October 16th is World Food Day proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (F.A.O.) of the United Nations, to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty, as well as an understanding that everyone should have access healthy food regardless if you’re rich or poor.
#WorldFoodDay 2021 will be marked a second time while countries around the world deal with the widespread effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a time to look into the future we need to build together.
As a global community, we each have the power to change how our food is grown and distributed. We need everyone – from government officials who are in charge of policy-making decisions about land use or subsidies for farmers’ incomes; private companies that design products with ingredients sourced responsibly (and not just cheap fats); even individual consumers can make an impact by demanding corporations operate ethically! Together we can empower each and every element of our agri-food systems to collaborate more fairly, sustainably and inclusively from farm to table, and beyond.
World Food Day aims at transforming agri-food systems so that everyone will have access to enough, safe nutritious food without discrimination or oppression based on where they live.
World Food Waste (UN report)
Prayer for World Food Day
Good and gracious God,
You are gathering this community from across the earth,
asking us to pour out our lives on behalf of those who hunger.
For hope. For justice. For daily bread.
You are asking us to see the earth as you do, So very, very good.
Trees with fruit, bursting with seed.
Green plants for food, for humans and for every living creature.
As a holy place for everything that breathes and to whom you have given life.
Yet we see the realities before us and it takes our breath away:
Those whose bellies growl every day.
Those who consume more than their fair share.
Those who walk miles for clean water to drink.
Those whose gardens are demolished by corporations
who lease land quietly and displace lives to make a profit.
Those whose farms have crashed under the weight of cheaper foods
that undercut local prices by decisions made far away in trade agreements.
Those whose very lives are impoverished more by our globalizing economies.
Breathe new life into us …
As a global community. As local congregations.
As networks of committed people.
As individual souls, all unafraid.
For we see anew our depth, breadth and life.
Gather us together so that we may remind each other of your intent for this earth.
Gather us so that we may pour out our lives in Christ’s name,
as Christ does on behalf of those who hunger.
For hope. For justice. For daily bread.
So that it will be on earth as it is in heaven.
For now and for always.
(Source: Presbyterian Mission)
Lord give us today our daily bread.
Let us remember those who do not have bread for today.
May we willingly share your generous provision,
With all who hunger and lack adequate nutrition.
In our own communities and across the globe.
Lord give us today our daily bread.
Let us stand in solidarity with those who risk their health to provide our food.
May we cry out for justice in the food industry,
For all workers exposed to toxic chemicals and pesticides.
For farmworkers not paid a living wage.
Lord give us today our daily bread.
Let us remember our bodies are God’s holy temple.
May we not eat too much or eat unwisely,
And destroy our health,
Or deplete our planet’s resources.
Lord give us today our daily bread.
Let us remember we are all part of God’s worldwide community.
May we work together to steward the world God has created,
Recognizing our responsibility as caretakers and neighbours,
And joining in the celebration of God’s good creation.
Amen.
(source: Godspacelight – also links to other great resources)
Canadian Anglican worship resource here.
