ELCA congregations and members from across Iowa are invited to join or support the three Iowa ELCA bishops as they ride this year’s RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) to fight hunger.
Bishop Kevin Jones of the Northeastern Iowa Synod, Bishop Amy Current of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, and Bishop Lorna Halaas of the Western Iowa Synod plan to ride 50-plus miles each day in the 50th RAGBRAI to highlight anti-hunger ministries and raise $50,000 for ELCA World Hunger.
RAGBRAI is set for July 22-29, 2023. This year’s route begins at Sioux City and ends at Davenport. Overnight towns along the route are Storm Lake, Carroll, Ames, Des Moines, Tama-Toledo, and Coralville.
HOW TO SUPPORT THE BISHOPS’ RIDE
- Ride the route with the bishops for the whole RAGBRAI ride or just a day or two. Register at https://ragbrai.com and join team “ELCA Bishops Against Hunger.”
- If you are on this year’s route, consider hosting the ELCA Bishops Against Hunger Team on your church property or hosting the bishops and their spouses in your home or in your church building.
- Share along the route. If your congregation or ministry will be serving a meal, snacks, pie, water, etc. along the route, the bishops team will promote it along the way and will plan to show up and participate at your location.
- Highlight your hunger ministry. Please share how your congregation or organization is involved in anti-hunger ministries so the bishops can highlight these before the ride and along the way.
- Join a training ride this spring.
- Please share this information with your congregation to consider ways to support the bishops’ ride and give a gift to fight hunger through ELCA World Hunger.
- Pray for this shared ministry together as One Iowa — Three Synods.
- Consider cheering on the Iowa bishops team along the way.
TRAINING RIDES
To prepare for the ride, Bishop Jones is seeking people who would be interested in organizing some training rides in May or June around the Northeastern Iowa Synod. Anyone interested should contact the synod office, 319-352-1414.
LET US KNOW YOUR INTEREST
Please fill out the Interest Form to be notified about updates from the Iowa Bishops Ride Against Hunger and to let us know how would like to support the team — as a rider, physical support, donor, etc.
SHARE ABOUT YOUR HUNGER MINISTRY
Complete the Hunger Ministries in Iowa Form to share about your anti-hunger ministry so that the Iowa Bishops can highlight it before and during the ride.
JULY 22-29, 2023
