lives.

Most congregations receive the One Great Hour of Sharing on Palm Sunday or Easter and use the season of Lent to promote the offering. So, please take a moment now to help ensure a successful offering this year.

Together we can change the world...

Growing Deep and Wide in Jacksonville

2009-03-02T14:01:00.004-05:00

The following article was written by Bill Jordan and will appear in the 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study.

Take one second career minister who is a lifetime outdoorsman and has an undergraduate degree in biology and put him with a small church that dates back to 1871 in a community with rural roots and a growing suburban population, and see what happens. The Jacksonville Church is engaged in the mission: “To serve Jesus Christ by caring for God’s creation and its people.”

Pastor Dana Eglinton was a contractor who built energy efficient houses. Before he heard God’s call to ordained ministry he believed that a Christian is responsible for the care of God’s earth. In worship, Bible study and retreats the church explored many avenues of service and discipleship related to the care of the earth. Eglinton discovered that there were already people in the congregation who were concerned about environmental issues. Together, pastor and people developed the Jacksonville Presbyterian Church Earthcare Ministry.

The Earthcare Ministry reached out to the neighbors of the congregation members with the distribution of compact fluorescent bulbs and an invitation to join the congregation in caring for creation. Other projects include working with the High School Science Club in building bird houses on property that is void of trees. Members of the congregation are involved with a watershed project that monitors chemicals in creeks and streamsas well as in clean-up projects in their township. All ages enjoy canoe and camping trips, and outings where the emphasis is on enjoying the earth and caring for God’s creation and all of God’s creatures.

Make social and environmental justice part of your congregation's Palm Sunday celebration

2009-02-09T17:26:00.004-05:00

Palm Sunday is April 5, 2009

The Eco-Palm Project
Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, accented by the jubilant waving of palm branches, is re-enacted each Palm Sunday in Presbyterian and other Christian congregations worldwide as Holy Week observances begin. Unfortunately for the communities where these palms are harvested, palm fronds do not always represent the same jubilation they do for us.

In 2007 the PC(USA) teamed up with Lutheran World Relief, Catholic Relief Services and the University of Minnesota to offer congregations the option of purchasing responsibly harvested eco-palm branches for Palm Sunday. The palms come from communities in Mexico and Guatamala where workers are paid fairly and engage in sustainable harvesting in order to protect the local ecosystem. Learn more about the benefits of Eco-Palms.

Online ordering new for 2009! Orders are due by March 9 if paying by credit card (March 2 if paying by check). Learn about pricing, ordering options and more.

Read the Presbyterian News Service article about Eco-Palms.

Young Adult Eco-Stewards Sought

2009-02-07T16:44:00.001-05:00

Applications are being sought for the Eco-Stewards program of the Presbyterian Conservation Corps (PCC), a Christian community responding to God's call through applied eco-stewardship. The PPC is looking for Eco-Steward applicants from ages 18-24 years old who demonstrate interest in church, camp, and environmental concerns. The application deadline is May 1, 2009. To download the application, go to http://www.presbyterianconservationcorps.org/2009.html.

Each program will comprise of two components at different sites: 1. Eco-Stewards Training (3-4 days) and 2. Eco-Stewards Hand-On Program (3-4 days). The two programs are as follows: West: July 5-12 at Highlands Camp in Allenspark, CO and Greenwood Farm in Hardin, MT and Midwest: August 2-9 at Stronghold Retreat Center in Oregon, IL and Chicago, IL. PCC will transport participants between each site, but participants are responsible for travel to the training, and from the program component.
A joint program of Presbyterian Conservation Corps and Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association, the Eco-Stewards program seeks to train and inspire young adults in the ways of eco-stewardship within the wider context of our Christian faith. The overarching goal of this new initiative is to help inspire Presbyterian Church, USA churches and their members to become better caretakers of planet earth, our God given island home.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days - March 13-16 in Washingston DC

2009-01-25T15:02:00.006-05:00

Would you like to know more about the connections between climate change, migration, and poverty here in the U.S. and around the world?
Would you like the opportunity to come together with faith-based advocates and activists from other Christian communities?
Would you like to meet and talk with other Presbyterians from all over the country who are concerned about these issues?
Would you like to learn more about the abundance of our world and how it can be allocated in a way that's fair and just for all creation?
Would you like to talk personally about your concerns with your representative and senators (or their staff members)?
Do you have a pulse?

If you can answer "yes" to at least one of the above and if your schedule is open, Ecumenical Advocacy Days is for you! Scholarship assistance of $500 is available from the Synod of the Northeast for use by Ministers and for Members of churches with membership greater than 150. Student scholarships are also available from Ecumenical Advocacy Days (applications due by February 6).

Registration Information

Conference fee: $160 including two lunches and Sunday reception.
Registration after February 13th will be $175. Register early!
Student scholarships are available, visit the young adult page or email scholarships@advocacydays.org.
Consider making a donation to help students attend the conference.

Click here to Register Now!

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

2009-01-25T13:41:00.009-05:00

Would you like to make a positive difference every time you drink a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate or eat an organic chocolate bar? The Presbyterian Coffee Project makes it easy by offering a special link to help us reach out to neighbors overseas not only with our prayers and offerings but with the goods and products we purchase.

Why is this so important? Show the film "Black Gold" in your congregation, which features coffee production in Ethiopia and the farmers in the Oromia Cooperative. Or watch it online Black Gold:

Souper Bowl Sunday - February 1

2009-01-25T13:11:00.004-05:00

Souper Bowl of Caring is a national movement of congregations, schools, community organizations and compassionate individuals caring for others on Super Bowl weekend. Souper Bowl of Caring equips and mobilizes youth to positively impact their communities by collecting money or food on or near Super Bowl weekend. 100% of the collections are donated directly to the charity of each group's choice.

Souper Bowl also includes a Service Blitz. In addition to collecting the dollar donations, youth are encouraged to serve hands-on at the charity of their choice the Saturday before the big game.

32 congregations (about 70%) in Monmouth Presbytery are registered for Souper Bowl!

Forty-eight years later . . .

2009-01-15T22:58:00.004-05:00

A friend send this to me. Amazing! Thank you Lisa!

This is a Norman Rockwell Painting of Ruby Bridges, the little black girl who had to be escorted to school by federal marshals. "On November 14, 1960 . . . Bridges faced hostile crowds as the first black child to attend a previously all-white New Orleans school. She was 6 years old and had only been told by her mother that she was going to be attending a new school that day and "had better behave." Little did she know that she would be bombarded with jeers and even death threats and that she would end up being the sole child in her first-grade class after all the other children were kept home by their parents. All because Ruby was black.

Forty-eight years later--January 5, 2009--here is a picture of Sasha Obama, a little 7-year old black girl, being escorted to her school by her mother, First Lady-elect Michelle Obama and the Secret Service because Sasha's daddy is now President-elect of the United States, Barack Obama.

Celebrating the Birthday of Martin Luther King

2009-01-14T16:16:00.002-05:00

There is a beautiful Litany of Celebration (and other worship resources) for Martin Luther King Day worship celebrations. I'm posting it here and hope this dream will become ours!

Litany of Celebration

LEADER: Martin King had a dream. The ideals of justice and freedom and the belief that all are created equal in the eyes of God are noble principles. But they are meaningless unless they become the personal possession of each one of us.

ALL: For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent. I will struggle with myself. I will not rest until the dream of justice and freedom becomes my personal dream. I must realize that I am not an innocent bystander. I can help realize the dream by my action, or delay it by in inaction.

