Letters
Speak up for poor at every chance Lutheran
Hunger, sanctuary, public policy, retirements, column stir readers DECEMBER 2014
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Advent: Waiting together
Story Page 18
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Study guide Page 25
Graceful benediction Joy year round After the tsunami 12
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For years I have been speaking in Lutheran churches about the ELCA World Hunger appeal. Early on I was struck by how many members quoted Jesus at the anointing at Bethany when he said, “You always have the poor with you.” That people in the church of Jesus Christ could so portray Jesus as condemning the poor to poverty saddened me (December, page 3). I tried humor to counter this misinterpretation of his words, beginning each talk by ask- ing for the most famous verse in the Bible. A common answer was John 3:16, to which I replied, “You mean ‘Go Eagles’ because I always see it on banners in the end zone at Philadel- phia [football] games.” Aggressive responders, looking to put the World Hunger guy in his place, said, “God helps those who help themselves.” Jim Shields Houston
Sign of hope Thank you for including the fea-
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ture on Pastor Margaret Kelly and her work with Shobi’s Table food truck and mobile ministry (Decem- ber, page 40). When I read stories of recently ordained pastors who under- stand the diverse needs of all God’s people and who strive to serve those on the margins, it gives me great hope for the future of the Lutheran church. I hope more clergy—young and old alike—recognize the need for these kinds of unique and fantastic ministries. Sarah Lippert Chicago
Poor are just that The letter “Don’t call me greedy” (September, page 49) is not a question of entitlement (“takers”) but rather the dictates of the Bible. In Luke 3:11, Jesus said, “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” I don’t see anything in the Gospels that suggests there are the deserving poor or the undeserving poor. Sometimes your letter writers do not get that, although Pope Fran- cis does. Martin D. Brown Littleton, Colo.
Get going on hunger Thank you for mentioning hunger in the November issue (page 9). I am glad to see The Lutheran tack- ling hunger in America. Articles like this do a good job of breaking down stereotypes of people who rely on food assistance, while others show how some ELCA congregations are responding to hunger in their com- munities (page 12)—but I want more. We should all be deeply disturbed by
the high rates of hunger in our coun- try. One in seven—that’s absurd. Jesus repeatedly called on his fol- lowers to feed the hungry (Matthew 25:34-40, for a famous example). Should we who call ourselves dis- ciples of Christ not do likewise? Use the pulpit to spark a call to action: Inspire churchgoers to learn about hunger and its root causes, then work together with government and secu- lar movements to end hunger in our nation for good. Ron Evans Martin-Dent Hunger advocate Montana Synod
Good to know It was only recently that I realized there were any Lutheran parishes offering sanctuary (December, page 36). I hope you can do a follow-up about this—and have a knowledge- able person write about the ecclesias- tical and legal issues involved in the modern sanctuary movement. We don’t hear about it much, so thanks for breaking the silence. The Rev. Ann Larson Essex, Vt.
Keep it separate The editor’s column recites the ELCA’s first social statement to the effect that the church needs to use its power and influence with political decision-making bodies to develop and advocate policies (November, page 4). When Christ came and announced the gospel, it was basi- cally subversive of the understood orders of government. Remember that Christ told Pilate that his king- dom was not of this world. Christ’s work is completely antithetical to the
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