From 11.1.11 to 11.11.11* - 11 powerful days - McFarland UCC joined
many other UCC-related churches and institutions in a focus on hunger
and poverty.  We set some ambitious goals:

  • 1,111 items of healthy food for local charities:  the McFarland Food Pantry and Domestic Abuse Intervention Services
  • $1,111 to Neighbors in Need.
  • 111 letters to Congress in support of feeding the hungry and confronting food-related injustice.
  • host a free community meal

Day by day, we watched the piles of food grow and the letters go into the mailbox.   On November 13, in worship, we announced the results.   Over 1200 items of food, $1300 in gifts to Neighbors in Need, and 120 letters to Congress.  
The pig flew.  The mouse roared.  The people of God rose to the challenge.  With God, all things are possible!

*Why all the 1's? Our denominational motto, taken from Jesus' prayer for the church
in the Gospel of John, is “that they may all be one.”




Working together, the United Church of Christ exceeded all four
national goals.  Reports were still coming in one month after the
challenge!  1,459,299 food items donated.  37,685 letters to Congress.
$139,793 to Neighbors in Need and $125,843 for East Africa Famine Relief.