LEADER: Martin’s dream of a day when people from all races and nations, eve the offsprings of slaves and former slave owners, can sit at a table as brothers and sisters and find ways of transforming their differences into assets. That was Martin’s dream. What is your dream?

ALL: My dream is that one day soon I will find a way to stop just celebrating the dream and start living it. It must become a part of my daily life; or nothing much will change.

LEADER: The dream is not about an ideal world; it is about the real world. Martin King’s poetic refrain, “I Have a Dream,” is a call for us to remember the real world where injustice abounds.

ALL: When I am in the shelter of my home I must remember the homeless. When I eat, I must remember the hungry. When I feel secure I must remember the insecure. When I see injustice I must remember that it will not stop unless I stop it.

LEADER: I have a dream!

ALL: I also have a dream. I have a dream that the Holy Spirit will arouse in me that very flame of righteousness that caused Martin King to become a living sacrifice for the freedom and liberation of all of God’s Children. Then I will be able to resist racial injustice everywhere I see it, even within myself.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-12T16:15:00.002-05:00

This is from the Presbyterian Hunger Program staff in Louisville, Kentucky who have asked me to share it with all who give so much to help hungry people here and all over the world.

New Jersey Council of Churches Launches "Clip Campaign"

2008-12-04T15:24:00.004-05:00

Bring your coupons to the Presbytery Center--we will collect and make them available on request to hunger ministries or send them on to NJCC

In these times of unprecedented fiscal uncertainty, the NJCC is launching a new campaign to help people in need. Every week thousands of coupons that can be used to help purchase necessary items are thrown in the trash.

The NJCC would like to ask its local churches to begin an organized collection process of coupons for distribution.

Here is how it works. Churches will collect coupons in four categories:

cereal
baby products
detergents/cleaning supplies
miscellaneous (a particularly good coupon in any area)

The coupons should be distributed either:

to the NJCC office; we will see that they are given to those in need
to members of the church who need them
to another local church
to a local food pantry or soup kitchen

Please consider having your church participate by taking this step and helping in another way to make a difference.

For questions or comments, please respond to this email or call the NJCC at 609-396-9546.

How Brightly Shines Our Morning Star Food Pantry

2008-12-01T17:11:00.005-05:00

Morning Star’s building at 1 Morning Star Drive in Bayville is new, but its hunger ministry is not. “We’ve had a food pantry for many years,” says Rev. Myrlene Hamilton Hess, “but we didn’t have a facility appropriate for a public food bank, so it remained small and grew through word of mouth.”

The new Morning Star Food Pantry opened to the public on August 10, 2008. It has grown to handling over 150 people with food on a monthly basis and continues to grow each month. As part of Morning Star’s Loaves and Fishes Ministry. Special projects in 2008 include backpacks for children in September, Halloween costumes for children in October, Thanksgiving turkeys in November, and Christmas presents to families in December.

[read entire article]

Current sources of funding for this ministry include 50% of the money collected from Cents-Ability and donations and food from the congregation and the general public.

At a time when so many families and individuals find themselves in need, however, the food pantry needs sponsors and donations of money, food, health and beauty, cleaning items and clothing. Local businesses are ideal for partnerships with the church as are nearby congregations. Monmouth Presbytery is proud to be a new partner: at its November meeting, the Cents-Ability Grants Committee approved a $1,000 grant.

Next Monthly Fast October 31-November 2

2008-10-28T15:32:00.004-04:00

Presbyterians around the country are engaging in monthly 40-hour fasts to help discern responses to the Global Food Crisis. The fasts typically take place on the first weekend of every month, beginning on Friday evening and ending with Communion or a communal meal on Sunday. The next fast is October 31- November 2. Resources are available (PDF) that explore the country focus for the month is Haiti and the theme focus of food aid.

New Bible Study--Fair Trade: Using our Purchasing Power for Justice and Hope

2008-09-16T23:07:00.002-04:00

People of faith seek both definition and guidance from God as we make choices in our lives. But how can we make the connections between our faith and the vast economic web that affects our own daily lives and all too often puts too much economic risk onto farmers and craftspeople in poor nations—those least able to bear it? Probably not by using the index of your study Bible!

Partners for Just Trade is a new organization that grew out of the Presbyterian Hunger Program’s Joining Hands initiative in Peru. As they learned more about Fair Trade, they saw the convergence of its nine basic Key Principles with the Judeo-Christian teachings about justice and became excited about the idea of creating a Bible Study to help all of us understand and be actively involved in God’s vision for the well-being of all of creation.

Fair Trade: Using Our Purchasing Power for Justice and Hope walks the reader through the principles of Fair Trade through personal narration, Bible passages, questions for reflection, and challenges to engage the reader in learning about Fair Trade.

You can do the 6-part study alone or with a group. It can take as much or as little time as you have. Even a quick study will bring new ideas about how important our lifestyles are to the well-being of people we don’t even know; or deeper study may take you to the university for classes, the library for books, or the internet to find some websites.

For more information, contact Partners for Just Trade at 314-707-2831 or visit them on the web.

Invitation to a Church-wide Fast

2008-09-12T23:40:00.013-04:00

I recently received an invitation to a Denomination-wide Fast. It says, "At the behest of the 218th General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is inviting its congregations to engage in a monthly church-wide fast to discern faithful responses to the global food crisis, in a world where more than 845 million people go hungry. As many as 100 million more may be driven into extreme poverty due to the food crisis, while others live with plenty to spare." Download the document .

How do you feel about fasting? I must admit that the idea scares me, mostly because I'm not sure I can do it and I really hate failing. And, as a lifelong member of churches in the Reformed tradition, it's not part of my repertoire (even though John Calvin called for fasting as part of the Public and Mutual Practice of Penance.) But I have decided it's time to give it a try--for a year, and one month at a time.

For one thing, as a musician, I know how deadly it can be to never change your tunes.

It sounds like fasting is a spiritually (and socially) transforming and life-giving practice. Noelle Damico, Coordinator of the PC(USA) campaign for Fair Food, notes that “a central purpose is that of reconciliation—to God and to one’s neighbor” which can sharpen our vision to see God’s vision for our world more clearly, strengthen our resolve to live with integrity, and prepare us to act with God to transform ourselves and our world. And—not the least for people like me who too often are overfed—it “brings lasting insights into the physical needs of the body and the daily struggles of those who are hungry and poor.” (You can find much more at www.pcusa.org/hunger/foodcrisis.) I can’t even begin to imagine how God could use our denomination in new ways if just two people in every congregation would become part of this!

I will also be in good company. Fasting used to be a common thing "back in the day" for Jews and Christians, too--which means that I would be joining giants of the faith like Moses, King David, Queen Esther, the prophets Isaiah and Joel, the people of Nineveh, and Jesus--just to name a few. And then there are John Calvin, Mahatma Gandhi, Cesar Chavez, and Martin Luther King Jr. Closer to home, I already have connections to 453 Presbyterians (several from Monmouth Presbytery) who have joined the new Facebook group "Presbyterians Respond to Global Food Crisis"--and there's plenty of room for more.

Finally, there's more than one way to be part of this. Congregations can commit to the fast as a body, and individuals and smaller groups may also participate. And, for those who are physically unable to fast, there is the alternative of simpler meals.

Are you ready to sign on? The first of the monthly fasts begins on Friday evening, October 3. And break the fast with Holy Communion on Sunday if your place of worship does Communion then. Fittingly, October 5 is World Communion Sunday!

