Rev. Livingston, now Director of the NCC’s Poverty Initiative, will be fasting all six days together with CIW members and other allies outside Publix headquarters in Lakeland…

Also: Fast for Fair Food Website now live!

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Christian season of Lent.

Rev. Noelle Damico of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) describes the significance of Lent:

“Lent is a time when Christians examine their lives and repent of the ways they have failed to love God and neighbor. In the gospels we read that Jesus was driven into the wilderness for 40 days by the Holy Spirit. There he fasted, turning aside from temptations to use his power for kingdoms or splendor, and pledging himself to God and God’s desire alone. What is that desire? The prophet Isaiah announces God’s desire in the biblical reading for Ash Wednesday, “is this not the fast that I choose, to loose the bonds of injustice…” (Isaiah 58:1-12).

On this Ash Wednesday, we are honored to announce that the Rev. Michael Livingston, former president of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., now director of the NCC’s Poverty Initiative, will be fasting together with the CIW outside Publix headquarters from March 5-10th.

The National Council of Churches is the leading voice for ecumenical cooperation among Christians in the US. The NCC’s member faith groups — from a wide spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African American and Living Peace churches — include 45 million persons in more than 100,000 local congregations in communities across the nation.

Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Rev. Livingston has worked tirelessly to bring Christian communions together to witness and work with God towards justice for millions of men, women and children who have been made poor and vulnerable here in the US. As the head of the NCC’s Poverty Initiative he is a champion defender of human rights and dignity on Capitol Hill and around the nation. Throughout his career as a pastor, ecumenist, denominational leader, and author, Rev. Livingston’s spiritual depth and moral courage have awakened the consciences of countless Christians to God’s good news for the poor.

In his own words, Rev. Livingston explains why he has chosen to fast:

“I love tomatoes. Many of us do. But can we eat them in good conscience when we know that the farm workers who pick them are grossly underpaid and work under conditions that most of us do not and would not tolerate? Can we live with doing nothing when the companies who hire them or who benefit disproportionately from their labor refuse to acknowledge their responsibility for the plight of farm workers and, like Publix, will not engage in constructive conversation about meaningful change? We are all in this life together. We are all fed from the bounty of the earth. I am going to join farm workers in Lakeland, FL in a fast as part of the Fair Food Campaign. I do not regard this as a hardship on my part. By God’s grace I can offer the luxury of my time to brothers and sisters whose humanity I value as much as my own. I count it a privilege, as the season of Lent begins, to, as Paul asks of us in Romans 12:1: “…present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

We are all deeply honored by Rev. Livingston’s decision to join CIW members and Fair Food allies in next month’s fast. We look forward to spending the days with him in reflection and action for economic justice, respect, and dignity for Florida’s farmworkers.

Also in today’s news… Be sure to drop by the Fast for Fair Food website, which went live this morning. You’ll find all the news and information that you’ll need to follow the fast at this great new site: