Guest Preacher This Sunday

"Quotes -- Better to Hope"
 Some rights reserved by Feed My Starving Children (FMSC)

This Sunday we'll have a very special guest filling the pulpit at First Christian Church Scottsdale.

I'm thrilled to have Lori Head come to FCC Scottsdale and bring us a word about Feed My Starving Children.

For folks who don't know, Feed My Starving Children is an innovative Christian outreach program seeking to overcome world hunger, and they have a facility right down the road from us in Tempe.

Feed My Starving Children's website explains how they use nutritional science, volunteer energy, and a Christian spirit for outreach to make a difference in the world through MannaPackRice.

From its beginnings, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) has worked to develop a food mixture that would be easy and safe to transport, simple to make with only boiling water, and culturally acceptable worldwide.

With the input of scientists from major food companies in the Twin Cities area—including Cargill and General Mills—FMSC developed MannaPackRice, a formula consisting of:

1. Rice, the most widely accepted grain around the world.
2. Extruded soy nuggets, providing maximum protein at lowest cost.
3. Vitamins, minerals and a vegetarian flavoring to give growing children the critical nutritional elements they need.
4. Dehydrated vegetables for flavor and nutrition.

Packaged in small pouches, this easy-to-prepare food blend has won rave reviews all over the world. While the formula was designed to save the lives of severely malnourished and starving children, the ingredients also improve the health, growth and physical well-being of children who are no longer in immediate danger of starvation. A team of food scientists continues to monitor the FMSC formula to ensure that it meets nutritional needs of the world’s hungry children.

 We've had several members of our church volunteer at the FMSC Facility in Tempe putting together packs of MannaPackRice. Our Youth Group has been there on more than one occasion, our Young Adult Group had their inaugural meeting by volunteering there this summer, and members of the Outreach Team here at Scottsdale have served there too.

But for folks who might not know about Feed My Starving Children -- or for folks who simply want to learn more -- here are a few helpful links to learn more about them.

• Feed My Starving Children Website -- A terrific webpage with lots of information about their program, their facilities, and the volunteer opportunities they have.
  
• FMSC Tempe Page -- A page on the Feed My Starving Children Website, this link will take you directly to the information (including an interactive map) about the Tempe facility where MannaPackRice is assembled.
  
• FMSC Flickr Page -- A collection of photos, pictures, and promotional materials from Feed My Starving Children on their very own Flickr Page.
  
• FMSC on Charity Navigator -- Charity Navigator offers a clear, easy rating system that allows folks to access relevant information in learning about charitable organizations. You can see Charity Navigator's 4-Star Rating (their highest rating) on Feed My Starving Children.