If it's October, it's time for a CROP Hunger Walk

2008-09-01T10:59:00.007-04:00

What is a CROP Hunger Walk? Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty. Neighbors walking together to take a stand against hunger in our world. Together we raise awareness and funds for international relief and development, as well as local hunger-fighting. Read more»

Since 1969, CROP WALKS and Walkers have been putting a lot of soul into the fight against hunger, but there are still steps we need to take together. Join in a CROP Hunger Walk near you to help raise awareness and funds to fight hunger--around the block and around the world. Or, if there isn't one in your community -- contact Church World Service NJ office to volunteer to help start one!

Following are the NJ CROP walks taking place in our Presbytery:

October 5 - Tuckerton
October 19 - Bordentown, Freehold, Hightstown, Long Branch, Ocean County North, and Red Bank
October 26 - Allentown

Bread for the World Sunday - October 19 and other Sundays this fall

2008-08-21T18:04:00.005-04:00

Note: the following info is from Bread for the World's website.

Bread for the World Sunday is an opportunity for churches to renew their commitment to overcoming hunger and poverty in God's world. On October 19 and other Sundays this fall, worshipping communities across the country will join together in lifting up their voices on behalf of hungry people. Order your free worship resources below.

This year's observance of Bread for the World Sunday takes place at a time when soaring prices for food and fuel have created an urgent hunger crisis – both in our own country and overseas. An additional 100 million people have fallen into poverty and are at risk of hunger and starvation.

In the midst of this global hunger crisis, our nation is electing a new president and new Congress. Living in God's grace in Jesus Christ, we have received a great inheritance: the gift of citizenship – a resource to use on behalf of those in need. As citizens, we have the privilege to elect our nation's leaders as well as the responsibility to use our country's abundant resources to make sure people have enough to eat – and the opportunity to make a living and feed their families.

The Bible study by Pastor Heidi Neumark found in this year's Reflection Resource offers insights that will be useful for both sermons and adult education forums. The Parable of the Prodigal Son calls us to repent of our own squandering of our inheritance of God's grace – and invites us to return to our gracious Father and place our faith in the Faithful Son who creates an abundant feast for all in need. These themes of repentance and return, faith and abundance can be found in many of the different Gospel readings used throughout the fall worship season.

Join with churches and worshipping communities across the country as we rededicate ourselves to ending hunger in God's world.

Read ideas on how to celebrate Bread for the World Sunday at your church.

Trade Week of Action on the Right to Food

2008-08-07T16:43:00.000-04:00

Just Trade Resources
To download files onto your computer, highlight, right-click, 'Save Target As...' and save

Trade Week of Action: Right to Food Booklet
Just published in August 2008, this revised Trade Week booklet introduces the Trade Week of Action on the Right to Food at a time when food prices are pushing millions more into poverty. The guide explores the interactions between trade, agriculture, food and human rights. It considers what the Bible has to say about trade and food, and tells the stories of real people affected by free trade policies. The guide offers action ideas, liturgy and other worship resources.
Download the booklet now - 1.14MB

All the educational and workshop materials you need can be found on the Trade Week of Action Web site, developed by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, a partner organization of the PC(USA):

more about the week
worship materials (adaptable Word documents!)
stories of people impacted by unjust trade
campaign tools (such as posters, banners, T-shirt designs, bulletin covers and logos)
background about what's wrong with current trade rules
activity ideas and much more.

The wonders of creation exceed imagination!

2008-08-01T10:30:00.014-04:00

Thanks to Jamie Pharr, who sent this to me!

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best and more powerful when eaten raw.

God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body! God's Pharmacy! Amazing!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

A new take on eating out.

2008-06-02T16:20:00.004-04:00

On Friday night Paul and I decided to go to a local restaurant for dinner. We were tired of chain restaurants, we find the food is always too salty and we wanted some variety. So we headed out with Italian in mind. After some suggestions from my sister we found a nice Italian place that was family owned in Point Pleasant. It was an amazing experience. Our waitress I believe was one of the owners of the place. Everything including the salad dressing was homemade. That was very refreshing and some of the best salad dressing I have had in a long time. Salad for me was followed by some of the best stuffed shrimp I have ever had, there was nothing frozen about them and there was actually real crab meat in them nothing imitation. Paul went with chicken Parmesan which he thoroughly enjoyed. We ended with a homemade Cannoli. The waitress warned us there was no processed cream in it and we may not like the texture because it was made from real ricotta cheese. It was delightfully refreshing and not as heavy as your typical cream filled dessert. The waitress was so kind she even told us how to make them at home.

To be honest it reminded me of eating at my Grandma’s house. Everything was fresh and homemade and the waitress made us feel like we were family. She even pointed out the weekly specials for what we ordered so we could come back again and save money. Paul and I decided not only would we go back again but that from now on our dinners out will not be at chain food services. We had much better food and service. I am the daughter of a long time small business owner so it made me feel good to patronize someone local. I even remarked to Paul that we should use small local businesses more often. So I guess you can say this is day that I wrote off the big chain restaurants for dinner and replaced them with smaller places and better food and service.

~Becca

Eisenhower got it!

2008-06-02T14:55:00.005-04:00

Whether or not you support the war in Iraq, you should be aware of its costs--especially the effect on the most vulnerable in our society.

This is an excerpt from a speech by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1953. My guess is that 55 years later, the numbers would need updating but the truth is still there.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.

This world in arms is not spending money along. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.

"The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete pavement.

"We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people."

Then a Miracle Occurs

2008-05-29T11:47:00.008-04:00

Do you believe in miracles? And did you ever wonder exactly when does a miracle occur? Something happened late last week. It was the culmination of years of work by many people. What was the miracle? Were there more than one? When did it happen? I'd like to hear what you think!

There is a cartoon called "Then a miracle occurs" in which a "rubber meets the sky" type of person has drawn a flowchart with a box that says "then a miracle occurs" to make his vision happen. [if you want to see this, you have to google it] Next to him is a "rubber meets the road" guy who says, "I think you should be more explicit here in step 2." Having been a "rubber meets the road" type who works for a vision of something better, I always appreciate when miracles occur. A miracle happened last week when the Coalition of Imokalee Workers signed an agreement with Burger King to improve farmworkers' wages and enforce human rights standards in the fields.

And I think it's worth celebrating that Monmouth Presbytery helped to make it happen. About 50 people who attended meetings at the Presbytery Center added their signatures to a petition that was delivered to Burger King headquarters last month. Plus there were all those students at Rutgers University who signed up at a table I had at their Tent State University. And, of course, PC(USA) leaders like Clifton Kirkpatrick and Linda Valentine. We are part of that miracle!

May 23, 2006 – Today, the CIW and Burger King Corporation signed an agreement to improve farmworkers’ wages and enforce human rights standards in the fields!

A signing ceremony and press conference took place in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Capitol, hosted by Senator Bernie Sanders.

Your prayers, your participation in marches, the incredible number of signatures you garnered in the petition campaign, and your ongoing letters and emails to Burger King made this victory possible.

We read in Hebrews 11:1 that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Through faith we know that this agreement is a harbinger of that soon-coming day, when the entire fast-food and grocery industry will embrace these human rights standards, and farmworkers will enjoy a fair wage and humane working conditions. As we celebrate this human rights victory, let us also renew our comittment to keep walking together with the CIW until we see that day dawns.

Read a related story by the Presbyterian News Service: Burger King and CIW strike deal – PC(USA)-backed farmworkers will receive higher wages, improved work conditions

Cents-Ability Grants in Monmouth Presbytery

2008-05-28T09:06:00.002-04:00

The Cents-Ability Grants Committee—a group made up of representatives from every congregation that participates in the program—had done its homework. There was a committee charter, guidelines for grants, an application form, and requests for funding from hunger ministries within the bounds of the Presbytery. They lit a candle to remind them of Jesus’ presence, prayed for guidance, checked on how much money was available, and discussed each application with care. By the end of the meeting, a consensus had been reached and grants totaling $4,250 ma de to The Christian Caring Center, Forked River Hunger Action Team’s Summer Program, the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, Lunch Break, The Center in Asbury Park, St. Gregory’s Pantry in Point Pleasant, Jamesburg Presbyterian Church Deacons Food Cupboard, and the Samaritan Center. We thank God for the faithfulness and stewardship of the committee, for the gifts that came from so many, and the ministries that will be made possible from all those pennies!

