Newsline for Sept. 21, 2011

This week’s issue includes news of the International Day of Prayer for Peace bringing communities together, a Peace Prayer Wall posted by the World Council of Churches, a presentation by a WCC leader on peace and justice, upcoming events including preachers for the 2012 Annual Conference and the next Brethren webinar, order info for the Advent Devotional from Brethren Press, a report from the Brethren representative to the UN, and more “Brethren bits.”

Congregations Encouraged to Engage in Anti-Hunger Action This Fall

The general secretary of the Church of the Brethren, Stan Noffsinger, has sent a letter to each congregation in the denomination encouraging each to engage in some new and specific hunger action during this harvest season. The new effort is sponsored by the church’s Global Food Crisis Fund and the advocacy and peace witness office in Washington, D.C.

Americans Living in Poverty Reach Record Levels

Data released yesterday by the US Census Bureau reveals that nearly 46.2 million Americans now live in poverty, an increase of 2.6 million people since 2009 and the highest figures on record. The poverty rate for children under 18 increased to 22 percent (over 16.4 million children) in 2010. Among children under 5, the poverty rate increased to 25.9 percent (over 5.4 million children).

In Stitches!

Over 100 nimble hands, equipped with needle and thread, participated in the quilting project of the Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren (AACB). The quilting began on Friday, July 1, and continued through the afternoon of July 5, each stitch made to raise money to feed hungry people.

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