Digging In: A Leader’s Guide to Service Learning

Over 800 million people in our world today – that’s 1 in 8 people – are hungry. Working with our congregations in the U.S. and Lutheran churches around the world, ELCA World Hunger is uniquely positioned to reach communities in need.

As Lutherans, we believe we are freed in Christ to love and serve our neighbor. It is in that freedom that God has gifted us with the Spirit to a life where we are called as Jesus instructs in Matthew 25 beginning with verse 31. We are called to give food to those who hunger, give drink to those who thirst, welcome strangers, cloth the naked and provide company in times of illness and imprisonment. We are called to serve. ELCA World Hunger is founded on the call to serve.

ELCA World Hunger works as church in relationship with other churches and partners to eradicate hunger and poverty in the United States and in over 50 countries throughout the world. Through those relationships and our comprehensive approach of relief, education, advocacy and development, we work to break the cycle of hunger and poverty. You are invited to be part of that work and service!

So what does our call to service look like? Service learning is a process to create service activities with deeper and lasting meaning. Service learning is an ongoing process that includes: preparation, action, reflection and celebration. Each opportunity to serve is not an isolated experience but rather part of a journey that leads to deeper and more meaningful relationships, and, therefore, deeper and more meaningful service. By participating in the service learning cycle, we begin to learn, practice and ultimately move from “service learning” to “service living” marked by intentional process and mutuality.

This guide is designed to start you on your way. You may already be an expert on service learning, or this might be your first time. Either way, every act of service makes a difference. When we begin to live this way together, the world will notice the difference made by a generation of people who have hearts and minds tuned into “service living” and the issues of hunger and poverty. You are invited to answer the call to serve, because God is calling us into the world – together.

The 34-page guide includes:

• INTRODUCTION TO SERVICE LEARNING

• THE WORK OF ELCA WORLD HUNGER

• STEP 1: PREPARATION – GET READY

• STEP 2: ACTION – ENGAGE IN SERVICE

• STEP 3: REFLECTION – LEARN AND GROW

• STEP 4: CELEBRATION – TELL THE STORY

• BIBLE PASSAGES

• RESOURCES