The Christian Caring Center –Pemberton: $1,000. This program serves Continental breakfast and a hot cooked lunch 6 days/week. They also go out to the woods on Wednesdays and Fridays to a population that lives there. They bring lunch, talk to them about services available to them and offer support. In 2007 12, 976 meals were served. In addition, this program offers homeless survival kits: pop top can goods, non cooking foods, fruit juices, crackers, etc. They are also working to help individuals escape from welfare dependency and achieve economic self-dependency; as well as reduce the incidence of Hunger in Burlington County caused by lack of adequate food and nutrition.

Forked River Presbyterian Church – Hunger Action Team Summer Program: $400. This is a new program at Forked River, aimed at providing fresh produce to the hungry and breakfast/lunch bags for children – once a month from June-September. They have identified a specific need during the summer months – the children who normally receive free or reduced breakfast/lunch at school, are without that supplement during the summer months. They hope to expand this program as time goes on.

Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean County - $500. The Food Bank distributes to food pantries throughout Monmouth and Ocean Counties. As such, they are affiliated with America’s Second Harvest, a program which not only addresses hunger, but also waste of food products, and the root causes of hunger, and how we can begin to alleviate them.

St. Gregory’s Pantry (Point Pleasant): $1000. An emergency food pantry, which operates year round, serving families in need in the greater Point Pleasant area. St. Gregory’s gives temporary aid (a 4 day supply of food and personal items) to approximately 1200 individuals annually. 200-250 additional families are assisted during the holidays. They serve the elderly, young single mothers, persons with illness or disability, and low-income working families.

Lunch Break (Red Bank): $300. Monmouth County’s first “soup kitchen” this organization provides free hot and nutritious lunches Monday-Friday to 60 – 100 men, women and children. More than 20 lunches are taken to the homebound. Social, Medical and legal services are available on site. Clothing, baby supplies and special food baskets are also offered throughout the year. On a yearly basis, Lunch Break serves over 24,000 people.

The Center in Asbury Park: $300. The Center serves over 50 hot lunches to those afflicted with HIV/AIDS living in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The Center also houses 25 formerly homeless individuals on site. Their volunteers offer love and support to these neediest of people.

Jamesburg Presbyterian Church – Deacons Food Cupboard: $250. The Food Cupboard is currently expanding its operation to a handicapped accessible facility. The grant will assist in completing the relocation.

Samaritan Center, Inc.(Manalapan-Englishtown): $500. This food bank serves working poor families by providing supplemental weekly groceries, as well as school supplies for children, and holiday food baskets. The program provides basic needs for approximately 83 families – 70% of whom cannot get help from other social services organizations because they make too much money.

Food for Thought: "The Eyes of All . . . "

2008-05-26T18:57:00.005-04:00

The food crisis is very much in the news these days. An article on the Presbyterian Hunger Program website begins with this: “The food crisis has reached violent extremes. Yet food riots are like flare-ups from the hot coals of widespread, preventable hunger.” With rising food prices, in addition to the approximately 854 million people in the world who go hungry, another 100 million people are at risk of starvation, while a billion of us are overfed. Denial, helplessness, and fear of not being able to do anything are common reactions to such numbers—but we are called to something better.

Each year on Pentecost we read Psalm 104:24-34, 35b. It tells us that God’s wisdom abounds in all of nature and that all creatures are made by God and all belong to God. But verse 27 gets at the crux of the matter: “The eyes of all look to you to give them their food in due season.” Which seems to imply that when people are not fed, when 1 child dies every 5 seconds, God is somehow absent—or seems to be absent, perhaps in an especially heartbreaking way to women who already suffer disproportionately from hunger (70% of hungry people are women and girls). It also gives us a warning, in the first part of verse 35 (now why is this cut out of the official lectionary reading??): “Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more.” We are accountable.

Recently I visited three locations with Derrick Boykin, the Northeast Regional Organizer for Bread for the World. We wanted to talk with people and see if there was interest in starting a Bread for the World chapter in central and southern New Jersey. Derrick gave a persuasive presentation on hunger, mentioning many of the statistics we are so familiar with. Then he drew a chart with two columns.

On one side was a list of all the things churches do to fight hunger. We named the usual: food pantries and soup kitchens and fund raising. Churches do these things really well. On the other side we listed the causes of hunger. We came up with things like poverty, natural disasters, war, agricultural policies, food policies, and environmental degradation. He didn’t need to say any more; the message was clear: much of what we do is necessary and we must do it—but it is only a Band-Aid that alleviates hunger, when what we really need is to eliminate its causes.

The Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP) works to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes. Direct Food Relief is just one of five program areas; others are Development Assistance, Lifestyle Integrity, Education and Interpretation, and Influencing Public Policy (we do a lot in partnership with Bread for the World).

On Pentecost, the church was born when the Holy Spirit came and breathed new life into everyone and gave everyone the gift of bold speech. In this season after Pentecost, please add your voice to the chorus of those who speak out and seek justice for the world’s hungry people. Learn about the issues; hold an Offering of Letters; send e-mails, make phone calls; meet with your senators and representatives—they need our encouragement, they need to know we’re there. It’s a good time to claim the gifts of the Holy Spirit for ourselves to move from fear and helplessness and denial to a life that is truly abundant—for everyone. Perhaps God’s eyes are waiting on us!

Wishing you traveling mercies and many glimpses of redemption on your journey with Jesus

Another way to help hungry people

2008-05-07T17:04:00.004-04:00

I received this from Laura Stubaus, the Church Administrator in Hightstown. There may not be any such thing as a free lunch, but this is a way to get free rice donate to the World Food Program and improve your vocabulary. Laura writes:

I saw the attached article in People magazine (March 17 issue) recently. What an amazingly easy way to help support a hunger program! I've added the website to my saved folder in my email, along with a couple of others that I visit daily (such as the Breast Cancer Site that allows for free mammograms for women without insurance when people visit the site and click on the icon for the free mammograms). I plan to take a few minutes each day and visit the Free Rice site as well.

Hungry people need our help right now--we have the power to make a difference!

2008-05-07T15:56:00.003-04:00

Following is a message from Bread for the World about the current crisis. It's easy to feel helpless when you watch people around the world suffering for lack of food. Please sign up for the Recipe of Hope campaign and be part of the solution.

It's in the news nearly every day: Food prices are soaring worldwide and hunger is rising. More low-income people in the United States are making trips to food banks, where stocks are quickly depleting. For the world's poorest people in developing countries—who spend up to 80 percent of their income to buy food—the situation is even more devastating.

But you have the power to make a difference in this global hunger crisis. Bread for the World is launching an emergency Recipe for Hope campaign which will run from Mother's Day, May 11, through Father's Day. We will help hunger activists raise awareness and take action. Each week, an email from Bread will offer the ingredients for a:

Recipe for Despair—more information on the causes of this crisis
Recipe for Hope—specific actions you can take to help end it

It’s easy to feel helpless when you watch people around the world suffering for lack of food. Join Bread for the World's Recipe for Hope and be part of the solution.

