United Methodist Men asks families to focus on hunger
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A UMNS photo by Ronny Perry The Commission on United Methodist Men and the Society of St. Andrew are asking families to fast a meal in June for the hungry.
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The
Commission on United Methodist Men and the Virginia-based Society of
St. Andrew are asking families to observe National Hunger Awareness Day
on June 6 by fasting one meal and giving the amount that would have been
spent on that meal to feed the hungry. National Awareness Hunger Day
came out of World Hunger Day as a way to increase awareness about hunger
in America. A UMNS photo by Ronny Perry. Photo #06450. Accompanies UMNS
story #251. 5/1/06 |
May 1, 2006
By J. Richard Peck*
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — The United Methodist Men’s agency is asking families to fast a meal in June to feed the hungry.
The churchwide Commission on United Methodist Men and the
Virginia-based Society of St. Andrew are asking families to observe
National Hunger Awareness Day on June 6 by fasting one meal and giving
the amount that would have been spent on that meal to feed the hungry.
Operating under the banner of Fami1y (Fast A Meal In 1 Year), the
National Association of Conference Presidents of United Methodist Men
also encourages churches to use June 4 or June 11 as a Hunger Awareness
Sunday. The presidents hope families will fast one meal and send funds
to the National Hunger Relief Office in Nashville.
Glenn Wintemberg, president of the national association, proposed the
plan to a March 3-5 gathering of conference presidents. The presidents
unanimously approved the plan and hope other agencies and denominations
will join the effort.
“The vision came to me while attending the 2005 National Hunger
Summit in Washington,” Wintemberg said. “With thousands of hunger
advocates in one place, the setting was the perfect place for the idea
to be born. This is another instance where if you open yourself to the
possibilities of what God has in store, he will answer.”
Churches that want to observe a Hunger Awareness Sunday can find
Sunday school lessons and worship materials at the Society of St. Andrew
Web site at www.endhunger.org/nhad. Individuals may download a Fami1y brochure at www.nacpumm.org.
Printed brochures are available through the Commission on United
Methodist Men or the annual conference hunger relief advocates.
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A UMNS photo by Linda Green The
Society of St. Andrew, in partnership with the United Methodist Men,
has distributed more than 500 million pounds of fresh produce to the
hungry since 1979.
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The
Society of St. Andrew, in partnership with the United Methodist Men,
has distributed more than 500 million pounds of fresh produce to the
hungry since 1979. Here, Lewis Cole and Ron Paden, of Neosho, Mo., are
among a group of United Methodist Men who gleaned 20,000 pounds of
cabbage for distribution to the hungry in Indiana. The men's
organization and the Society of St. Andrew are asking families to
observe National Hunger Awareness Day on June 6 by fasting for one meal
and donating those funds to hunger relief. A UMNS photo by Linda Green.
Photo #06451. Accompanies UMNS story #251. 5/1/06 |
World Hunger Day was created in 2002, at a time when there was a
significant increase in the number of Americans unable to feed their
families. Hunger-relief organizations such as the Society of St. Andrew
were forced to cope with this increased demand while working in an
environment with less food surplus and fewer charitable dollars
available. National Hunger Awareness Day emerged as a way to increase
awareness about hunger in America.
Recently, the Society of St. Andrew passed a 500 million-pound
milestone. In cooperation with the United Methodist Men and other
organizations, the society has distributed more than 500 million pounds
of fresh produce to the hungry since its founding in 1979.
Hunger relief funds may be sent to the Hunger Relief Advocate,
General Commission on United Methodist Men, P.O. Box 340006, Nashville,
TN 37203-0006.
The Society of St. Andrew is an Advance special (#801600) of the
United Methodist Church’s second-mile giving program, the Advance for
Christ and His Church.
*Peck is the communications coordinator for the Commission on United Methodist Men.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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