March 30, 2004
Embodying Justice and Proclaiming Peace:
Oblation, Tangible Love, and
World Hunger Ministries
Nearly $1.5 million in total donations to the Oblation and World Hunger
Funds express the commitment of Community of Christ members and friends to
ministries that personify the discipleship goal to “embody justice and
proclaim peace.” Dollars from these two sources fund ministries that find
ways to help the poor and transform communities through direct grants,
Tangible Love Ministries, and the programs of organizations that further the
church’s mission in the world.
The programs funded bring ministry to a world where people are looking for
a helping hand rather than a handout. Co-chair of the Tangible Love Committee
and World Hunger Committee member Kenneth Schnell said, “These ministries
are about people who care about people…who care more about the needs of
others than about spending more time and money on themselves. At our best
moments we all are able to focus on those humble and grateful people in places
throughout the world who are so appreciative that others have shared.”
Helping End World Hunger
It has been nearly 25 years since the first contributions were offered to
and distributed from the World Hunger Fund. The efforts of donors and those
who carry out world hunger ministries have been blessed. Thanks to the
generosity of members and friends inspired by the spirit of Jesus Christ,
millions of dollars have been received and shared to benefit many worthy
projects around the world. Since 1980, the World Hunger Fund committee has
distributed almost $8 million dollars for the support and benefit of hungry
people in 36 countries.
World Hunger Committee chair Wallace B. Smith said, “I continue to be
extremely gratified by the generosity of Community of Christ members and
friends. Their response has made it possible to assist needy, hungry persons
in many places in the world. In this way, our witness of a loving,
compassionate Christ is being extended significantly-and I thank God for that.”
Chief among the organizations receiving grants from the World Hunger Fund
are Outreach International (OI) and World Accord (WA). These church affiliates
“help the poor help themselves” through projects that encourage
participatory human development, education, and participation in civil
society. Focusing on issues including food production and storage, securing
clean water, micro-credit and marketing, education in seed selection and
farming techniques, meal planning and nutrition, literacy, and conflict
resolution, OI and WA projects reflect the needs of the populations being
assisted and engage indigenous people in solutions to their own problems.
OI programs that benefited from World Hunger grants in 2003 included a
Brazil daycare and nutrition program for young children, support for food
security and clean water projects in rural communities of Nicaragua, and a
training program to equip field staff for the many agricultural projects
needed to improve food production and storage in four African countries. WA
programs that received grants included Mujeres en Accion (Women in Action), a
program that trains indigenous Mayan women in Guatemala in micro-credit and
crop storage and utilization; a reforestation project near La Buena Fe,
Honduras; and a farmers training and community development project in
Balochistan, Pakistan.
The World Hunger Committee also accepts proposals for funding from
Community of Christ congregations and jurisdictions. Among the projects that
received funding during 2003 are food pantries, projects that directly
dispense meals to needy persons, and other programs designed to provide food,
nutrition training, and basic education for individuals and families.
Community of Christ World Hunger Fund has also partnered with Christian
advocacy group Bread for the World throughout the year. This organization
received a grant on behalf of its promotion to the United States Congress of
legislation benefiting the poor and hungry throughout the world. The Hunger No
More intergenerational resource, also published by Bread for the World,
was another collaborative multi-denominational effort that included the church’s
World Hunger Fund as a financial supporter. Introduced at Mission 2003: Launch
Out, this packet of materials can be used for study by individuals, church
school classes, and small groups to stimulate interest in hunger issues.
The World Hunger Fund supports international organizations that offer
relief in times of disasters. Two war-ravaged countries received grants to
help ensure adequate food availability to families. Families from Community of
Christ congregations in Ivory Coast, affected by civil war since September
2002, received stipends to help them afford food in the face of sharply rising
prices. In Iraq, funds were distributed through Mercy Corps International to
provide hunger relief and systems development.
Grant Writing Support Pilot
World Hunger Fund dollars provided start-up for a grant writing support
pilot project called Next Steps, benefiting applicants and recipients of World
Hunger and Tangible Love grants. While Tangible Love and World Hunger grants
provide seed money to help programs establish roots in communities, Next Steps
can help these non-profits acquire long-term funding.
Through this pilot, professional assistance is available to World Hunger
and Tangible Love grant recipients who desire help in seeking other funding
sources. Next Steps consultant Brenda L. Williams said, “The most poignant
fact illuminated by Next Steps is the tremendous dedication of each project’s
volunteer personnel. Often they simply lack the time to seek long-term funding
resources on their own while sustaining daily program operations.” A
resource-packed Web site is available for all to browse at www.CofChrist.org/grantwriting.
