CHURCHES WEEK OF ACTION ON FOOD

Theme: Zero Hunger World: A Missional Agenda

October 16th is World Food Day. The theme for this year (2018) is “Zero Hunger World: A Missional Agenda”.  It has been chosen to highlight the role of civil societies and faith communities in improving food security and contributing to the eradication of hunger by addressing  climate change with the Gospel Values of Justice, Love and Peace.

Despite the economic growth achieved during the last 20 years, India continues to suffer from ‘alarming hunger’ and acute malnutrition among children below age five. The recently introduced National Food Security Bill tries to address some of these concerns seriously. The Government of India also has to improve the design and supervision of the welfare programmes like the Public Distribution System (PDS) which distributes basic commodities at subsidized cost to the people who live under the poverty line. However, food alone does not solve the problem of underweight children; it needs a multidimensional thrust through the right to health, right to hygiene, right to water and right to live.

Therefore, considering the seriousness of the issue, then Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation, of  the National Council of Churches in India joined the World Council of Churches – Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance in launching a National Campaign on “FOOD-JUSTICE for LIFE” in 2012 and initiated missional interventions in promoting ‘Life Giving Agriculture’ as a commitment to facilitate their constituent members and communities of people to join the campaign to give expression in the entire world to the Gospel of Food-Justice for Life.

The week between, 11 – 17 October is considered as an important week! This week includes the International Day of Girl Child (11 October),  ‘International Day for Disaster Reduction’ (13 October), ‘International Day for Rural Women’ (15 October), ‘World Food Day’ (16 October) and ‘International Day for Eradication of Poverty’ (17 October).  Hence,  the WCC – EAA has declared this week as “Churches’ Week of Action on Food”.    ‘This  Churches’ Week of Action on Food’,  is a to advocate Food-justice ‘OF’ all – Food Justice ‘FOR all. This is part of the WCC -EAA’s global campaign on ‘Food for Life.’ The Members of EAA observe this week globally with the their networks and constituencies. The NCCI – Unity and Mission is facilitating the Indian Churches to observe the same for the past 8 years. This year (2018) the entire focus would be on ‘Zero Hunger World’.

The National Council of Churches in India continues to be a part of the World Council of Churches – Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance’s Churches Week of Action on Food. This year also the NCCI has developed an Order of Worship for the entire week with seven reflections based on the UN special days.  Indeed such a ‘Prayer’ campaign is an urgent necessity to inform the world that food insecurity is sin caused by unjust systems and practices of the society! It is a call to the entire society to campaign for just-production, just-consumption, and just-distribution on the basis of needs, necessity and equality along with practicing and promoting socially, environmentally sustainable agriculture. The Gospel imperative is that we all work together, irrespective of caste, creed, faith, ideology and philosophies to change the unjust practices, structures and systems of our society.

We request you to kindly use this worship order and reflection, publish and disseminate the same among your congregations and net-works and encourage them to join the campaign by observing the Week of Action for Food from 11 – 17 October 2018. We also urge you to observe Food Justice Sunday on 14th October 2018 in your respective congregations.

Please CLICK HERE for the WORSHIP ORDER and REFLECTIONS

Please CLICK  Ten Commandments on Food Poster

Other resources…

<https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/events/churches-week-of-action-on-food>

<https://www.presbyterianmission.org/food-faith/2018/09/12/claimingrights/>

The Campaign envisions “Hunger-free Society of All and Society for All!

Yours in God’s Mission

 

Most. Rev. Dr. P. C. Singh,

President

NCCI

 

 

Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad,

General Secretary

NCCI

 

 

 

Rev. R. Christopher Rajkumar,

Executive Secretary,

NCCI – Unity and Mission,

 

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