Day 75: Bless us Still

Psalm 67

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us

so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.

May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.

The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.

May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Day 75. Dollar 75. Pound 75. God, our God, does indeed bless us still on this, our 75th day together! Our thanks, dear Hunger Relief Community, for joining hands and singing the song of service!

Day 74: Sacred Heart, Mealtime Friend

Service Opportunity: Meal Preparation

Sacred Heart House of Denver is a residence for women and single mothers with children who are homeless. Every night of the week, volunteers provide dinner for the families. Meals can be home-cooked, or from the grocery store, and re-heated at Sacred Heart House.Sacred Heart encourage volunteers to join the residents for the dinner. Dinners usually need to feed 20 people, plus the number of volunteers bringing the dinner. Contact: 303.296.6686 or visit http://www.sacredhearthouse.org.

Reminder: Tomorrow, Sunday, August 14th, is the Food Breakdown for Metro CareRing at Bethany Lutheran Church! 9:00 am in the Great Hall - bring an extra 30 lbs of rice/beans or donate an additional $30 in honor of Pastor Ron Glusenkamp's 30th Anniversary of his Ordination! God's work. Our hands!

Day 74. Dollar 74. Pound 74. Lord Jesus Christ, we give You our thoughts, words, actions, our joys and sufferings of each day. We renew our promise to live as good Christians, ever mindful of Your merciful love. Heart of Jesus, we take You as our security in whatever anxieties may assail us. Be our source of comfort and encouragement in every trial. Amen.

Day 73: Heart and Soul

It's good for your soul,
(Every family who visits Metro CareRing receives a three to six day supply of nutritious, sustaining food.)




It's good for your heart,

(Lean Meat, Full Serving of Vegetables, Heart Healthy, Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Low, Saturated Fat, Zero Grams Trans Fat)

This week, go ahead - Toss a can in your cart!



Day 73. Dollar 73. Pound 73. Donations of food and toiletries are accepted Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the door marked Deliveries behind the Metro CareRing building at 18th and Downing. For more information on donating pantry items, please call Pantry Staff at 303-350-3663. God fills my heart with much love and care, It's easy for me to give others a share!

Day 72: Blessed

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst

Blessed are those who hunger and

Blessed are those who hunger

Blessed are those who

Blessed are those

Blessed are

Blessed

Day 72. Dollar 72. Pound 72. Matthew 5:6

Day 71: The Faces of Hunger

Food insecurity affects 48.6 percent of Pakistan's 165 million people,
according to a 2010 report. PHOTOS: EXPRESS/ATHAR KHAN
Full Story: The Express Tribune

Day 71. Dollar 71. Pound 71.

Day 70: A Hunger for Love

Geographically, more than 70 percent of malnourished children live in Asia, 26 percent in Africa and 4 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean. In many cases, their plight began even before birth with a malnourished mother. (source: World Hunger)

In Zimbabwe, a chief statistician said it was impossible to calculate the inflation rate because stores didn't have anything on the shelves to put price tags on. The last inflation statistic released by the government was 14,000 percent, meaning that last year's 50-cent loaf of bread would now cost $70 -- if a person could find a loaf of bread. (source: World Hunger Fund)

Between 70-75 percent of ELCA World Hunger funds are spent internationally, and 20-25 percent are spent domestically. (source: ELCA World Hunger)

Day 70. Dollar 70. Pound 70. There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread ~ Mother Teresa. Our gratitude for your participation in 9.10.11 is immeasurable, as is the love and hope you are bestowing upon your hungry neighbors.

Day 69: Sheer Silence

.




.
.
How


is


God


speaking


to


you


today


in


the


sound


of


sheer


silence?



.




.


.


Day 69. Dollar 69. Pound 69.

Day 68: Do Not Be Afraid

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." Matthew 14:22-27.

Link HERE to Pastor Ron's entire sermon.

Day 68. Dollar 68. Pound 68. Many of the clients at Metro CareRing, and many other food banks around Denver and this country, are indeed fearful of how they will find their next meal. Will there be enough food? Will they be able to find the place that is giving out the food? How will they feed their children? Sometimes, there are storms in life...but we always know that Jesus is with us.

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve. Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merit of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (LBW Prayer of the Day).

Day 67: I Love Delivery

Project Angel Heart: delivering nutritious meals to improve quality of life, at no-cost, for those coping with life-threatening illness.

