Focus Text: Isaiah 58:9b-14
If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. 

Pastoral Reflection by Ed King, Member, Chapel Hill Friends Meeting; Former Regional Director, Carolinas Church World Service/CROP Program (1979-1995)
God does not say here, "The poor you have with you always, so relax, take your time, pay your bills, balance your budget, play the lottery, fill up the SUV, take a vacation, and, if there are any crumbs left on the table, offer pennies to the hungry." Rather, God clearly gives feeding the hungry top priority on the daily agenda of God’s people rather than fighting terrorism and protecting one’s job security, life insurance, college savings program, or retirement investment.

Personal Vignette by Rev. Steve Hickle, Pastor, Fairmont United Methodist Church, member, NC Council of Churches Executive Board
It’s all out war. People the world over are fighting for their lives. Unfortunately, 30,000 of them "lose" each day, dying from hunger-related causes. Defeat is not inevitable, however, and congregations have the power to be at the forefront in the battle against hunger.

Key Fact
Over 36.2 million Americans, including over 12 million children, suffer from hunger or live on the edge of hunger.

Image adapted from original by John McEvoy at http://denvernews.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=kc3ht22kk1v2