"Pasta Sunday" - September 30

No, "Pasta Sunday" isn't some newly-designated feast day on the liturgical calendar. It does, however, relate to the call to action contained in the lesson for the day. In the second lesson, we hear:

"As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, and ready to share . . . ." 1 Timothy 6:18-19

Sharing is what "Pasta Sunday" is all about. Food banks and food pantries receive their largest volume of donations during the holiday season of Thanksgiving through New Years. That's why we solicit donations for the New Hope Food Pantry all year long, rather than concentrating all of our efforts during the holidays. On September 30 (and the 29th, for those attending on Saturday), we're making a special appeal to help restock the food pantry with donations of pasta and sauce of all types. The pantry will welcome any kind of dry pasta, prepared sauces, packaged pasta dishes, and canned ready-to-heat pastry entrees: spaghetti, sauce in cans or jars, noodles, canned ravioli, macaroni and cheese, etc.

When we had "Cereal Sunday" several months ago, the response was excellent - the grocery cart was overflowing. Let's see if we can beat that this time. (Click on "Social Ministry Projects" for other posts about similar collections.)

Doing some quick calculations, if each person who attended a service on September 29-30 donated four or five portions of pasta and sauce - for example, a 12 oz box of spaghetti and a can of sauce each - we'd have a thousand portions. That would surely help the New Hope Food Pantry replenish stocks before seasonal donations start coming in during the late fall and early winter.