Covenant News

'Justice and Hunger' Theme for NPU Event

CHICAGO, IL (March 26, 2005) - North Park University is teaming with Bread for the World to organize several activities at the campus centering on the theme of "Justice and Hunger."

Bart Campolo, founder of Mission Year and the national representative of Compassion International, will be the keynote speaker at "The Power of ONE: Faith and Global Justice," which will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 2 at the university's Hamming Hall. The university will host the North Park Hunger Banquet at Hamming Hall from 7 to 9 p.m. April 2. A letter and petition drive also has been organized.

Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens group based in Washington, D.C. with a chapter at North Park. "This gives Christians the opportunity to live out 1 John 3:17, which says that believers must share what they have with those in need," says Adam Phillips, a North Park Theological Seminary presidential scholar, who is doing his internship at Bread for the World in Washington and who is helping to coordinate local events. "I don't know how we can even call ourselves Christians if we don't help those who are hungry," he says.

Campolo will share how people of faith can be involved in the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals. The goals address the interrelated world concerns of poverty, hunger, AIDS, child mortality, gender equality, environmental stability and economic development. In addition, The half-day conference will feature testimonies and workshops. The workshop is free and includes lunch, but participants are asked to reserve a place by emailing the organization at chicagoONE@bread.org.

At the banquet, each guest will be given a new socio-economic identity for the evening: low, middle, or upper income, says Jennifer Pope, campus theme coordinator. "Every aspect from where and how they sit to the type and amount of food they receive will be based on our guests' new identities. There will be a full course meal at the banquet for some - but only for about 14 percent - that's the percentage of the world's population that falls into that upper income bracket." After the dinner, a representative from Bread for the World will inform Chicagoans how they can get involved in the fight against poverty and hunger. The banquet is free, but participants are asked to reserve a place by emailing Pope at jpope@northpark.edu.

During the week of April 4 through 10, the "Offering of Letters" will be held. The public is invited to join students and community leaders in petitioning the government regarding hunger issues. Letters will be accepted all week in Carlson Tower and Magnuson Center on the North Park campus.

Bread for the World boasts more than 54,000 volunteers, including 2,500 churches, committed to fighting world hunger. Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the world's hungry people by lobbying our nation's decision makers. Bread for the World Institute seeks justice for hungry people by engaging in research and education on policies related to hunger.

Throughout the 2004-2005 school year, the North Park community has been exploring the question, "What is Justice?" as part of its campus theme program. Recent events include "Justice and Immigration" and "A Just Response to AIDS." For more information, visit northpark.edu/campustheme.

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