Embracing Hope-Taking Action-Moving Forward

Houston, Texas 

ELCA’s Slogan is, “Until All are Fed!” From February 1-4, 2024, synod hunger teams from over 50 ELCA synods and other key ELCA World Hunger leaders gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ELCA World Hunger at the 2024 ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering.  

The Gathering was a diverse assembly of Hunger Leaders with the sole purpose of reducing food insecurity at all levels and in all places.  

This event invited leaders for a time of networking, idea sharing, learning and planning for the shared ministry to address hunger and its root causes in our local and global communities.  

The gathering centered on 1 Peter 4:10 and the theme “Embracing Hope — Taking Action — Moving Forward.”

Sunshine Evetts from Hope Lutheran in Eagle, Idaho, Ryan Lawrence from Cameron Emmanuel in Kendrick, Idaho, and Pastor Ethan Bergman from Ellensburg, Washington represented the Northwest Intermountain Synod at the Gathering. 

In addition to celebrating the work of ELCA World Hunger, Sunshine, Ryan and Ethan met with other representatives from synods in Region 1 to discuss ways of sharing resources and expertise among the Region. Region 1 is Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. 

ELCA World Hunger runs out of funding before we run out of ministries and hunger issues to support. In response to this need, Sunshine, Ryan, and Ethan discussed NWIM Synod World Hunger goals for the coming year. 

The goals set are to increase Synod wide giving to ELCA World Hunger to over $200,000 in the coming year; to increase the number of NWIM Synod Congregations giving to ELCA World Hunger from the current 32 to over 50 congregations in the coming year; to provide ELCA World Hunger education materials directly to an identified group of ELCA Churches that do not currently give to ELCA World Hunger. 

If you have questions concerning ELCA World Hunger please contact Pastor Ethan Bergman at bergmane25@gmail.com.