Meeting the Needs of Social Ministries
Donations to the Oblation Fund support social ministries. Grants are given
directly to individuals or families, Tangible Love Ministries applicants, and
disaster relief providers. Confidential grants to individuals and families in
need of emergency financial support totaled nearly $733,000. Because of the
generous giving of disciples of Christ, these people were helped to meet basic
needs-such as food, medical, and essential transportation expenses-while being
helped to move to self-sufficiency.
Tangible Love projects are sponsored by Community of Christ congregations
and jurisdictions. These peace, justice, and compassionate ministries are
designed to recognize the worth of individuals, families, congregations, and
communities, locally and internationally, facilitating reconciliation and
healing of the spirit. Tangible Love Committee co-chair Andrew Bolton said,
“I am very appreciative of people’s Oblation offerings, which fund
Tangible Love ministries. I am also very appreciative of the creativity and
commitment of those who seek to convert dollars into ministry.”
Newly funded in 2003 was a project carried out via Outreach International
in partnership with Counterpart International and Community of Christ Africa
Region to gain data and an understanding of the cultural and sociological
aspects of the spread and treatment of AIDS through a participatory study,
with the purpose of creating effective interventions. Projects were also
funded in Honduras, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador. USA-based
programs included help for low-income families to develop computer and social
interaction skills, an after-school educational enrichment program for at-risk
elementary students, and a project that provides health education to several
underserved populations.
Oblation donations provided disaster relief in three countries. Cyclones
devastated parts of Fiji and India. Funds to those countries provided
emergency supplies and recovery assistance. Another grant aided San Diego,
California, USA, following the firestorms.
Grass Roots Transformation
Schnell said, “More and more congregations are supporting food pantries,
the CROP Walk, Bread for the World’s offering of letters, and other local
creative ministries that address issues of hunger, peace, and justice by
actively involving people of all ages.” Examples include the 49
congregations (up from 22 in 2002) that partnered with their local communities
to earn a portion of a $1 million grant from the Feinstein Foundation during
its annual hunger challenge by collecting dollars and food items to fight
hunger in local communities. Several groups were on board for the first annual
International Youth Fast, held March 7, with plans already underway for 2005.
Congregations can learn more about how to get started with Congregation and
Community Together (CCT). These resources are available through Peace and
Justice Ministries for those who complete training. CCT coordinator Roy
Schaefer explained, “The trainers manual and the addendum include a
component on how congregations can plug into support available from the World
Church and other organizations for these types of ministries.”
Drawing on the inspirations of Arthur Oakman, who described Jesus Christ as
the individual model for what we are to do corporately (Saints Herald, 1967),
and Gary Gunderson who stated the role of congregations is to help weave the
roots of the community (Deeply Woven Roots, 2003); CCT advocates that “congregations
are the demonstration plots of what God wants for Zion and the kingdom of God.”
For more information, visit www.CofChrist.org/news/oct03/cct.asp
or contact
Roy Schaefer at 1-800-825-2806, ext. 1375, or rschaefer@CofChrist.org.
All are invited to support ministries that address hunger and social needs
through their prayers and financial contributions. Mission Tithes offering
envelopes include options for donations to Oblation and World Hunger under
World Ministries. Ten months of the year, on the first Sunday, all
undesignated offerings are received by the Oblation Fund. On the first Sundays
of March and September, World Hunger Fund receives all undesignated monies.
Schnell said, “We say thanks for each person who contributes, and those who
bring all elements of these ministries together.”
To learn more about World Hunger and Tangible Love Ministries, including
lists of projects funded and how to apply for grants, visit www.CofChrist.org/hunger
and www.CofChrist.org/tlove.
-Kendra Friend
reporting
January 1, 2002-December 31, 2003
World Hunger
($454,500 Total Contributions) |
| Grants |
Distributed |
| 10 Grants through Outreach International |
$235,000 |
| 9 Grants through World Accord |
177,900 |
| 1 Grant to Bread for the World |
35,000 |
| 1 Hunger No More Resource |
10,000 |
| 4 Grants received directly |
26,000 |
| Grant Writing Support Pilot |
1,400 |
| 2 Grants for Disaster Relief |
|
| Ivory Coast (Civil War) |
17,500 |
| Iraq (Via Mercy Corp) |
25,000 |
|
Total $527,800 |
|
Oblation
($942,000 in Contributions) |
|
Grants |
Distributed |
| 22 Grants through Tangible Love |
$185,400 |
| Aid to Individuals |
|
| U.S. and Canada |
655,400 |
| Other Nations |
77,500 |
| Grants for Disaster Relief |
|
| Fiji Cyclone |
2,500 |
| India Cyclone |
1,800 |
| San Diego Firestorm |
5,000 |
|
Total $927,600 |
| Grand Total $1,455,400 |