Mother's Day Recipe:

Ingredient for Despair: Rising Fuel Prices

You've likely felt the impact of rising fuel prices at the gas station. The cost of a barrel of crude oil has doubled in a year, reaching a new record. Higher oil and energy prices affect the entire chain of food production, from fertilizer to harvesting to storage and delivery. People in the United States are seeing these increases in their grocery bills. Poor people in developing countries are hit even harder, since these countries must import food to feed their citizens.

The Washington Post put it well in a recent special series, "As prices skyrocket, those who can least afford it are squeezed the most as the world confronts the worst bout of food inflation since the Soviet grain crisis of the 1970s." Read Rising Food Prices: Impact on the Hungry by the World Food Program.

Ingredients for Hope:

Join the campaign and sign up to receive weekly emails and tell-a-friend.

Thank you for your efforts,

David Beckmann
President
Bread for the World

Blessings Abound: Bread of Life Mission Meal

2008-04-25T23:10:00.005-04:00

The First Presbyterian Church of Bordentown, NJ has always had a passion for mission in our local and surrounding communities as a well as world wide. A couple of years ago we learned about homeless families in the Mercer County area that were relocated to Bordentown motels when the motels where they lived were closed. They are eligible for the services available in Mercer County; however, they now live far away from those resources with little to no transportation available. We decided to take our passion for mission and turn it into “mission in action”. That has become our theme as we organized a team of volunteers to do mission work for the church.

We join with other local churches in a program called “Bordentown Area Caregivers” in an effort to provide meals for these individuals and families. One church providing one meal per month doesn’t seem like enough but when we combine efforts like this, there are meals provided almost every weekend. Motel residents have come to know that even when their resources have run out, there are Christians of all denominations preparing meals to help them. Many are transient; however, we see some of the same residents each month because they have disabilities and/or illnesses that require them to remain.

Blessings abound as we deliver meal after meal and we receive thanks. The gift that we get as a result of this combined Christian effort is much more than we give. When a resident says “that’s really tasty…may I have another” or some have said “this is the first hot meal we’ve had in days and my children are so hungry” it makes it worth all the hard work and planning it takes to successfully prepare, pack and deliver the meals.

Each month we have more and more volunteers from our congregation to help including the youth of our church. If we have leftovers (which are very uncommon) we package and freeze them to distribute to transient individuals or families that come to our church asking for assistance. It’s been a learning process for us and it never ceases to amaze me how we always seen to have “just enough”, nothing is wasted. I feel the power of the Holy Spirit working in our church and in our mission work and pray that we continue to have the resources to be Disciples of Christ.

To see a slideshow of Bordentown's Bread of Life Mission Meal.

Karen Chamberlin
Mission Team Leader
First Presbyterian Church of Bordentown, NJ

Growing Food Crisis - Prayers for those who suffer, Prayers for Guidance

2008-04-14T17:50:00.006-04:00

I received the following message from Andrew Kang Bartlett of the Presbyterian Hunger Program. Please pray for those who suffer and for guidance on what we can do to respond. For starters on a response, I highly recommend the Bread for the World meetings we are holding on April 30.

"I'm sure you've been hearing about the growing food crisis (as if 25,000 people dying daily from hunger and hunger-related disease was not already a crisis of epic proportions!) due to increases in food prices. The short piece from the Globe and Mail gives a stark glimpse of this.

"I believe that we need to think, pray and work together to come up with the best strategies (that we can connect to and/or devise ourselves) for dealing with this. As the article mentions, higher prices could be with us for a long time - and it is estimated that for every 1% rise in food prices, worldwide 16 million more people become hungry.

"Please pray for those who are suffering. And let us pray for guidance about what our responses should be. Please share your thoughts and ideas!"

Bread for the World Meetings - April 30 - Cranbury, Tennent, and Bayville

2008-04-09T16:12:00.005-04:00

The Presbytery of Monmouth and Bread for the World

invite you to a meeting to learn about

Special Guest: Bread for the World Organizer for the Northeast Region, Derrick Boykin

We will explore the possibility of forming a new Bread for the World chapter in central and/or southern NJ

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Choose from three times and locations:

10-11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 22 South Main St., Cranbury, NJ

12-1 p.m. at the Presbytery Center, 446 Tennent Road, Tennent, NJ

4-5 p.m. at Morning Star Presbyterian Church,1 Morning Star Way, Bayville, NJ

Because:

More than 854 million people in the world go hungry.
In developing countries nearly 16 million children die every year from preventable and treatable causes. Sixty percent of these deaths are from hunger and malnutrition.
In the United States, 11.7 million children live in households where people have to skip meals or eat less to make ends meet. That means one in ten households in the U.S. are living with hunger or are at risk of hunger.

* Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian movement that seeks justice for the world’s hungry people by lobbying our nation’s decision-makers.

Bread for the World Chapters: meet on a regular basis and study issues concerning hunger and poverty in the U.S. and around the world; create action plans to reach out to local, state, and national elected officials; create programs to reach out to other churches, community groups and campuses to become involved in the movement to end hunger.

For more info or to R.S.V.P. contact Rev. Phyllis Zoon

e-mail phylliszoon@gmail.com, phone 201-910-7047

Reflections on Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2008

2008-04-03T16:12:00.006-04:00

I was one of over 700 people (109 of them Presbyterians) gathered in Washington, DC in early March for the sixth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) Conference. It was a wonderful opportunity to explore new visions of security in our homes, neighborhoods, nation, and world. Having attended EAD in 2006, I felt a little bit like an “old hand”. I knew we would learn a lot about the issues; I knew the speakers would motivate and inspire us; I expected to greet old associates and make some new ones; I looked forward to the opportunity to learn and practice my skills in advocacy on Capital Hill.

And all of that was true—and there were some surprises.

When I arrived at the registration table, I learned that we had appointments with NJ Senator Robert Menendez and Representative Donald Payne but no one had been able to confirm an appointment with Senator Lautenberg. I offered to call and (after getting an idea of what to say and making two calls) was rewarded with an appointment!

At dinner time I scanned the room for other Hunger Action Enablers and found some. (Advocacy is one of the five program areas of the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and HAEs can be counted on to turn out for these events.) And I was so pleased to see Clint McCoy (what a great example!) and some other folks from the Synod of the Northeast who had been at the Stony Point conference on “Doing Theology and Ethics in the Context of Globalization, Migration, and Sustainability,”

The Reverend Dr. Mark Lomax, Pastor of the First African Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, was the preacher for the opening worship. He inspired us (and proved that not all Presbyterians are frozen chosen) by connecting the story from Daniel 3 to the current political situation. (In the story King Nebuchadnezzar sets up a statue and insists that everyone bow down—which they all do except for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who stand up and survive the fiery furnace.)

After workshops in the various tracks on Saturday, on Sunday we turned to the practical issues of how to advocate and broke up into our state groups to get ready for our trip to Capital Hill on Monday. The best surprise was meeting the Reverend Keith Rae, a United Methodist minister who works on Africa for the National Council of Churches. I knew him from my seminary fieldwork in East Orange. We decided to focus on issues in Africa when we went on our visits. Not only was legislation going to markup on Wednesday; but both of our Senators were on the committee where this would happen and Representative Payne chairs the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health on the Committee for Foreign Affairs.

For all of the interesting workshops, inspiring speakers, and visits to Capital Hill, there is one thing that stands out: a conversation I had with one of the men as we talked on the train going back to Newark. He remarked that there weren’t many “people like him”—lay persons who were not there because of their jobs in the church or other organizations. As soon as he said it, I realized it was true and decided to make it a priority to personally recruit folks for next year’s conference. Our pews are filled with wonderful, faithful, dedicated people. They need to be there—you need to be there.

