Introduced at the March 3rd – 5th, 2006
United Methodist Men’s National Association of Conference Presidents
meeting in Nashville, TN “Fast a Meal in One Year” - Fami1y - becomes a
hunger relief vehicle for the United Methodist Church.
UMMen
National President Glenn Wintemberg explained, “The vision came to me
while attending the 2005 National Hunger Summit in WashingtonDC. With thousands of hunger advocates
in one place, the setting was the perfect place for the idea to be born.
This is another instance where if you open yourself to the possibilities
of what God has in store, he will answer.”
Glenn’s hope is that
Fami1y will become the primary fasting vehicle of the UnitedMethodistChurch simplifying the efforts under
one umbrella and working through the Society of St. Andrew and the United
Methodist Men’s Hunger Relief Advocates. Our initial goal is to encourage
the Church to fast at least once a year, which members can start anytime.
Each National Hunger Awareness Day; we encourage your church to
use the Sunday prior to or Sunday following as Hunger Awareness Sunday.
There are Sunday school lessons and worship materials available through
the Society of St. Andrew at www.endhunger.org/nhad.
The FAMI1Y plan is
simple; individually or as a family, decide which meal to give up to the
Lord and pray about your decision. Tally up the money you would have spent
on that meal and send it to the National Hunger Relief Office at
P.O. Box 340006Nashville, TN. 37203-0006.
Write your check to the United Methodist Men and write Fami1y in the memo
section. The money collected will be used to feed the poor through the
Potato Project along with assisting in the continued efforts of the Hunger
Relief Advocates in education and hands on hunger ministries. Finally,
spread the word about the needs of those less fortunate and celebrate
God’s love through sacrificial giving.
Printed brochures are
available through the General Commission on United Methodist Men’s office
or your Hunger Relief Advocate.
What a wonderful opportunity this
will be for individuals, families, Sunday school classes, youth groups and
entire churches to lift up the awareness of hunger, which currently
affects 37 million people in the U.S., many of whom are
children.