The goal of a hunger meal is to simulate
the reality of hunger and poverty. A hunger meal provides a way
to put our own faces on the hungry in the world, to experience
some of the dynamics that shape the lives of hungry people, and
to hear Jesus call to action. An ideal time to hold a hunger
meal is at the transition from Epiphany to Lent or during the
Lenten season (such as when many congregations hold weekly
Lenten suppers) to help participants increase awareness of the
causes of hunger and explore connections between faith and care
of God's creation. The meal can be a catalyst for change in
participants' lives as it offers a real, hands-on look at what
hunger is.
by Patty Stringer and Melissa Pavolka
This hunger simulation meal for
congregations was originally written for use on The
Transfiguration of Our Lord, the Last Sunday after the Epiphany.
Introduction
During the season of Epiphany, we
celebrate God's light in the world. On this Transfiguration
Sunday, we pray that Christ's reign of justice and peace will
illumine all of God's people with the light of hope. The goal of
a hunger
meal is to experience the reality of hunger and poverty by
putting our own faces on hungry people in the world and to call
us to action as we move into the season of Lent. This meal, and
the follow-up discussion, stations and
worship, are to work together to increase awareness of hunger
issues, explore connections between faith and care of God's
creation, and encourage changes in how we live our lives to make
us better stewards of our world.
Instructions
Randomly assign participants to one of
three socio-economic levels. Oxfam America recommends the
following distribution ratios which reflect world-wide reality:
- 15% of participants enjoy a
full-course meal served in a fine-dining setting;
- 25% of participants will eat a
meager meal of rice and vegetables in a simple setting;
- the remaining 60% of participants
will eat a bowl of rice.
Form a committee to coordinate the
various aspects of the meal. You might recruit help from the
youth of the congregation, women's/men's groups, Sunday church
school participants and senior groups. Delegate the following
responsibilities among your committee members:
- Determine where the dinner will be
held, and publicize the event (see
below -
suggested text for an announcement).
- Discuss with your pastor the
possibility of a Eucharist celebration to close the meal.
Explore alternative worship settings and Eucharist
distribution with your pastor and organist. (see
below -
suggested hymns)
- Consider how you will determine
socio-economic levels for participants. You may wish to
distribute color-coded tickets randomly as participants enter
the dining hall. For example, if you are planning a meal for
100 participants, distribute 60 blue tickets (rice only), 25
green tickets (rice and vegetables), and 15 yellow tickets
(full-course dinner). Be sensitive to how fasting affects
people with dietary issues like hypoglycemia, diabetes, etc.
These participants may need to request additional servings of
food.
- Determine the menu for the banquet,
and purchase food. For the full course dinner, consider using
the following menu: broiled fish, rice pilaf, salad, fresh
fruit, drinks and dessert. Keep in mind that you only need to
prepare this menu for 15 participants per 100 guests served. (see
below - rice
recipe)
- Obtain candles for use during the
meal or in the concluding worship. Consider making candle
bobeches (drip protectors) from purple/lavender card stock.
Have the Sunday school children embellish the bobeches with
drawings, stickers and the names of hunger or disaster relief
agencies, companion congregations and synods, a local food
pantry, etc. Encourage participants to use the candle
throughout Lent and to pray for the agency represented on
their bobeche. On the edge of the bobeche, include the ELCA
World Hunger Appeal logo and a brief prayer.
- Select facilitators to sit among
the participants to lead a discussion during and following the
meal. Some questions they may want to ask
may be:
- What does it feel like to eat a
meager meal?
- What does it feel like to be fed
when others are not?
- What would it be like to eat this
way all of the time?
- Who are the rich and poor in our
community?
- How might we do a better job of
caring for the hungry?
Be sure to allow time to share each
groups' discussion points with the large group.
- Research and order hunger resources
(see drop-down menu at the top of this page, or
click here) to use to educate
participants about hunger issues. Many resources are
intergenerational. Have volunteers develop several
interactive, educational stations throughout the room to
facilitate hunger awareness. Following the meal and
discussion, encourage participants to visit the stations.
Allow at least 30 minutes for participants to visit the
stations prior to the closing worship.
Additional suggestions
- Set up a television and VCR in the
dining area so that you can show a MOSAIC video prior
to/following the meal. (Click here for hunger-related MOSAIC
issues and other hunger-related videos with ordering
information.)
- Distribute Lenten calendars (World
Hunger Appeal 40-day calendar) and World Hunger Appeal
coin banks following the
Eucharist meal. (Click here for ordering information.)
- Provide resource information for
hunger advocacy, such as sample letters or Web site
information. (Two World Hunger Appeal advocacy partners:
the ELCA
Washington Office
and
Bread for the World.)
- Encourage participants to volunteer
at a local food pantry or homeless
shelter. If possible, have a representative present to answer
questions and schedule volunteers!
- Serve fairly traded coffee and tea
at the meal and during fellowship hours. Provide information
about the Lutheran World Relief Coffee Project and Equal
Exchange for your members. Establish a "fresh pot of coffee"
in your fellowship area where members may purchase bags of
Equal Exchange coffee and boxes of tea every Sunday.
Suggested text for
use in bulletin or newsletter announcement
Everyone is invited to a hunger
simulation meal on Sunday, (insert date), at [include time
and location]. Come and walk with your brothers and sisters in
Christ with a global feast you are not soon to forget. Be
transformed in fellowship, servitude and gratitude.
Suggested hymns
for closing worship
I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
With One Voice 649
Shine, Jesus, Shine WOV 651
I, the Lord of Sea and Sky WOV 752
We Come to the Hungry Feast WOV 766
Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service LBW 423
O God of Mercy, God of Light LBW 425
Oven Cooked Rice
for a Crowd
3 qt. white rice
7 qt. hot water
7 tsp. salt
Spray two large roasters or other
baking dishes with nonstick cooking spray. Combine rice, water
and salt. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1
hour. (Serves 50) |
