How timely for our "Souper Bowl Sunday" week!  As a church, we celebrate Souper Bowl Sunday by receiving a "loud offering" of coins and a "soft offering" of bills & checks to support the Bridgewater Interfaith Food Pantry.  This offering will be this Sunday during the Children's Message. As a nation, we are very wealthy. Even though the majority of people in the US aren't rich - in fact, over 50% of people are in the middle class - we live relatively comfortably. We have many rights and privileges that most people around the world do not have. We can thank God for these blessings in our lives.

However, even in our country, the reality of starvation, poverty, housing insecurity, and need for social services is much too prevalent. More than 10% of our country must live without many of life's necessities, including food. I would like to focus on this today. 

We were in the grocery store the other day and were looking at food options in the hot portion of the deli. There was lots of great looking food - from chicken to macaroni and cheese - but the workers were saying, "Unfortunately, most of this stuff is about to time out." This means that they have been out in the heating trays too long and would have to be thrown away soon. We were baffled! The food was still completely safe and would have been very enjoyable. But, because it wasn't the "freshest of the fresh," the policy by law is that the food must be thrown away. This made us think. In a country where so many people hunger for food, including many children, youth, and young adults in schools and colleges, we have a tremendous amount of food waste that is created each day. Between 30 - 40% of the food supply in the US goes to waste. To put it bluntly, 3 out of 10 apples picked, 3/10 eggs laid, or 3/10 animals raised for meat are wasted. That's unacceptable! When we see so many children in need in our local schools, we must be called to action to help them survive, thrive, and love life!

This is why, during this "Souper Bowl week," we can contribute resources (be it financially, food, or cooking at soup kitchens) to be able to help those in need. Remember the Verse from Matthew 25: 40, "And the king [Jesus!] will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’" 

This is our call as fellow Christians and human beings in God's world. This is a challenge. It stretches us. Honestly, when I see people in need that are outside in the world, I am nervous to go and approach them. But God is with them. Even more, God is in them! If I can remember that I won't be as afraid. After all, God is with us as we go! That is the best reassurance of all. Let us break bread, pour drink, and share a seat at the table with everyone we meet. 

(And, just for laughs, let's go Seahawks!)

God bless!  Joey