Mark your calendar now: March 13-16, 2009.

For more inspiration, read the reflections of Elaine Newby--one of the people like my friend on the train.

Reese-isms (for making a difference)

2008-03-28T17:19:00.007-04:00

The following post isn't related directly to hunger and environment--but it is about being "wise as serpents and gentle as doves"--exactly what we need to make a difference.

Sometimes cleaning out your desk can yield forgotten treasures along with a neater desk, and I just found one that the Rev. James Foster Reese provided at a workshop a few years ago. He called them "Reeseisms (For Making a Difference." I call them uncommon sense. Here they are:

"Don't put your dog in every fight"
"Don't argue if you can't win."
"Don't think you will learn something from the second kick of a mule." (Mark 6:10-13)
"Don't be known for much speaking as for speaking much."
"Don't self-sacrifice unless this is your last cause or you know you will rise on the third day."
"Don't believe that just because it is right, it is necessarily smart."
"Don't forget, you can learn something from a jackass!" (Numbers 22:22-35)
"Don't risk more than you can afford to lose."
"Don't think you can get clean clothes without agitation."
"Don't always believe a meeting is more important than a birthday party."

Which one would you like to work on? I think I'm going to work on one a week.

Wishing you traveling mercies, many glimpses of redemption on your journey with Jesus, and the joy of making a difference.

Trinity, Monmouth Presbytery, and Greenfaith

2008-03-18T11:17:00.004-04:00

GreenFaith,

in collaboration with Monmouth Presbytery, presents a
Creation Care Conference
Saturday, March 29, 2008
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Trinity Presbyterian Church,
367 Cranbury Road East Brunswick, NJ

For all ages--invite family and friends!

GreenFaith speakers will offer numerous workshops
Crafts and special workshops for children
Information tables from Environmental Organizations

Continental Breakfast About the photo
Light Lunch provided by Trinity Presbyterian Church��s Women at the Well

There is no cost for this event; however it would be helpful if you registered ahead
To register Email: tesattpc@yahoo.com

After the Palms - Imagine Scene 2

2008-03-14T16:38:00.007-04:00

The following essay is by Peter Sawtell, Executive Director of Eco-Justice Ministries. It really is "food for thought"!

"Palm Sunday is that occasion in the church year when we try and get ourselves into a really joyous mood, so that we can experience the full roller coaster effect of Holy Week.

"The Christian liturgical tradition packs a lot into Holy Week. We observe Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter itself.

"And yet, as I re-read the Palm Sunday account in the gospels, I'm struck by what our liturgies skip over. The tradition of the triumphal entry is truncated. Scene 2 is skipped.

What do you think? Is this true? Read the rest of the article

The painting is undated by Solomon Raj. Asian Christian Art Association

The sculpture of Christ cleansing the Temple is by Brian Burgess.

Make the World a Better Place

2008-03-05T17:53:00.012-05:00

Do you dream of a better world? Why not help make your dream come true?

San Jose Presbytery has published a beginners guide on how to do it. A copy is available at the Presbytery or you can watch it on line. The theme of the documentary is:

Do something to improve the world (even if it's a small something)
Urge others to do something, too
Do that something soon (. . . a better time may not come!)
Notice, stop, act - Be like the "Good Samaritan" who noticed the man in the road, stopped, and acted to help the man recover from his injuries, even as others passed by who could have helped, but chose not to. (Luke 10:33)

Watch the film

"How to Make the World a Better Place...

a beginners guide" online and see how to use it in a discussion on service, social change, advocacy and individual ability and motivation to make change.

THANKS TO PAT PLANT, HUNGER ACTION ADVOCATE

IN SAN JOSE FOR SHARING THIS!

Glimpses of Redemption: English Language Learning Program at Forked River

2008-02-29T22:46:00.012-05:00

When Forked River Presbyterian Church (FRPC), a congregation with a vision and heart for community outreach ministries, formed the non-profit Mandorla in 2002, their first step was to open Precious Journey Preschool. Retired school principal and Elder Gloria Mako, a member of FRPC and Special Projects Coordinator for Mandorla, says, “I wanted create a multi-cultural experience because I knew the children would be moving into the global community. Even though Forked River had a tiny multi-ethnic population, we offered non/limited English speaking scholarships to make that possible.” By early 2006 the outreach included informal, free English Language Literacy (ELL) classes for adults with an all-volunteer staff. ELL attendance grew to 18 adults, with 15-18 children attending activities coordinated by volunteers.

There was also a growing awareness that they were only touching a small part of the growing immigrant population of the community. Having struggled with the issues of enthusiastic volunteers and limited funds and knowing that other congregations faced similar issues, the church applied for and received a $29,800 grant in 2007 from Presbyterian Women’s Creative Ministries to begin LEAP (Learn English at Preschool), an expanded community outreach ministry for adults and preschool children. In addition to addressing community needs, the LEAP will develop a model that can be shared.

In Forked River barriers between people are crumbling as relationships are built and stories told. In the LEAP classrooms, families learn that they are cared about, loved, and encouraged to participate without the fear of embarrassment or humiliation. And blessings flow in all directions, enriching the lives of teachers and volunteers who feel privileged to be a part of welcoming the stranger and building a transformed community.

By the way, the Mandorla, an ancient symbol of hope and healing, consists of two circles coming together and overlapping to form an almond shape in the middle. In this case, the Mandorla symbolizes the coming together of the church and the community at large.

Food for Thought: Do you know how much your burger costs the earth?

2008-02-27T11:55:00.008-05:00

The Food and Faith site of the Presbyterian Hunger Program is "chock full" of good information. The following is directly from there.

Grain

It takes 12 pounds of grain to produce one pound of hamburger. This could make eight loaves of bread, or 24 plates of spaghetti. Grain consumption by livestock is increasing twice as fast as grain consumption by people. Cattle consume 70 percent of all U.S. grain.

Rain forest

While not all hamburgers come from the rain forest, for every pound of rain forest beef, approximately 660 pounds of precious living matter is destroyed, including 20—30 different plant species, over 100 insect species, and dozens of mammals and reptiles.

Water

It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of hamburger. This could be used to grow more than 50 pounds of fruits and vegetables. Half of all water consumed in the United States is used to grow feed and provide drinking water for cattle and other livestock.

Three Cents-Ability Grants Announced

2008-02-21T11:04:00.011-05:00

The Cents-Ability Grants Committee approved grants of $750 each to three hunger projects chosen from the Break Free From Hunger catalog of the Presbyterian Hunger Program. (In accordance with the Cents-Ability Program guidelines, 60% of the funds collected is used for grants outside the bounds of the Presbytery.) One of the projects is located in nearby Trenton, NJ; the others are in Gambia and Ethiopia.

The ISLES Community Gardens Program is a community development and environmental organization that fosters a permanent and community-based solution to the problems of hunger and urban blight. ISLES maintains 43 gardens that provide fresh produce to low-income families in Trenton. The benefits include fresh garden produce that provides nutrition and promotes healthy lifestyles; a place for after-school activities in which students learn about sustainable living concepts; and an opportunity for senior citizens to become intergenerational links with the community.

The Development Program for the Meshangir Community Near Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia was developed in response to a request of the Meshangir people of Ethiopia. For countless generations, the Meshangir lived as nomad hunters, but their lifestyle changed dramatically when the Ethiopian government disarmed the people, making it necessary to transition from living as nomad hunters to living in a settled community. The program introduces sustainable food production techniques and develops income-generating products based on the traditional skills of the people.

