Class Handout ~ A Place at the Table

This Sunday I'm beginning to facilitate a class on A Place at the Table by Chris Seay. I figured I would make the handout available here in case it's useful to anyone else. Sorry for the length!

A Place at the Table: 40 Days of Solidarity with the Poor
Chris Seay
Grace Episcopal Church, Grand Rapids, 2012
February 19, 29, March 4, 11, 18, 25

February 19: Beginning...

My hope for this series is that it will help us deepen our relationships—with God, the poor, each other, and ourselves. The basic idea of this experience is simple: for 40 days, change the way you eat and/or drink (however you like) in a way that helps you live in solidarity with the poor. Then give the money you save to the poor.

Resources to Get Started

A Place at the Table (book). The book begins with a foreword and introduction and four short chapters. (Note, in particular, chapter 3, which lists practical suggestions for fasting.) The rest of the book is 40 daily readings, which we can begin reading on Ash Wednesday.

A Place at the Table (DVD). We’ll be watching all the sessions in this class.

Facebook page. This is a great place to share any stories with others throughout the country that are on the journey. www.facebook.com/APlaceattheTable

The author’s website, http://www.chrisseay.net/, provides some useful resources:
· Daily Videos ~ Chris traveled to Haiti, Ecuador, Ethiopia, and Jerusalem and filmed 40 brief (2- to 3-minute) devotional videos. Start on Ash Wednesday and watch one every day (except Sundays).
· Food lists by country. See under “Resources.” Also, see attached.
· Information about two worthwhile charities, Compassion International and Living Water International. It’s a good idea, I think, to have in mind where you plan to send the money you save on groceries.
· Also, the sermon files on the site provide some additional, rich devotional thoughts.

Three blogs recently posted clips of Chris talking about this journey:
http://blog.compassion.com/will-you-take-a-place-at-the-table/
http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/02/video-blog-introducing-you-to-chris-seay.html
http://lysaterkeurst.com/2012/02/lose-to-gain/

Video: “Beginning…”
Discussion
What does Jesus’ intentional pursuit of weakness mean for us, some of the most privileged (powerful) people on the planet?

Some Things to Keep in Mind as We Begin
· Make this fast your own. Don’t compare yourself to others. Decide what works best for you and press on.
· Think ahead of time about how you will feast on Sundays. The first feast day reading (p. 66) has some great suggestions.
· Ask your family whether they would like to join you, even in just a small way (like, for example, by adding rice to each evening meal).
· Consider keeping a journal during this experience even if you jot down just a few thoughts a day or week. Write down quotes from the book that resonate with you. God is likely to teach you a few things during this time, and it would be nice to capture them on paper. Revisit earlier notes or entries regularly throughout the fast.
· Don’t be afraid to mark up the book!
· Schedule a lunch or other meal with a friend at least once a week during these forty days. This could be someone who is fasting too or not. You should be able to stick to your fast even in restaurants. The idea is that companionship on this journey will be helpful. Don’t go it alone.

Bible Quotes on the Poor

We all have heard that the Bible says a lot about the poor, but do we know what it actually says? Below is a smattering of references.

"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered."
-Proverbs 21:13

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
-Proverbs 31:8-9

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
-Matthew 6:24

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'"
-Matthew 19:23-24

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.'"
-Matthew 25:41-45

"He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished."
-Proverbs 17:5

"He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty."
-Proverbs 22:16

"Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'"
-Matthew 19:21

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses."
-Proverbs 28:27

"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
-1 Timothy 6:9-10

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
-1 Timothy 6:17-19

"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
-Ezekiel 16:49

"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."
-Proverbs 14:31

"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."
-Proverbs 22:9

"A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished."
-Proverbs 28:20

"The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern."
-Proverbs 29:7

"Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them."
-Proverbs 22:22-23

"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless."
-Ecclesiastes 5:10

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have."
-Hebrews 13:5

"He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done."
-Proverbs 19:17

Suggested Staple Foods for All Compassion International Countries

This is not a comprehensive list, but is meant to give you an idea of the basic foods a person in poverty might have access to. For more information or recipe ideas, here are some links

Online resources:
http://www.foodbycountry.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_cuisine
(search for cuisine by each country)

Bangladesh
Rice, chicken, beef, eggs, lentils, garlic, ginger, onions

Bolivia
Potatoes, carrots, corn, rice, beans, chicken, fish, bananas, plantains, lettuce

Brazil
Rice, black beans, pasta, chicken, potato, kale, banana, citrus fruits, onions, garlic

Burkina Faso
Millet, rice, corn, peanuts, potatoes, beans, sweet potatoes, okra, fresh green vegetables, eggs, fish, mangoes

Colombia
Rice, red beans, chicken, corn, potatoes, avocados, bananas

Dominican Republic
Rice, black beans, bananas, carrots, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, citrus fruits, sugarcane

Ecuador
Rice, potatoes, chicken, cheese soup / potato soup, avocado, corn tortillas, fish

El Salvador
Corn, black beans, corn tortillas, tomatoes, chicken, white cheese, bananas

Ethiopia
Injera (spongy bread made from teff flour), lentils, onions, garlic, beef or goat, chickpeas, chilies

Guatemala
Black beans, corn, tortillas, rice, eggs, white cheese, chicken, tamales, corn chips, taquitos (rolled tacos with meat), tomatoes, avocados, onions, bananas, oranges

Ghana
Cassava, rice, sweet potatoes, plantains & bananas, okra, spinach or other stewed greens, tomatoes, onions, fish, chicken, peanuts, corn, millet,

Haiti
Rice, black and red beans, corn, sweet potatoes, bananas, avocados, pumpkin or other squash, mango, coconut, sugarcane, chicken, goat

Honduras
Rice, black or red beans, tamales, corn. corn tortillas, cabbage. Basic soup of chicken stock.

India
Rice, potatoes, onions, garlic, bananas, chicken, fish, vegetables, lentils, garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Lots of spices!

Indonesia
Rice, vegetables, fish, bananas, coconut, mangoes

Kenya
Corn meal porridge, flat bread, rice, corn, onions, tomatoes, collard greens, beef, goat, potatoes, chicken, passion fruit, milk

Mexico
Corn, corn tortillas, tomatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, pinto or black beans, onion, chilies, chicken, pork, avocado, mango, papaya
Nicaragua
Corn, black or red beans, corn tortillas, chicken, eggs, cabbage, tomatoes, bananas, avocado

Peru
Potatoes, pumpkin, rice, beef, pork, corn

Philippines
Rice, sweet potatoes, vegetables, bananas, coconut, bread, fish, chicken, watermelon

Rwanda
Bananas, red beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, eggs, chicken, beef, bananas, oranges, mangoes

Tanzania
Cornmeal porridge, chicken, goat, corn, peanuts, fish, stewed greens

Togo
Corn porridge, okra, spinach, sweet potatoes, peanuts, goat, fish, eggplant, cabbage, carrots, green beans, tomatoes, banana, watermelon

Thailand
Rice, beef, chicken, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fish

Uganda
Corn, rice, sweet potatoes, beans, banana, peanuts, chicken