By Pastor Rick Summy (2017)
People are hungry. Here, in the United States of America. Here, in Minnesota. Here, in Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Burnsville…
Last year (2016), Our Daily Bread Food Shelf provided 111,180 pounds of groceries to 1,082 families. Recently, we’ve made significant improvements to the space to facilitate the process of folks receiving food and to provide the opportunity to choose items that better fit the needs of our guests.
Our March Food Drive is now underway. Many of us have more than enough. When you go shopping this month, pick up an extra bag of some non-perishable items each time. It will add up! And it will feed the hungry.
If we reach the goal of collecting $6,000 and 8,000 pounds of food, your pastors pledge to engage in a display of public silliness (exact details to be determined). Just a little bonus on top of your faithfulness.
But while it is critically important that we get real food to people who suffer from actual hunger, we human beings are hungry in other ways as well. Our sometimes neglected spirits need to be fed too.
Lent is a perfect time to feast on God’s promises, to renew our souls, to turn away from those things that harm us and toward those relationships that bring us life. Join us for a simple meal and worship during the middle of the day on Wednesdays in Lent if you are able. Or worship with us on Wednesday evenings. Together we will explore how God transforms our lives, how God feeds the hungers within us. Worship with us on Sundays and be fed by God’s Word and the Lord’s Supper. Join in fellowship and receive the nourishment that comes in conversation and caring.
A Lenten Hunger Prayer:
We are hungry, Lord.
And you offer us food that will last.
Food that will sustain and nourish.
Food that will strengthen us to do your will.
Food that grants us forgiveness, that we might forgive.
We are hungry, Lord.
And you offer us yourself.
Food to satisfy our hunger.
Grant us the courage to sit at your table,
to eat your food,
food that satisfies our deepest hunger:
Our need of you.
Ways to support our food shelf:
1. Bring a food item or two (or whole bag) with you to church each week
2. Make monetary donation to help purchase additional food.
3. Organize a neighborhood food drive.
4. Tell others!
Thank you for your support!
Here, at Shepherd of the Valley, we aren’t going to solve this problem. But we are part of the solution.
