A Current Focus of Christian Churches Together in the USA
Domestic Poverty is a focus of Christian Churches Together in the USA. We invite all churches and organizations to engage this issue in any way that is appropriate in your setting, especially between Thanksgiving 2008 and Easter 2009. We would like to hear of such engagements so we can report about them to other participants and in order to share ideas for study and action that have worked in actual practice. Please send your reports (and additional suggested resources) to dhamm@ddi.org.

Resources for Study and Action
The following resources have been offered by participants in CCT. Our thanks to Gary Cook of Bread for the World and Adam Taylor of Sojourners for gathering these. We will add to the list as we receive further suggestions.
 

Resources available through websites

Various resources regarding poverty and hunger from the Bread for the World Institute Poverty Sunday Tool Kit A Responsibility to Care – Mike Huckabee talks about children, poverty, and the role of government A Right Thing to Do – John Edwards explains why poverty is an issue we can do something about The Poverty of Enough For the Common Good – Ron Sider God and Mammon Picket-Fence Poverty Time to End Poverty A Covenant for a New America A bipartisan website, sponsored by a number of foundations, which provides regularly updated information and views about domestic poverty. Subscription is free at www.spotlightonpoverty.org.

Books

Living God’s Politics: A Guide to Putting Your Faith into Action by Jim Wallis, Harper Collins, 2006. Available at www.sojo.net. Hope for Children in Poverty (available at judsonpress.com), which is linked to the Children in Poverty Initiative, National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA. The book gives models and suggestions for church-based ministries with children in poverty. Edited by Ron Sider and Heidi Unruh. Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America by Ronald J. Sider (2nd ed, 2007). Available from Baker Books.

Other resources

“Hungry for Justice: A six week guide for praying daily, building community, and changing the world”: from the editors of Sojourners magazine. Available at www.sojo.net “Who Is My Neighbor? Economics As If Values Matter”. Available at www.sojo.net “Hunger no More” A six session guide developed cooperatively by 23 churches and organizations through the Bread for The World Institute and available at www.bread.org or www.hungernomore.org “A Place at the Table” and related resources developed by the Committees on Domestic and International Policy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are available at www.usccb.org/sdwp and from the Bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development Catholic Charities USA, 2006 Policy Paper, “Poverty in America: A Threat to The Common Good”, available from Catholic Charities USA, www.catholiccharitiesusa.org “Just Neighbors Tool Kit” is an excellent resource for helping church groups understand the nature and impact of poverty. It offers nine sessions, but each can also be used as “stand-alone”. It is used by Catholic and Protestant churches across the nation. More information available at www.justneighbors.net and www.familypromise.org. A Catholic Social Teaching Supplement is also available.

Other links

Evangelical Luther Church in America World Hunger Resources World Vision — building a better world for children