In Senegal, the Moringa tree has been called the “miracle tree” because it is easy to grow and provides significant nutritional benefitis. Church World Service worked with local partners in Senegal for several years on a Moringa pilot project. Our gift to the Gambia Nutrition Program is an expansion of the pilot project into the West African country of Gambia. This expansion will extend the benefits of the Moringa to many more mothers and children while offering an opportunity for scientific research to validate the Moringa’s nutritional and socio-economic benefits.

Food for Thought: Lord I want to be GREEN and CHRISTIAN in my HEART

2008-02-21T10:58:00.011-05:00

I don’t want to have to deal with climate change! I feel hopeless and powerless when I see pictures of polar bears stranded on ice, or think about the rising ocean temperatures and sea levels that we know will eventually submerge an entire nation, or when I visit a rapidly disappearing glacier high up in the Bolivian Andes and learn about the effect on the people who depend on it for their water.

But after a long time of hoping global warming would go away (a.k.a. being in denial),I’ve come to terms with the need to make some changes in my lifestyle. A lot of them are cosmetic: compact fluorescent light bulbs, alternative energy sources, less driving. They’re becoming good habits that I really like.

But there’s a deeper change that I really struggle with, and that is the need to turn away from the individualism and materialism of our market-driven society. I need another kind of change—a paraphrase of an old Slave Song: “Lord, I want to be green (and Christian) in my heart.” And that means a deep spiritual change leading to voluntary simplicity, real community, and the genuine abundance of “enough”—which is, after all the abundant life that God offers us.

That kind of change isn’t easy in a world where we hear the story “more is better” 24/7. But we have God’s promise of shalom, and we have hope that calls us to committed and active engagement with the “principalities and powers” and compassionate relationship with all of creation.

It may not be quite as easy bein’ green on the inside, but “it’s beautiful and it’s what I want to be.”

Wishing you traveling mercies and many glimpses of redemption on your journey with Jesus.

For a really good article which says this so much better than I can, check out Peter Sawtell's recent article "Only a symptom" in Eco-Justice Notes.

Hunger Resources Available at the Presbytery Office

2008-02-18T14:08:00.006-05:00

Looking for "good stuff" to enliven your hunger program? The following are available at the Presbytery office in Tennent. Some are for purchase, others are free.

Hunger Next Door, an 8-minute video from Shoprite's Partners in Caring is a good introduction to hunger in our communities; free.
Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table, an excellent curriculum, for 5, 7, or 13 sessions, that explores various aspects of our relationship with food and ways to practice our faith. Leader's Guide is $6.50, Partipant's book is $3.
Cents-Ability Kits containing info on: Getting Started, Worship Resources, Educational Resources, Promotion, and Sample Forms. Free.
Talking with Children and Youth about Sweat-Free Ts: a script to introduce Sweat-Free Ts to upper elementary and middle school-age students. Adaptable for younger and older groups. Free.

There's more, and I promise to add to this list. In the meantime, if you're looking for something, please feel free to call or e-mail.

Food for Thought: Reeseisms (for making a difference)

2008-02-16T13:02:00.014-05:00

Sometimes cleaning out your desk can yield forgotten treasures along with a neater desk, and I just found one that the Rev. James Foster Reese provided at a workshop a few years ago. He called them "Reeseisms (For Making a Difference." I call them uncommon sense. Here they are:

"Don't put your dog in every fight"
"Don't argue if you can't win."
"Don't think you will learn something from the second kick of a mule." (Mark 6:10-13)
"Don't be known for much speaking as for speaking much."
"Don't self-sacrifice unless this is your last cause or you know you will rise on the third day."
"Don't believe that just because it is right, it is necessarily smart."
"Don't forget, you can learn something from a jackass!" (Numbers 22:22-35)
"Don't risk more than you can afford to lose."
"Don't think you can get clean clothes without agitation."
"Don't always believe a meeting is more important than a birthday party."

Feast and Fast in Lent or Anytime

2008-02-12T10:46:00.003-05:00

We are called both to attend to the sacredness of Creation and to respond to it by active participation in the protection of Creation. This list from Presbyterians for Restoring Creation uses the metaphors of feasting and fasting to invite both these elements of caring for Creation into our Lenten observance. Which ones will you choose?

Feast on foods lower on the food chain such as whole grains and vegetables.
Fast from purchases at national chains by shopping at local stores.
Feast on the light of God by having one meal by candlelight.
Fast from television.
Feast on the beauty of community by calling or visiting with a loved one.
Fast from extra energy use by adjusting your thermostat when you will be away for more than a few hours.
Feast on local agriculture by finding out the location of the closest farm stand, farmers’ market, or grocery stocking local produce (and then supporting it!)
Fast from giving consumer products as gifts and instead give donations or subscriptions on someone’s behalf to worthwhile organizations (such as giving a PRC gift membership!)

A Super Souper Bowl Story

2008-02-07T14:16:00.000-05:00

It's always exciting to hear stories and creative ideas from churches. Candy Peterson from Morning Star sent this in:

"By the way, we did take your advice and do the 'Souper Bowl of Caring,' but we didn't collect money for it (we are going to have another Cents-Ability collection at the end of this month and didn't want to interfere with that); we just collected soup, and people brought lots of it! We stocked our food pantry with soup as well as giving quite a large amount to an outside ministry named Lakewood Outreach Ministry, a ministry that cares for the homeless people in our area. We have joined with them and helped to raise money for 'tent kits' and food."

Make social and environmental justice part of your Palm Sunday celebration

2008-01-29T17:35:00.000-05:00

The great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord — the King of Israel!" (John 12:12-13)

Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, accented by the jubilant waving of palm branches, is re-enacted each Palm Sunday in Presbyterian and other Christian congregations worldwide as Holy Week observances begin. Unfortunately for the communities where these palms are harvested, palm fronds do not always represent the same jubilation they do for us.

For a second year, the PC(USA) is teaming up with Lutheran World Relief, Catholic Relief Services and the University of Minnesota to offer congregations the option of purchasing responsibly harvested eco-palm branches for Palm Sunday. The palms come from communities in Mexico and Guatemala where workers are paid fairly and engage in sustainable harvesting in order to protect the local ecosystem.

The Eco-Palm Project is part of the Enough for Everyone initiative. Read more . . .

This year Palm Sunday falls on March 16, 2008. The last date congregations can order eco-palms in time for Palm Sunday 2008 is February 20, 2008. Placing your order early ensures the best availability.

Lenten Series - Wednesdays at Noon - Just Eating

2008-01-22T15:40:00.005-05:00

Wednesdays February 6, 13, 20, 27 and March 6 and12
noon to 1 p.m. at the Presbytery Center, Tennent, NJ

Special for Lent—our Hunger Action Program offers an innovative Lenten Series that explores the way we eat and live. Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table aims to bring into dialog daily eating habits, the Christian faith, and the needs of the broader world through readings, action steps, and healthy eating tips. The title is a reminder that we can eat as an everyday activity or we can eat justly and explore the relationship between our food and our faith.

The curriculum will take us on a journey from the table of the Lord to the table of the world that will challenge, encourage, and enrich all who participate. Scripture, prayer, and stories from the local and global community are used to explore five key aspects of our relationship with food:

the health of our bodies;
the challenge of hunger;
the health of the earth that provides our food;
the ways we use food to extend hospitality and enrich relationships;
the opportunities for action, renewal, and transformation in our eating practices—as individuals and as faith communities.

Please register by phone at 201-910-7047 or email phylliszoon@gmail.com. A copy of the curriculum can be picked up at the Presbytery Center.

Food for Thought: Don't let the alligators get you down!

2008-01-13T10:50:00.000-05:00

The Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP) is a ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that works to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes, responding with compassion and justice to poor and hungry people in local communities in the United States and internationally. (Read more about the PHP’s work and the five program areas.)

