Offering of Letters:
Using Our Voices to End Hunger

Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.

Congregations in the United States are encouraged to include an "Offering of Letters" element in their worship. This Bread for the World program consists of asking churchgoers to send brief, focused, hand-written letters to members of Congress, urging them to support legislation that addresses hunger-related issues.  These letters have been shown to have a profound effect on legislators.

How to get started:

Please contact your Bread for the World organizers to help with the process. Visit http://www.bread.org/about-us/contact-us/regional-offices.html, and click on your state to view your organizer's contact information.

The Offering of Letters Kits are available free of charge to Community of Christ members. Contact Marsha Brown or call 816-833-1000 x2216.

You can also find the resources you need online to conduct an Offering of Letters in your church. Visit www.offeringofletters.org for more information.

Quotes from congregational leaders:
"We sent approximately 75 letters to our 2 Maine Senators and 1 Representative. Many in the congregation stated how happy they were to be able to respond in such a way. We have a small branch and many times feel we can’t impact the world in any significant way. The Offering of Letters was a way our branch could use our collective voice to make a difference along with our world hunger offering. Thank you for suggesting this avenue of ministry."
—Buzz and Suzanne Carver, Beals, Maine, USA

"Youth classes studied hunger related issues for three weeks.  A total of 18 letters were sent as part of one emphasis Sunday service."
—Arkansaw, Wisconsin, USA

Note: More testimonials are welcome. Please send them to Marsha Brown.

Why not consider...

• Coordinating with your local Ministerial Alliance
• Making your letter writing activity a community event on a Saturday morning. Invite persons with no church home back the next day to "offer" their letter in the Offertory. Those with a church home can add it to the offering in their congregation.

Preparation steps:

• Contact Bread for the World to receive free information packet.
• Review Bread for the World Web site for current information.
• Plan time for study and the writing of the letters SEPARATE from the worship/offering time.
• Announce several weeks in advance.  Put up a poster.
• Engage those responsible for worship planning to effectively integrate the Offering of Letters.
• Plan to have a food drive to support your local food pantry.
• Contact Bread for the World to see if a local Bread for the World representative could meet with you.
• Order free bulletin inserts from Bread for the World and include the week before.
• Order free World Hunger brochure.
• Study material in packet and on Web site to organize thoughts to share.

The letter writing activity:

• Show the video.
• Set up class setting with tables.
• Have names of senators and representatives.
• Have sample letter.
• Have paper, envelopes, pens and stamps.
• Caution:  don’t start the writing too late in the class period.

The worship setting:

• Receive letters during the offertory in a worship service.
• Use a bulletin insert for persons not ready to offer their letter.  Here's a sample that you can print and distribute, or create your own.
• Include receiving of the food items brought during the offertory as well as the letters.

Follow up:

• Complete and mail the Bread for the World feedback form from the packet.
• Contact World Hunger Ministries to be added to the Web site list.
• Share with us ideas that worked or didn’t work.
• Share a brief summary of your efforts that can be used to enhance our Web site support for this activity.  
• Please send information to Marsha Brown.