Bulletin Statement
Hunger for the Good News
World Hunger Emphasis Sunday
The heartfelt response of the Community of Christ to the Southeast Asia
tsunami disaster in the first part of last year was truly remarkable. As has
already been reported in the Herald and elsewhere, Oblation and World
Hunger funds given so open-handedly throughout the church in response to that
disaster amounted to almost a half-million dollars. Several commented at the
time that when the good people of the church become aware of a need,
especially one with which they can identify strongly, they always respond most
generously to that need.
Paradoxically, however, this is both good news and bad news. It is
obviously good news, indeed, and a great blessing, that dedicated and caring
members and friends of the church are moved to respond so graciously in times
of special need. The bad news is that most of the time poverty and hunger,
with their attendant disease and death, do not come in sudden, devastating
waves. Rather, day by day they slowly and unspectacularly sow their
debilitating destruction. And because there is no sudden alarm, we tend to
forget that the reality of the need is ongoing and relentless.
The message for today is that, as wonderful and uplifting as our response
to the sudden horror of a tsunami may be, the disaster of world-wide hunger
rises anew each day. Good brothers and sisters, the purpose of World Hunger
Emphasis Day is to sound that alarm.
Wallace B. Smith, president emeritus
Community of Christ
March 5, 2006