Note: This article first appeared in the August 2025 edition of This Month at St. Paul’s.
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Some wisdom becomes so woven into our common life that it almost seems ancient. One such saying, long cherished in churches and service organizations—and most often attributed to St. Christopher—is this: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
It’s an image I find myself returning to often, especially when the needs of the world feel endless and our efforts seem so small by comparison. There are days when darkness—hunger, injustice, division—seems to stretch farther than our reckoning. And yet, hope calls us to respond not with resignation or anger, but by kindling whatever light we can.
That’s the spirit behind our Rise Against Hunger event coming up on Sunday, August 24 at 2:30 p.m. This will be our fifth packing event with RAH. Each time we gather—assembling meals, mixing generosity with good work and good people to share in it—we choose not to curse the darkness of hunger, but to push back against it, one bag of rice and lentils at a time.
This year’s effort is especially meaningful as we welcome four new members through the waters of baptism on the very same day. In those baptismal promises, we commit again to seek and serve Christ in all persons, trusting that God’s hope for the world is revealed not just in what we say in the church, but in what we do as the church. In the Eucharist, we receive God’s gifts of bread and wine, broken and shared so all may be filled. In that same spirit, we gather for Rise Against Hunger—not as the end of our work, but as a living, tangible extension of that sacred meal. Our action is rooted in thanksgiving and sent out to be bread for a hungry world. We remember that what we do to share food with others is inseparable from what’s been shared with us at the Lord’s table.
We know, too, that the world’s need is real and urgent. At a time when federal support for food aid abroad is shrinking, our work together—though modest by global standards—matters all the more. If ever there was a moment to heed that old wisdom and light candles instead of cursing the darkness, this is it.
So I hope you’ll join us on August 24 at 2:30 p.m. Let’s gather as a church renewed by baptism, nourished at the table, and sent together to shine some light into the world’s longing. Bring your hands, your hope, your willingness to serve- oh, and bring a hat unless you look good in a hairnet. As always, donations to offset the cost of the food we’ll pack will be welcome, but not necessary to share in the work. Come ready to pack, to pray, and to see what we can do together—one meal, one candle, one act of love at a time.
View profile for The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
Rector
View profile
for The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
Rector
Andrew appreciates the diversity of the journeys that bring people to find a home at St. Paul’s. He was baptized a Methodist, majored in religious studies at a Baptist university, married a Presbyterian, received a Master of Divinity as a Devil (the blue, basketball-crazed variety), and was ordained in a congregationalist church prior to finding his way as an Episcopal priest. “I was drawn to this strange Church that accepted the messiness of life and embraced it with grace and dignity. That sounded like a place where I could learn to live with God. That and I was always wanted to dress like Johny Cash.” In their downtime, Andrew and his wife, Ashley, enjoy East Carolina evenings in the backyard with their sons. On days off, he likely won’t be found fishing a remote section of the Eastern Pamlico that he is reluctant to disclose.
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Holy Baptism and Blessing of Backpacks, 8/24/2025