Earlier this week, Andrew Kang Bartlett from the Presbyterian Hunger Program office in Louisville put out the question to the Hunger Action Enablers: About what do you hope? Which I think is a great question because I tend to get bogged down in problems and this question gave me food for thought and reminded me of some things from the old days at AT&T.

It used to be that when I told people where I worked, they would ask me if I was an operator (this was when they still had lots of operators and before Women’s Lib really took hold). Then I would explain that I worked with computers and data bases (anything more than that was too much information). Now, when I tell people I work on hunger, they ask me if I run a feeding program and I go into my 30 second elevator speech on the Presbyterian Hunger Program and how Direct Food Relief is just one of five program areas.

All of this reminded me of a saying we had at AT&T:

When you’re up to your “neck” in alligators, it’s hard to remember that your primary goal is to drain the swamp.

I think it’s the same way with working on hunger:

When we’re up to our necks in trying to alleviate hunger, it’s hard to remember the other goal: to eliminate its causes.

(For some interesting perspective on this, read Mark Winne's "When Handouts Keep Coming, the Foodlines Never End" in the November 18, 2007 Washington Post.)

So—for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed with trying to do something about the problem of hunger—in your community, in NJ, in the USA, and around the world--it gives me hope that we are working to eliminate its causes and more and more folks are out there helping to drain the swamp.

Wishing you traveling mercies on your journey with Jesus—and watch those alligators!

Wanted: Applications for Cents-Ability Grants within the Presbytery

2008-01-12T21:39:00.000-05:00

The Cents-Ability Grants Committee (made up of representatives of participating congregations) has completed design of the process for applying for and receiving grants from our Presbytery’s Cents-Ability program.

Cents-Ability is a strategy for raising hunger awareness and funds. Presbyteries throughout the U.S. have been “doing” Cents-Ability for many years; Monmouth Presbytery began the program in November 2006. Money raised through the program is used in a partnership model to fund hunger ministries near and far: 40% within the bounds of Monmouth Presbytery and 60% in the U.S. and around the world.

All congregations are encouraged to apply for a grant for their own hunger ministries or to invite organizations they support to apply (with endorsement by a local church session). Completed applications should be submitted by April 8, 2008 and will be considered at our meeting on May 6.

We are excited about Cents-Ability and its potential for raising funds and awareness in the fight against hunger. Awareness of hunger can and often does transform people, congregations, communities, and, of course, hungry people. It’s a mission that, with a little interpretation, people can feel really good about and be inspired to be generous toward. Good stories are coming out of congregations that are participating:

· Judy Ross, Jacksonville’s coordinator, reports that the Youth Group made bags of rice with this message: “This two ounces of rice represents the daily diet of 852 million in the world. More than half of these are children. Imagine that you have this small bag of rice as your only food for the day, and that you probably have to walk a distance to get the water in which to cook it.” After the children’s sermon the kids passed them out to everyone in church. Holding that small amount in their hand made a big impact in understanding the reality of hunger.

· Betty Taylor, Forked River’s Cents-Ability Grants Committee representative, reported hearing their Hunger Action Team leader saying, “Wow, last Sunday [when we received the monthly offering] we received over $400 again!”

If every member of every congregation in our Presbytery gave just 1 penny every meal, every day, and prayed for people who are hungry, we would raise over $150,000 per year—and only God knows how we ourselves would be transformed!

The Cents-Ability Grants Application form is on-line. For more information about the grants process or the program and how to promote it, please contact our Hunger Action Enabler, Rev. Phyllis Zoon, at 201-910-7047.

First Fruits of the Cents-Ability Program

2008-01-12T21:34:00.000-05:00

This article is from the September 2007 Hunger Action News, celebrating the “first fruits” of the Cents-Ability Program that our Presbytery initiated in November 2006. As of the end of 2007, more than $6,000 had been raised.

The Cents-Ability Grants Committee, made up of representatives of the eight participating congregations, has selected one domestic and one overseas project to receive the first Cents-Ability grants. The projects are The Friends of Jean Webster, Inc., Atlantic City; and The Lambi Fund, Haiti. Each of these will receive $750.To date, eight congregations have raised more than $2200.

The Lambi Fund is making a positive difference in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere where people must create their own opportunities for improving the lot of their families and communities. The fund supports small-scale economic development projects that give poor Haitians more control over their lives and resources. Their programs include alternative sustainable development, environment, organizational and leadership training, community micro-credit, and animal husbandry.

In the mid-1980’s when Jean Webster was working as a chef in an Atlantic City casino, she saw a man searching for food in a garbage can on a city street. She got him some fast food and told him to come to her house for a meal the next day. Then she invited him to bring others. In her prayers, she asked God what to do, and she heard God tell her to “feed my people.”

Since then Sister Jean has fed growing numbers of homeless and hungry people. Up to 350 people are fed each day, five days a week. About 85,000 meals are served in a year. But Sister Jean’s kitchen provides more than meals. She provides advice and counseling. Worship is available, as are clothing, blankets and holiday toys. Some guests are helped to find work, retraining, and housing. Many come to the kitchen for more than a meal—they come for hope.

The committee noted the enormous potential for raising funds and awareness in the fight against hunger. If every member of every congregation in our presbytery gave a penny a meal and prayed for people who are hungry we would raise over $150,000 in a year and who knows how God might transform us and the world around us in the process!

"The road to real democracy is a long one, but we have set our feet on that road, and we will not turn back!"

-Josette Perard, Lambi's Haiti office director.

Food and Faith Series

2008-01-07T21:44:00.000-05:00

Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table works really well during Lent (and any other time). This series for adults and/or youth aims to bring into dialogue daily eating habits, the Christian faith, and the needs of the broader world through readings, action steps, and healthy eating tips. The title is a reminder that we can eat as an everyday activity or we can eat justly and explore the relationship between our food and our faith.

The curriculum takes participants on a journey from the table of the Lord to the table of the world that will challenge, encourage, and enrich all who participate. Scripture, prayer, and stories from the local and global community are used to explore five key aspects of our relationship with food:

the health of our bodies;
the challenge of hunger;
the health of the earth that provides our food;
the ways we use food to extend hospitality and enrich relationships;
the opportunities for action, renewal, and transformation in our eating practices—as individuals and as faith communities.

You can get the Just Eating curriculum through Presbyterian Distribution Service. There is a link from the Presbyterian Hunger Program: http://www.pcusa.org/hunger/features/justeating.htm that will get you there. You can also get it free online as a PDF: http://www.pcusa.org/hunger/downloads/resource_justeatpart.pdf for the participant's guide and http://www.pcusa.org/hunger/downloads/resource_justeatlead.pdf for the leader's guide.
We also have a limited number of sets of the curriculum available at the Presbytery office. Contact Phyllis Zoon for more info.

This year, give a boost to your One Great Hour of Sharing Offering

2008-01-07T21:26:00.000-05:00

For nearly sixty years, Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through OGHS to share God’s love with people experiencing need. Our gifts support ministries of disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community development that help people find safe refuge, start new lives, and work together to strengthen their families and communities. The Presbyterian Hunger Program receives 36 percent of undesignated OGHS gifts; Self-Development of People and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance each receive 32 percent. Most congregations receive the offering on Easter Sunday, Palm Sunday, or both, while many receive it throughout Lent.

This year, give a boost to your One Great Hour of Sharing Offering: mission and stewardship committees report that promoting this offering is fun and easy using children’s sermons, minutes for mission, skits, and other the material available from the PC(USA). I’m available to provide training in how to use them.