Volunteers delivered Project Angel Heart’s first meals in 1991, and today, volunteers make it possible for Project Angel Heart to serve nearly 800 clients each week.

Just last year, nearly 2,900 amazing individual Project Angel Heart volunteers contributed more than 49,000 hours of their time to make sure that clients received nutritious meals in both Denver and Colorado Springs.

Main website: http://www.projectangelheart.org/

Day 67. Dollar 67. Pound 67. You can make a critical difference in the lives of people living with life-threatening illnesses by joining the volunteer meal delivery team at Project Angel Heart! They’d LOVE to have you! If you’d like to make a difference in your community, please contact Angela Barone at 303.830.0202 extension 28. Call today - you'll be delivering hope and you'll have a BALL!

Day 66: In Fourteen Hundred and Ninety Two....

...Columbus sailed the ocean blue!

And just a year later, on his second voyage to the Pacific Islands,
Christopher Columbus brought with him the seeds of
o-r-a-n-g-e-s
and made sure they were planted in Haiti and the Caribbean.

Learn more about these delicious delights!

Random Facts about Oranges:

• If you drink a glass of calcium fortified orange juice, it will be absorbed by the body better than calcium in a glass of milk.
• More orange trees are killed by lighting than plant diseases.
• Even though oranges were introduced in the United States only about a 125 years ago, they have been grown in southern China and India for thousands of years.
• Marmalades are made of bitter oranges that cannot be eaten raw.
• Oranges are orange due to cold temperatures where they grow. However, in the tropical countries where oranges grow they have a green to green yellow color. (source: Orange Fruit Facts)

Day 66. Dollar 66. Pound 66. Orange you glad you now know these facts? This fruit is very a-peeling, and is always welcome inside the doors of Metro CareRing! (Click here for donation information.)

Day 65: Raging Storms

O God our defender, storms rage around and within us and
cause us to be afraid. Rescue your people from despair, deliver
your sons and daughters from fear, and preserve us in the faith
of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Day 65. Dollar 65. Pound 65. Prayers of thankfulness for the community of believers who bring hope to the fearful, faith to the doubtful, and food to the hungry.

Day 64: Heavy Heart

Picture: AP/Schalk van Zuydam

I removed his shoulder from the burden:
his hands were delivered from the pots. (Psalm 81:6)

Day 64. Dollar 64. Pound 64. Our prayers today are for those reaching into the deep pots of famine to help lighten the burdens of those suffering and hungering in Africa.

Note from Brenda: Our Wordless Wednesday post is a photo of a small child being weighed at a field hospital run by Doctors without Borders in Dadaab, Kenya. A 7 month old who weighs as much as a newborn. Somalia's famine will worsen unless food aid increases soon, officials say. This photo and story, which is found in every newspaper and online news site, has haunted me throughout the week. We write of Avenues of Hope, they write of "roads of death", where people are literally dying on their way to receive nourishment. As many as 11 million people have fled their homes as families, in search of food. In HOPE of reaching aid. Be it Somalia, be it Kenya, be it Denver, I sincerely thank you for praying over and bringing food to the hungry Children of God.

Day 63: Halt the Hunger

A story today from our Hunger Relief Advocate friends in Idaho: In 2004, Orville and Heidi Thompson were deeply in debt, with no money and no credit. They even raiding their children's piggy banks just to buy groceries.

In the time since, the Thompsons bought a tiny company called Scentsy, moved it to Meridian and built it into a direct-sales business that has generated more than $700 million in revenue. And now Scentsy will lend a hand in a big way to families who struggle to put food on their tables by matching every donation to "Halt the Hunger" dollar for dollar up to $300,000.

Since the Idaho Food Bank can provide three meals for only one dollar, the donations and the matched funds will provide 1.8 million meals for Idahoans. Visit the main website of this campaign here:

http://www.haltthehunger.com/

The "Halt the Hunger" drive will run through the entire month of August. (Source: KPVI News 6)

Day 63. Dollar 63. Pound 63. We give thanks today for this Avenue of Hope in Idaho - together, we can halt the hunger!

Day 62: Tune My Heart

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Text: Robert Robinson, Music: J. Wyeth
ELW #807 - Listen HERE or HERE

Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
While the hope of endless glory, fills my heart with joy and love,
Teach me ever to adore thee, may I still they goodness prove.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by thy help I'm come;

And I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be!

