20 May 2014
Churches challenge food poverty with latest resource on foodbanks
The Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and Church Action on Poverty have produced a three-part resource for churches about the growing food poverty crisis.
"Faith
in Foodbanks?" recognises the ministry of many churches helping
people who cannot afford to eat, looks at why there has been such a
growth in foodbanks, and suggests ways churches can take action to
tackle the underlying causes. It offers worship and bible resources
to help Christians to reflect on food and poverty in Britain
today.
In the last five years the need for foodbanks in the UK has grown
dramatically. Thousands of Churches have responded by starting or
supporting foodbanks within their communities. Last year Trussell
Trust, which helps 4 in 10 of the UK's foodbanks, fed over 900,000
people including more than 300,000 children. The entire foodbank
movement will now feed well over a million people a year.
The Revd Dr Michael Jagessar, Moderator of the General Assembly of
the URC said: "The truth is the church should not have to have
faith in foodbanks - but they are a sign of the times -a sign that
the world is not as the God of justice intends it to be, a sign
that the church will respond to poverty by taking practical
measures to help those who are most in need, but also a sign that
we need to ask deeper questions about the causes of poverty and
inequality in our country."
"The rising cost of essentials such as food, fuel and housing
coinciding with static low incomes, people not being able to find
enough work and continued austerity measures, has left many
families with no alternative but to turn to foodbanks for
help."
13 million people live in poverty in the UK today. This
includes 3.5 million children - a number that is set to rise to 4.6
million by the end of the decade. Families that need foodbanks
represent the sharp end of poverty and the best evidence says they
are driven there by benefit delays or changes along with low income
and high living costs.
The Revd Ruth Gee, President of the Methodist Conference, added:
"Why are new foodbanks opening across the country every few days
when this is one of the wealthiest nations in the world? When we
hear stories about the increasing need for foodbanks, we are bound
to respond and to obey Jesus' command to love our neighbour -
supporting foodbanks is one way of doing this. We also need to
recognise that the need will continue to increase unless we tackle
the underlying causes of food poverty."
"We need to be asking why this is happening." added the Revd Dr
Chris Ellis, President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, "The
stories and reflections in the 'Faith in Foodbanks?' resources
challenge us to question the injustices of systems of power that
allow individuals and families to go without food. The Bible calls
us to put our faith into action. Churches involved with foodbanks
and asking the deeper questions about food poverty are doing just
that."
"Faith in Foodbanks?" is a three-part resource including an outline
of the facts and fiction surrounding foodbanks, along with worship
materials, reflections, prayers and action points and six Bible
studies that explore the ministry of foodbanks and what God's Word
might teach us about them. The resource is now available to download.