More than Treats
A Pastoral Letter on the ending of SNAP Benefits
October 28, 2025

This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed, cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Isaiah 58:6-8 The Message

Beloved Desert Southwest and New Mexico Conference United Methodists,

Greetings in the name of Jesus, the Bread of Life.

This coming weekend on November 1st, 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will not receive their benefits because of the ongoing government shutdown. This is according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website that says that “the well has run dry.”

SNAP is a federal program often called “food stamps” that provides low-income families with monthly benefits in order to afford healthy food. This will yet be another dire effect of the shutdown which is already in its fourth week. November 1st will mark one month in this impasse that has already resulted in the furlough of about 900,000 federal employees with another 2 million working without pay. Families of these workers are gravely affected while the essential government services of transportation, health and safety are put in jeopardy which in turn affects our personal and community lives.

In Matthew 14 we find the disciples going to Jesus with the need to feed a hungry multitude in the midst of their own hunger. Their proposition was to send the crowd away to find food for themselves to which he responds, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16, NRSVUE) and from the little food that they could find, the multitude was fed.

Beloved, this is our call to action at this time. Give them something to eat. I know that resources may feel inadequate and the need is great. And, we have our own needs. But I am wondering if this shutdown cannot be another Matthew 15 moment where the few who had little were able to feed the multitude.

October 31st is traditionally celebrated as Halloween with an exorbitant amount spent on costumes worn and candies to be given away.
• What would it look like if rather than spending on candies and costumes, we would donate money instead to local food pantries, many of which are ran from our churches?
• If you can’t forego giving out candies and dressing up because of tradition, which I respect, what about matching the amount you spend on them and donating that to food pantries?
• What about instead of giving out candy, you would give basic, healthy grocery supplies to children and families who come to your door? Or perhaps a gift card to buy groceries or gas? Maybe do that on top of giving out candy if you are able.
• If there are families affected by the shutdown in your own congregations and communities, ask them what they need and see how you and the church can come alongside them.

In the Desert Southwest Conference, we are convening and strategizing with food pantries and ministries throughout the Conference about how to meet this need.

In the New Mexico Conference, we are connecting with food pantries that serve communities throughout the Conference to see how we can best respond as needs evolve. We’ll provide more guidance once we know more. For now, the most efficient way that you can help is to donate financially to the food distributors for many of our UMC food pantries. The links are – Road Runner Food Bank in NM: rrfb.org or El Pasoans Fighting Hunger in TX: elpasoansfightinghunger.org.

Beloved, I pray that we would be the answer to the very words we regularly pray: “Give us this day our daily bread.” May we the church be to our hungry siblings the embodiment of Jesus, the bread of life who promised that whoever comes to him will never be hungry and whoever believes will never be thirsty (John 6:35). May it be so.

Sincerely,

Bishop Carlo A. Rapanut

New Mexico & Desert Southwest Conferences of The United Methodist Church

Additional Resource: COB Pastoral Letter on the US Government Shutdown