Next month, members and friends of Bethlehem United Methodist Church will gather at the Bena church to strike a blow against world hunger.

The group will gather at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, to take part in a meal packing event for Rise Against Hunger, an international nonprofit whose goal is to end hunger in third-world countries.

“Rise’s mission is consistent with Bethlehem’s mission to serve God’s people through outreach activities which benefit those outside of our immediate congregation, said the Rev. Chuck Winner, Bethlehem’s pastor. A core tenet of Bethlehem UMC’s mission is to work to eradicate food insecurity, he said.

Rise works with churches and other groups by bringing dried foodstuffs to local venues where volunteers fill plastic bags with measured quantities of a dehydrated vegetable mixture, soy protein, and rice. The filled bags will join thousands of others and will be sent to a third-world destination where partner agencies will distribute the meals.

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