Interfaith Gathering to Focus on HungerDaniel Burke
06-06-07
WASHINGTON (RNS) Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and Christians from almost every denominational stripe will gather next week at the Washington National Cathedral for an interfaith convocation dedicated to ending hunger and poverty.
The convocation is sponsored by the Christian anti-hunger group
Bread for the World as part of its three-day conference that will gather hundreds of religious leaders from across the country, including featured preacher William J. Shaw, president of the National Baptist Convention, USA.
"I don't know of any event in U.S. religious history that involves such a range of national religious leaders," said the Rev. David Beckmann, Bread for the World's president. "Anybody who tries to talk to God knows that you can't have a relationship with the sacred if you walk by a hungry person."
(snip)
"It is a uniting issue," he said. "Muslims, Christians and Jews together understand that God wants more of our nation than what we're doing."
After the interfaith convocation, the 700-odd participants in Bread for the World's "Gathering 2007" will head to Capitol Hill to lobby Congress on the 2007 Farm Bill, which Beckmann said is "just not just."
"There's large amounts of money going to well-off people that's bypassing poor people," he said. "This system is doing damage. It's eating up money from the people who really need it."
http://www.ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=9020 Sowing Seeds ~ Growing a MovementThe Gathering 2007 · June 9-12, American University, Washington, DC“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8
And what is justice? Taking action to end hunger and poverty.
And what is mercy? Loving and working on behalf of all who suffer.
You are the change the world’s been waiting for.
On June 9-12, thousands of people of faith will gather in Washington, DC to launch a renewed movement to end hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. Registration is open from 12:00 Noon until 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 9. The opening session begins at 6:30 p.m.
Activists with decades of experience will join with young people just beginning their public life and political involvement. Rural leaders—newly energized with a heart to help hungry people—will meet longtime urban anti-poverty workers. Parents will bring their children to show them that anyone has the chance—and the responsibility—to speak to their representatives in Congress.
Campaign leaders from developing countries will meet with development practitioners, to share stories and successes in fighting poverty worldwide. People will reach out across the religious spectrum—evangelical and Catholic, ecumenical Protestant and historic African American denominations, Latino Christians and other people of faith—and join hands with other people of faith at the Interfaith Convocation.
Everyone has a story to offer. Visionaries, theologians, academics, church social action directors, and leaders from student, grassroots and national movements are coming together to build and to strengthen relationships, and to learn from one another.
http://www.bread.org/about-us/national-gathering/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Schedule of Events:
http://www.bread.org/about-us/national-gathering/2007/the-gathering-2007-highlights.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOBBY DAY - Tuesday, June 12, 2007Seeds of Change: Help Farmers. End Hunger.
Hello, and welcome to Lobby Day 2007!
We're happy you're joining together with hundreds of others for one of the most important and exciting anti-hunger events of the year. Lobby Day is a unique opportunity to use your voice to personally address members of Congress on the issue of broad reform of U.S. food and farm policy. It offers the chance to raise your concerns about how public policy decisions impact low-income people, rural communities, our nation's farmers and farmers in poor countries. This is democracy in action. It is also a faith-filled occasion to be active stewards of the gift of your citizenship.
Every five years, the U.S. farm bill is revised and renewed in Congress. This year, Bread for the World and many groups of faith and conscience are working to see that the next farm bill strengthens communities in rural America, ensures all Americans an adequate nutritious diet, provides better and more targeted support for U.S. farm families of modest means, and conserves the land for present and future generations. Such changes will also help unlock the ability of small-holder farmers in developing countries, who comprise the majority of the world's hungry people, to improve their livelihoods and escape poverty.
Thank you for giving your valuable time, energy and resources to come to Washington, D.C. and to call on Congress to support reform of food and farm policy. Members of Congress care about what you – their constituents – think, so you can be sure that your presence in D.C. is vital to this campaign. You do make a difference.
More info @
http://www.bread.org/take-action/lobby-day.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Take ActionUrge your senators and representative to improve the U.S. farm bill in ways that will reduce hunger in this country and around the world.
Points to make:
In the United States, 35 million people live in families that struggle to put food on the table.
The Food Stamp Program, the country's first line of defense against hunger, should be strengthened so that it reaches more eligible people and enables participants to afford a healthy diet.
Our country's farm policy should support U.S. farmers in ways that do not make it more difficult for farmers in developing countries to sell their crops at a fair price and feed their families.
The farm bill is the primary legislation on rural affairs. Strengthening U.S. rural communities should be a top priority.
Send an email to Congress @ http://capwiz.com/bread/issues/alert/?alertid=9218316&type=COhttp://www.bread.org/take-action/take-action-seeds-of-change.html 
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