Let thy grace now like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;

Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.

Day 62. Dollar 62. Pound 62. Glorious God, your generosity waters the world with goodness, and you cover creation with abundance. Awaken in us a hunger for the food that satisfies both body and spirit, and with this food fill all the starving world; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Day 61: Compassion Ministry

Jesus said to then, 'They need not go away;
you give them something to eat." Matthew 14:16

Today's devotion comes to us from David Ramse, a missionary with the World Mission Prayer League, and a contributing commentator to "Christ In Our Home", a monthly devotional from the ELCA.

In our text, Jesus is inviting his disciples to partner with him in relief work. Thousands of people had followed Jesus from the surrounding towns to a deserted place, and many had received his healing touch. Now, it was evening, and the people were hungry. The disciples wanted to send the people away to the surrounding villages to buy food for themselves. Jesus gave a direct command: you give them something to eat."

This partnership continues today with God's people being called individually and corporately to compassion ministry. It may involve ministry to people of other cultures in other nations, or it might be a ministry of compassion to one's neighbor. It might mean a congregation raising resources for disaster response or sending a team for active involvement.

Jesus is concerned about the whole person, physically and spiritually. It is a privilege to be a coworker with Christ in meeting the needs to others.

Day 61. Dollar 61. Pound 61. Gracious God, may we allow Christ to use our hands and feet today to bring his love to others. In the process, we also will be filled. God of compassion, give me vision to see who needs your touch today. Amen.

Day 60: Glean on Me

GLEAN on me,

When you’re not strong
(enough to carry the gleaning equipment)
I’ll be your friend
(in the fields)
I’ll help you carry on
(when the beans become heavy)
For, it won’t be long
(many hands make light work)
‘Til I’m going to need
Somebody to GLEAN on!

The Annual Gleaning Trip is scheduled for Saturday, 9.10.11!

(9.10.11? That date sounds familiar...

What an exciting day this will be!)

Meet in the west parking lot of Bethany Lutheran Church (4500 E. Hampden Ave, Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113) by 7:15am on Saturday, September 10th, to sign forms and arrange transportation. Then, we will go to the fields for a morning of crop picking. Please wear sturdy shoes, bring gloves, hat and water. We should return to the church by noon.

When we're done, you are invited to remain at the church for the activities and fun going on there for Avenues of Hope: 9.10.11! Contact Susan Pattison at 303-973-2221 for questions or to sign up or email susan@platteriverbooks.net.

REMINDER: Summer Sundae: Share the SCOOP about hunger relief! Introduce a friend to Metro CareRing THIS Sunday, July 31 between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm while enjoying some delicious ice cream! Metro CareRing is located at 1100 E. 18th Avenue Denver, CO 80218. Please RSVP to Minerva at 303.350.3653 or mpadron@metrocarering.org. Together, we CONE put hunger on ICE!

Day 60. Dollar 60. Pound 60. Abundant God, we give you thanks for the fruitful earth, which produces what is needed for life. Bless those who work in the fields; grant favorable weather to all engaged in agriculture, and help us to ensure that all people share the fruits of the earth, rejoicing in your goodness; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Day 59: PB & J

First you take the peanuts
And you crunch 'em,
You crunch 'em!

For your peanut, peanut butter
And jelly!
Peanut, peanut butter
And jelly!

Then you take the grapes
And you squish 'em,
You squish 'em!

For your peanut, peanut butter
And jelly!
Peanut, peanut butter
And jelly!

Then you take the bread
And you spread it,
You spread it!

For your peanut, peanut butter
And jelly!
Peanut, peanut butter
And jelly!

Then you take your sandwich
And you eat it,
You eat it!

'Cause it’s good, peanut butter
And jelly!
Good, peanut butter
And jelly!

Day 59. Dollar 59. Pound 59. Every day, Metro CareRing distributes over 2 tons of food to families and individuals in need. Every family who visits receives a three to six day supply of nutritious, sustaining food. By donating food to Metro CareRing, you assist us in eradicating hunger in Denver! Click HERE to donate some PEANUT BUTTER today!

Day 58: Restoring Beauty

"When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic

about the future, my answer is always the same:

If you look at the science about
what is happening on earth
and aren't pessimistic,
you don't understand the data.

