July 25, 2006

VALLEY FORGE, PA – Following the release of two previous editions, Hunger for the Word: Lectionary Reflections on Food and Justice, Year C is now available from Bread for the World. A resource for pastors and liturgical ministers interested in justice-oriented Bible study and spiritual growth, Year C draws on the insights and stories of pastors, professors, and others active in anti-hunger advocacy.

American Baptists Rev. Robert Tiller and Minister Derrick Boykin were two contributors to the project which included multiple authors from various denominations. Describing the resource, Boykin, regional organizer for Bread for the World and associate minister at Walker Memorial Baptist Church in the Bronx, New York, said, "Writers, reflecting the colorful spectrum of the Christian community, have wrestled with scripture and have shared profound biblical insights into the believer's role in working to change public policy that perpetuates injustice and inequality throughout the world. This resource encourages men, women, boys, and girls of the Christian faith to be actively engaged in making the world hunger-free."

Having recently become an Endorsing Partner of the ONE Campaign, American Baptists have pledged their commitment to do their part in putting an end to hunger and poverty in the nation and the world. Education on how to accomplish this task is the next step and Hunger for the Word can assist individuals and local churches in this endeavor through biblical reflections, ideas for children's sermons, and related musical selections.

Commenting on the opportunity to work towards this goal, Tiller, deputy director for public policy and advocacy at the National Council on Aging, said, "It has been an honor and a privilege to be associated with the Hunger for the Word publishing project, and it was especially exciting to work on printed dialogues for year C with Derrick Boykin. I hope that the reflections that he and I contributed will enable clergy and laypersons of all denominations to gain new insights from the Scriptures."

The three volumes of Hunger for the Word, including earlier books for Years A and B of the lectionary cycle, are available at http://www.breadstore.org/. Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian's citizen movement whose members, some 55,000 strong, focus on using the power they have as citizens in a democracy to influence government policies affecting hungry people.

American Baptist Churches
USA Mission Resource Development: http://www.abc-usa.org/.