The day after the First Day in Lent

Yesterday was the 30th annual Atlanta Community Food Bank's Hunger Walk/Run.  The Episcopal Charities Foundation has been a partner with ACFB for most of the 30 years. ECF walkers and runners raise funds that are used to fight hunger in Middle and North Georgia.  All the proceeds from the event go to feed those who hunger.

"For when I was hungry, you gave me food;"  Matthew 25:35.

It was a glorious day to walk for hunger.  It was a glorious day to run for hunger.  It was a glorious day to join over 15,000 people as they covered the 5K distance.

Twenty percent of people living in Georgia are food insecure, meaning they don't know from there next meal will come.  And almost 30% of children in Georgia live in food insecure homes.  How can that be in this land of plenty?

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefforts Schori says that "acting in solidarity with those who go hungry is a piece of what it means to be Christian".  She suggests that we consider making our Lenten practices of prayer, study and fasting as acts of solidarity with the hungry and then to consider how to live in accord with those who are hungry.

My church collects food for the local food pantry, "Sharing and Caring", once a month. I've gotten out of the habit of shopping for the pantry.  My intention is to take up this practice once again, and continue it throughout the year.