But if you meet the people who are working
to restore this earth and the lives of the poor,
and you aren't optimistic,
you haven't got a pulse.

What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world."

Paul Hawken, environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist, and author
Commencement Address to the Class of 2009
Click HERE to view the entire text of his speech.

Day 58. Dollar 58. Pound 58. Thank you, Hunger Relief Community, for being willing to confront the pessimism and the data in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice and beauty to this world.

Day 57: With these Hands

With these hands, Lord I pray.

Food from you to eat each day.

Day 57. Dollar 57. Pound 57.

Day 56: Commit and Expand

On July 20, First Lady Michelle Obama announced nationwide commitments from major food retailers to open or expand over 1,500 stores to help provide healthy, affordable food to millions of people in areas that do not currently have easy access to fresh, nutritious food.

The entire transcript of her announcement can be found HERE,
and you can watch her press conference below:

Day 56. Dollar 56. Pound 56. It is our hope that through stories like these, the seeds of expansion are planted, and that other communities and corporations catch the spirit of creating such options and choices for families, too!

Day 55: God of the Sparrow

~ God of the Sparrow ~

text: Jaroslav J. Vajda
tune: Carl F. Schalk
ELW #740
(To listen to just a snippet of this hymn, click here)

God of the sparrow, God of the whale, God of the swirling stars.
How does the creature say Awe?
How does the creature say Praise?

God of the earthquake, God of the storm, God of the trumpet blast.
How does the creature cry Woe?
How does the creature cry Save?

God of the rainbow, God of the cross, God of the empty grave.
How does the creature say Grace?
How does the creature say Thanks?

God of the hungry, God of the sick, God of the prodigal.
How does the creature say Care?
How does the creature say Life?

God of the neighbor, God of the foe, God of the pruning hook.
How does the creature say Love?
How does the creature say Peace?

God of the ages, God near at hand, God of the loving heart.
How do your children say Joy?
How do your children say Home?

Day 55. Dollar 55. Pound 55. As we marvel at the wonders of creation, we give thanks for the Hunger Relief Community of 9.10.11 and for the Care and Life you value through your support of Metro CareRing.

Day 54: Holy Imagination

³¹ Jesus told the crowd another story. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. Someone took the seed and planted it in a field. ³² It is the smallest of all your seeds. But when it grows, it is the largest of all garden plants. It becomes a tree. Birds come and rest in its branches."

³³ Jesus told them still another story. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast," he said. "A woman mixed it into a large amount of flour. The yeast worked its way all through the dough." Matthew 13:31-33

How is the kingdom of heaven like this annoying plant that grows and grows and takes over a field?

How is the kingdom of heaven like moldy, rotting ruined dough?

Parables paint holy and imaginative pictures of what God’s kingdom looks like. This incarnational God is a Divine God who seeks to be in partnership with those who are ready to help liberate all of nature, all of humanity. The Gospel is rebellious. It’s revolutionary. God’s kingdom has come and changed things forever from what they were into something else completely. These playful parables aren’t just words on a page, they are the Word of God which bring the kingdom here, now, today.

God is like a mustard seed, God is like creepy yeast!

From Pastor Ruth Ann Loughry's sermon, "Holy Imagination" on 7/24/11
Click HERE to view/listen to the entire sermon

Day 54. Dollar 54. Pound 54. Beloved and sovereign God, through the death and resurrection of your Son you bring us into your kingdom of justice and mercy. By your Spirit, give us your wisdom, that we may treasure the life that comes from Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Day 53: Ketchup with a Friend

TODAY, July 23
Greenwood Village Sunflower Farmer's Market
(Arapahoe & Yosemite)

$1 burgers and $1 brats
from
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
(an extra hour longer than last time! Yum!)

50% of the proceeds will benefit Metro CareRing!
To help at this event or others, e-mail ellie@metrocarering.org
(A BIG thanks to all the volunteers who stand next to the grills and in the sunshine!

Day 53. Dollar 53. Pound 53.
KETCHUP with some new friends as you enjoy your food!

Day 52: CORN you imagine?

Lend an EAR today and learn a bit more
about this colorful and delicious plant!

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Day 52. Dollar 52. Pound 52.

CORN you imagine a world without hunger? Simply aMAIZEing!