Lenten Challenge: Provide a hot meal for 160
Thursday, February 16, 2012
By: Chessney Barrick

This Lenten season Stop Hunger Now invites your members to discover both the value and fun of watching one dollar a day quickly and easily become $40 by Easter, enough to feed 160 children a hot meal.

Lent is a period rich with spiritual possibilities.  It is, traditionally, a time when Christians re-evaluate who they are and how they live in response to the good news of Jesus Christ. This year, Stop Hunger Now is encouraging Christians to take a serious look at their discipleship by asking themselves a single simple question: "If Christ was hungry, what would I do?  How we respond to the cries of the hungry is at the heart of our spirituality.  Ending hunger isn't easy. It takes all of us working together. But it starts inside of each of us by recognizing our responsibility towards the least of these.

Over the years, we have heard many testimonies of transforming Lenten practices. One that's been especially meaningful is when congregations agree to put aside one dollar during each of the forty days of Lent. Churches may provide decorative labels for home collection jars and encourage members to have their daily contributions coincide with family mealtime. Individuals and families can make this an opportunity to reflect on one's response to hunger. Lent then becomes a season to develop an intentional practice of stewardship and justice. Come Easter, the special offering becomes a time of celebration and evidence to all present of the ministry of the church.

This Lenten season, Stop Hunger Now invites you to discover both the value and excitement of watching one dollar a day quickly grow to become $40 by Easter, enough to feed a hot meal to 160 children. Please consider asking your church to initiate a program of putting aside "One Dollar a Day" towards Stop Hunger Now's work in the world as your Lenten fast. To help with creating your own program or devotional practice, we are offering on-line Sunday bulletin devotionals. We also encourage the group study of Ending Hunger Now by George McGovern, Robert Dole, and Donald Messer to inspire faith in action. 

Visit www.stophungernow.org/lent to download "One Dollar a Day" devotionals today!