“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Fredrick Buechner
Despite having all my daily needs satisfied, there are times when I feel restless, nearly agitated, famished for something I have trouble putting into words.
Deep within me, my heart deeply aches…hungers…for hope, healing and wholeness in such troubling times.
I KNOW I am not alone in experiencing this hunger. I know many of you feel it, too.
We all experienced a pandemic. We are all affected by daily headlines of thousands affected by natural disaster, war and gun violence. The cacophony of human suffering is overwhelming when we have multiple media through which to receive this news. Our phones may even sound a double-tone alert when such an event has occurred.
It is very easy to get lost in a space of helplessness when needs overwhelm us wherever we turn.
Yet, God is calling us to these places of hunger.
Christ is leading us to those places
where He is already.
And there, we might experience gladness.
I’ve encountered this Fredrick Buechner quote time and time again, and it speaks to me and the multi-layered ways humans experience hunger in this world. It speaks to me of a way we might experience the Christ event toward which we journey this Lent.
First, we know that people hunger physically. On Ash Wednesday, we watched an Indiana-based documentary, The Working Hungry. If you were unable to attend one of Wednesday’s services, you may watch the documentary here: https://www.wfyi.org/programs/working-hungry/television/the-working-hungry
As you hear the stories unfold, I invite you to reflect upon what other types of “hunger” the persons featured in the film may be experiencing.
Each Sunday in Lent, we will feature storytellers from among the worshiping communities of Risen Lord and Tapestry. They will tell stories of responding to God’s call to respond to the hungers of others.
Perhaps the stories will clarify the layers of your deepest hungers as a human being.
Perhaps the stories will nudge the Spirit’s calling within you to respond to the hunger of others whose hungers trouble your soul.
Perhaps the stories will affirm your call, the things you ARE already doing, to care for others in your work, family and daily life.
As we gather each week to hear the Word proclaimed, share stories and gather round the Lord’s table, may Christ feed us. May God lead us to moments of deep gladness where we meet the world’s deep hunger.
Here is a list of the storytellers and the people God has called them to serve.
February 26 Barb Rohl Weekend Food Bags
March 5 Bob Shaw Indiana Youth Group
March 12 Rick Allnutt Afghanistan Refugees
March 19 Dawn Wyeth MC Community Corrections
March 26 Jim Rowe Lutheran Child and Family Services