Virginia Theological Seminary Interview about 30 Hour Famine

30 Hour Famine: A Youth Event with Staying Power

Posted by Admin on February 24th, 2016

“Don’t be afraid. Don’t short-change your youth – they can do this. 30 Hour Famine is a convicting and moving experience.”


30 Hour Famine at St. John’s
At St. John’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, 30 Hour Famine is more than a youth program – it’s a parish institution. An annual event for 17 years, the 30 Hour Famine invites participants to experience hunger, and to raise money for hunger relief.

Building Faith recently interviewed Jillianne Booth, the youth minister at St. John’s. On February 26th, she will once again lead about 100 teenagers and 25 adults in the 30 Hour Famine.

How would you describe the 30 Hour Famine?
30 Hour Famine is an event to raise awareness for hunger and homelessness. It is actually a nation-wide (and world-wide) program, which you can learn more about at 30hourfamine.org.

The event allows youth (middle school and high school) to fast for 30 straight hours – starting on Friday and continuing until Saturday evening. During the fast, we are all together here at the church. We worship, play games, and do service projects off campus. For many students, the most powerful part is building cardboard shelters to sleep in on Friday night. All the shelters on the front lawn of the church create a ‘cardboard village.’

What is the primary goal?
There are several goals of the 30 Hour Famine. Certainly to raise awareness for hunger worldwide, and to help our youth experience a short period of hunger. Additionally, students raise money for hunger relief by obtaining sponsorships from family and friends. The opportunity to raise money is something our church takes seriously. In 16 years we have raised over 1 million dollars – this will be year 17, and so we’re starting on the next million!

Overall, an important aspect of 30 Hour Famine is encouraging our youth to reach out to the circles of people around them. The students write personal letters to request sponsorships, and this itself is a powerful experience. Students see that can make a positive difference. Another example is that because students begin their fast on Friday during school hours, they often need to explain to their peers why they are not eating.

What ages does it work best for?
At our church, 30 Hour Famine is for grades 6-12. And I can tell you that the sixth graders handle it amazingly well. As the students get older, they can do the event every year. Some of the high school students even do a 40 Hour Famine, in which they start fasting at 2 a.m. Friday morning. In total, we have 75 to 100 students, along with 25-30 adults participating.

Around Saturday afternoon, the students do get really hungry. Of course, health and safety are priorities. We have many adult volunteers who provide support, as well as drinks, etc. We do provide some food, usually rice and beans, if students need it. But overall, they really begin to identify with those people who lack sufficient food. Throughout the event, we give our kids tools and statistics to understand hunger. We also have children’s profiles from World Vision that we show on the screen in the hall.

How do you break the fast?
We break our fast with Eucharist on Saturday evening. St John’s has a regular 5 p.m. Saturday service – so we all go to that service and the youth serve as readers, ushers, intercessors, and chalice bearers. The theme of our famine is worked into the service in various ways. After worship we have a big meal in the parish hall, with many volunteers from the church providing food and hospitality.

How do you involve the whole church community?
This is a signature event, and it has really become part of the DNA of the parish. Everyone knows about 30 Hour Famine, and we publicize it well in advance. For example, there is big sign on the church lawn with a countdown to the event. We have parish volunteers to set up, break down, cook food, and help lead service projects such as creating small bags to distribute to the homeless. We also have our night watch team that stays up on the front lawn on Friday.

Can you describe a student for whom it was a powerful experience?
We have a student who is in the 9th grade this year. He discover that he could promote the 30 Hour Famine if he he showed up at every church service and met people outside to talk about it. Even the early 7:30 a.m. service! He is there every Sunday, telling people about the Famine. To see his dedication, brought out by this event, is really moving.

Do you recommend the materials from 30hourfamine.org?
Yes, absolutely. We get the kit each year, which is free. When you sign up to do the famine, they send you materials which include lots of practical advice and planning tools. Because we have such a large event, however, we have many additional planning teams and committees (worship, food, etc). We make our own theme each year.

Any other tips and tricks?
• Get the support and buy-in from the leadership of your church.
• Then seek support and buy-in from the entire church community.
• Brainstorm with a planning team.
• Know that there are MANY little details. For example, where are we going to get the cardboard?!
• Consider a volunteer coordinator. This has been a life saver for me!

Do you have advice for someone thinking of running this program?
Just do it! Don’t be afraid. Don’t short-change your youth – they can do this. 30 Hour Famine is a convicting and moving experience; you will be glad you brought this powerful event to your church.



Jillianne Booth is the Youth Minister at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte, NC. She has a Master’s in Christian Education from Pfeiffer University. Jillianne’s two beautiful children keep her busy and on her toes; she loves being a mom. In her spare time she tries to be like Rachael Ray and if she could have any other job in the world other than youth minister, it would be Rachael’s! Her other loves are Mexican food and flip flops.

Falling in Love with God

People who struggle to spend time with God don't have a scheduling problem, they have a love problem. Can we really fall in love with God? 100%, absolutely, yes! In fact, the formula for falling in love with Jesus is very simple ... falling in love with Jesus = time + attention.

So why is it so hard to do for some of us? It takes an extraordinary amount of work but God designed, planned, and created us for this work so we know it can absolutely be done! The effort is no different from many of the other challenging parts of a teenager's life. To be good at soccer or swimming, what does it take? To get good grades, what does it take? To have an engaging and fun social life, what does it take? To win or get the ultimate score on a video game, what does it take?

Practice, perseverance, commitment, time, and attention.

In our culture the word love gets thrown around A LOT! I love Mexican food. I love video games. I love my car. I love going shopping. I love Instagram. And on, and on, and on ... to the point that this word, love, has been kind of cheapened. It can be a challenge for teen's today to really grasp the true, intimate, and powerful meaning of love, especially hearing the words "God is love." Do we categorize that love with nachos, Call of Duty, and shoes or do we really get it?

