Click on any day in March to learn more about poverty:

Or choose a topic to explore in depth:

• The Bible speaks about poverty
• Poverty by the numbers
• Preaching about poverty
• Theological reflection on poverty
• Good works that 'work'
• Poverty-related events in March
• Guide to reforming welfare 'reform'

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Poverty Introduction
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Two years ago the Executive Board of the National Council of Churches pledged to spend the next ten years working to overcome poverty in the United States. We are called by our faith, and inspired by the ongoing work of our member communions and coalition partners, to place this mission at the center of our work.

Poverty-related problems often appear to be intractable. Against that perception we set the fact that, in the NCC alone, 36 Protestant and Orthodox communions and their 140,000 congregations are working against poverty in many creative ways.

Among other communions, the Roman Catholic Church and the Salvation Army have an enormous impact on poverty across the United States. In the Evangelical world, a number of organizations including Call to Renewal, an NCC partner, are helping to challenge basic assumptions about poverty.

There also are hundreds of local, state, and regional ecumenical and interfaith organizations whose diverse memberships have a common concern about poverty. And the NCC's partners include dozens of organizations that are at work to improve the availability of affordable housing, healthcare coverage, the access of all children to a quality education and other necessities that help lift people out of poverty. 

Why focus on poverty in March?

During the month of March each year, many of our member churches celebrate the annunciation of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.  

In the biblical story, the angel of the Lord tells the young Virgin that she has been chosen by God to bear a son, Jesus.  Jesus will be the heir of David, eternal ruler of the House of Jacob, and son of the Most High. 

Mary, if she is willing to be the mother of God’s own son, will join in this way in God’s work of redemption.  And Mary answers, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)

Celebration of the Annunciation on March 25 or at other times during the year often includes the singing or recitation of the Song of Mary.  In her song, the young Virgin gives thanks to God for God’s work in her life and in the life of her community.  She uses words that recall the songs of Hannah and of others of the women and men of Israel who rejoiced at God’s healing intervention in our world. 

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

(Luke 1:47-55)

In this song of praise and thanksgiving for God’s gracious nearness to us, Mary recalls the prophetic voices of her people’s memory. In her words is the offered anew the vision of a time when all are partakers of the human community and bear together both the burdens and the benefits of life.

The lowly, the shamed, the poor are filled with good things and offered freely the benefits of human labor and nature’s bounty.  Those who have much are called to their responsibilities to participate equally in the tasks as well as the gifts of human life. As members of the body of Christ, we are ourselves already the receivers of God’s gracious and mighty acts to raise up the lowly and bring all to full participation in the human community.

Using Mary’s words, we - the lowly and the powerful - offer praise and respond in obedience to the call of God.  Using Mary’s words, we become like her the servants of God’s offered mercy.  Using Mary’s words, responding in faith and empowered by the gift of the Holy Spirit, we too are offered the possibility of participating in God’s on-going work in our world.
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...with appreciation to Ann Riggs, newly named Director of the NCC's Faith and Order Commission, and Andrew Greenblatt of the NCC staff, for their contributions to this reflection.