On the third Saturday in October, the Missouri State Fair Grounds in Sedalia becomes the site of The Festival of Sharing, an inter-faith, state-wide, in-gathering of mission resources used to feed the hungry and bring hope to those living in despair. The Festival is a cooperative response to world hunger, poverty, and injustice that seeks to address and raise awareness of its root causes and solutions.

The festival, founded in 1981, is held annually on the Saturday closest to “World Food Day”, a day designated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1979. The Festival of Sharing is sponsored by Church World Service, the service arm of the National Council of Churches.

In Central States Synod, Christ & Trinity Lutheran Church of Sedalia, Mo. has been involved in the Festival of Sharing from its inception. Today, every family in the congregation gets involved in the festival. From individuals collecting items for kits to the women of the congregation (Women of the ELCA) volunteering at the “Bread Booth” to youth participating through Youth Fest, everyone finds a way to gather resources and send hope to those in need from the congregation of Christ & Trinity Lutheran Church.

Nearly 3,000 people from churches across the state come to the event, including youth volunteers who come to package surplus rice and beans that are distributed to food pantries and church sponsored food programs around the state. In 2007, the festival distributed 22,000 pounds of rice and 20,000 pounds of pinto beans.

Youth Fest, an important component of the Festival, is like a mission trip: 6th-12th graders spend time in worship and learning how hunger affects people around the world, and doing hands-on work meeting some practical needs of those who live in poverty.

A highlight of the Festival is that Quilt Auction. Over the years, more than 3,000 quilts have been made by church members, and the sale of those quilts raised more than $600,000 for the Church World Service Blanket Fund.

All activities of the festival halt for a 30-minute ecumenical worship service on Saturday morning. The Rev. Gerald Mansholt, Bishop of Central States Synod (ELCA) was the speaker in 2007.

Beginning in early October, mini-gatherings are held across the state of Missouri, collecting items to be delivered to the Fair Ground for use in relief efforts around the country and around the world. Food pantries, shelters, social service agencies, and relief organizations (including Lutheran World Relief) are designated recipients of kits that have been assembled by congregations: school kits, dental kits, personal hygiene kits, prison kits, backpacks of love, emergency clean-up kits, and infant layettes kits. Used wheelchairs are reconditioned as needed by inmates of state prisons and then shipped to places of need around the world. Vegetable garden seeds are collected for those who grow fresh produce for food pantries. Used eyeglasses and Best Choice labels are also collected.

The Festival of Sharing, held Saturday, October 18 this year, is an opportunity to learn more about and gather resources for Church World Service, Bread for the World, Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity and more. There are international items for sale that support local craftsmen in self-sustainable trade. The Festival’s Food Court featuring culinary delights provided by church organizations and civic groups, the Church Women United “Bread Booth” and in-kind donations help provide funds for shipping items to relief agencies, food pantries, meal programs, provide one-time grants in emergency situations, and to purchase beans and rice as needed.

For more information about the Festival of Sharing, to download kit directions and print promotional resources including bulletin inserts, posters, and festival booklets, visit the website at http://www.umocm.com/festival.htm. Pastor Yvonne Marshall of Christ & Trinity Lutheran Church, Sedalia, Mo. serves on the Planning Committee of the Festival of Sharing.

Central States Synod thanks all of our ELCA members and congregations who have participated in this event to gather resources and send hope to others in need around the world.

Rev. Yvonne Marshall
Christ & Trinity Lutheran Church
Sedalia, Mo.
May 19, 2008

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22