Do we really understand, teach and model for our teens there is a God-sized hole in our hearts that ONLY the Holy Spirit can fill? Yes, it is possible to fall in love with God! It takes a ton of work. We as parents, youth advisors, and mentors can't make the teens we care so much about fall in love with God (as much as we'd like to sometimes). But we are called to make the introduction. We are called to teach and model teens how to love harder, engage more, make time, and most importantly to get over ourselves and be open to God's love.

Scripture is full of examples of God's love for us all. It is God's love letter to us. Don't know where to start with your teen in teaching them time + attention = falling in love with God? Start here:


Dear Child,
You may not know me, but I know everything about you (Psalm 139:1). I know when you sit down and when you rise up (Psalm 139:2). I am familiar with all of your ways (Psalm 139:3). Even the very hairs on your head are numbered (Matthew 10:29-31). For you were made in my image (Genesis 1:27). In me you live and move and have your being. For you are my offspring (Acts 17:28).

I knew you before you were conceived. (Jeremiah 1:4-5). I chose you when I planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12). You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book (Psalm 139:15-16). I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live (Acts 17:26). I knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:15-16).

I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me (John 8:41-44). I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love (1 John 4:16). And it is my desire to lavish my love on you; simply because you are my child and I am your father (1 John 3:1). I offer you more than your earthly father ever could (Matthew 7:11), for I am the perfect father (Matthew 5:48) .

Every good gift that you receive comes from my good hand (James 1:17). I am your provider and I want to meet all your needs (Matthew 6:31-33). My plan for your future has always been filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11). I will never stop doing good to you. I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul (Jeremiah 32: 40-41). For you are my treasured possession (Exodus 19:5). And I want to show you great and marvelous things (Jeremiah 33:3).

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me (Deuteronomy 4:29). For I am your greatest encourager (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17). I am also the one who comforts you in all your troubles (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). When you are brokenhearted I am close to you (Psalm 34:18). As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart (Isaiah 40:11). One day, I will wipe every tear from your eyes and I’ll take away the pain you have suffered on this earth (Revelation 21:3-4).

I am your father and I love you, even as I love my son, Jesus (John 17:23). He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you (Romans 8:31). Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). His death was the ultimate Expression of my love for you (1 John 4:10). I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love (Romans 8:31-32). If you receive the gift of my son, Jesus, you receive me (1 John 2:23). And nothing will ever separate you from my love again (Romans 8:38-39). When you come home, I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen (Luke 15:7).

I have always been God and will always be God (Ephesians 3:14-15). My question is, will you be mine (John 1:12-13)? I’m waiting for you (Luke 15:11-32)

<3, God Almighty

Our Plans: God's Purpose

Are you a planner? Some people are, some people aren't! I tend to be a planner. Part of that is a function of my job as a youth minister: planning big events like the 30 Hour Famine or a weekend retreat, planning a Wednesday night Bible study or an EYC lesson, planning who I've missed seeing at EYC lately and want to check in on, planning how to find time to clean my house, do laundry, pack, and hang with my kiddos before heading out of town for the Winter Retreat, and so much more require lots of planning! I like to know what's happening, how it's going to (in theory) happen, when and where it's going to happen, and more! And when they are my plans ... I tend to fall in love with them and, for sure, have a hard time thinking they're not good! :)

That's not to say my plans (that I've been so in love with) haven't failed ...oh boy, have they! Sometimes they are little tiny fails that no one would really notices except for me ... like the time we planned a program using a black light and it went nothing like our team had planned. No one knew except for us and it turned out ok, just not at all what we had anticipated! And, sometimes the failing of plans are way more noticeable: like yesterday when I only printed 20 copies of my presentation on social media safety but had about 50 or 60 people attend the session. :)

We love our plans. We create them. They are good.

Joseph had plans. We've heard this story over the past few weeks, it being Christmas! Scripture tells us that Joseph had planned to quietly dismiss Mary when he found out she was pregnant. His mind was made up and he was ready to move forward. But what happened? An angel appears and tells him to change his plans! And we know, Joseph is obedient.

The wise men had plans! They had been instructed by Herod to go find the baby Jesus and return and tell him where He was to be found. The wise men agreed and proceeded with the plan. But what happened? They had a dream in which God told them to return home another way and not go to Herod. The wise men were obedient.

I had plans! The past four years working with Matt have been tremendous. I had no long-term plan of that changing. And, it was good!

You had plans in terms of the time you (and by you, I mean your kids) spend with Matt and how thankful you are for his leadership of youth ministry at SJE and wisdom.

To participate FULLY in God's purpose, sometimes we have to weak/change/re-direct our plans ... those plans we love so dearly and that are so good. Sometimes God swoops in to us just like Joseph and just like the wise men and changes our plans. We know from the story or Joseph and the wise men that it, too, will be worth it for us.

It seems to me that the most profound and impactful moments in our lives don't happen in an instance. Rather, God's plan and purpose for us is revealed over time. However, when we are in the midst of those instances and moments (especially when it involves a big change) it certainly doesn't feel that way. Changes can be tough to swallow because we don't necessarily like them, scary because we fear the unknown, or inconvenient because it wasn't the way we planned.

But to participate fully in God's plan, we must be obedient to God's purpose and plan. Some time months AND years from now, we will be able to look back on all of the moments and instances and piece God's plan together more fully! We'll be able to have a clear understanding of how one moment led to another moment that lead to another opportunity that led to another change that led to another instance. God's plan is good, it will all make sense, and the blessings will continue to be tremendous. I'm excited to obediently lead and guide us, through the Holy Spirit, down this particular path and am excited to watch Matt on his new path, too! Amen?