Call Highlights
1. Next week, ONE and EPPN will be sending out advocacy alerts about the Farm Bill. This is a critical piece of legislation. Watch for the alerts and spread them as widely as possible -- we need a HUGE response. To learn more about the Farm Bill go to http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3654_82673_ENG_HTM.htm

. 2. The next Eat In To Help Out target date is the week of October 14-20, to correspond with Stand Up Against Poverty and other anti-poverty events that week. Find out how to host a dinner at www.eatin2helpout.org.

3. The Congregational MDG Survey is up and running at http://tinyurl.com/2t47gw -- please distribute the link to contacts in all your diocese's congregations. This will be an annual survey and is a critical piece of tracking our work. Diocesan contacts will be able to access the data and sort it to see their own diocese.

Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation Conference Call Minutes

Thursday, July 12, 1 pm EDT, Noon CDT, 11 am MDT, 10 am PDT, 9 am AKD

Dial-in number – 1-712-580-1100 Access Code - 070707

I. Welcome & brief introduction

Trudie Smither, Dallas, TX ; Char Miller, Spokane, WA; Dayna Jewson, W. Mo; Eleanor Braun, VA; Lynn Sanders, DC; Luke Fodor, DC; Mary Getz, DC; Joyce Wilkinson, W.Va; Rob Thompson, N.Ca; Kathy Horvat, Utah; Carl Rehling, Maryland; Elizabeth Henry; Mike Kinman; Marguy McVey.

II. Prayer, Readings and Reflection – see below

III. MDG update from ONE Episcopalian Campaign/Office of Govt. Relations (5 minutes) Mary Getz

We’re working on two important pieces of legislation addressing MDG issues. One is the “Growth (Global Opportunities for Women …) Act”. The other major piece of legislation tied to MDGs is the Farm Bill, which is at a critical point. It’s about to be heard by full committee, this coming week (July 16 – 20). The bill governs food production and the agriculture industry. It impacts the MDGs as it affects commodities, subsidies to farmers, international trade, the environment and several more issues. (The bill is extensive, with 9 titles.) Next week ONE & EPPN will send multiple alerts to encourage everyone to put pressure on all members of Congress (not just pressure on Committee members) to pass the bill. There’s a new Kind & Slake reform package being introduced on Tuesday. We anticipate being able to endorse it immediately. There is a call for stronger House leadership on the Farm Bill. ONE will have alerts in 2 parts, over 2 weeks. The Senate appropriated even less money (400 million less) than the House did (the House appropriation was 1.8 billion). The Farm Bill needs important action now! For more info, please go to EpisopalChurch.org/EPPN and select “news section”.

 

IV. MDG update from Episcopal Relief and Development – Luke Fodor or Lynn Sanders

The whole staff is doing long-range planning, past 2015. A fall launch is set for the MDG Inspiration Fund. The aim is to raise $3 million, through 2009, with 2 million designated for mosquito nets (to prevent malaria) and 1 million for global health issues. Luke and his wife raised money for the MDGs through an “Eat In to Help Out” dinner. The 2006 ERD Annual Report is now on the ERD website.

V. Movement update from EGR – Mike Kinman, et. Al.

a. Eat In to Help Out summary – Elizabeth Henry

Dinners occurred in 10 states with 11 groups reporting, to date, and another 4 expected to report soon.

· $2,532.25 was raised in total (to date), with $1,082 going to ERD; $426 to KIVA; $310 to companion groups and $714 going to other organizations of participants’ choosing. Dinners in 10 states (California, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Ohio, Alabama, West Virginia, Georgia, Connecticut, New York)

· 11 groups so far have provided EGR with information, waiting on information from at least 4 groups. More dinners probably happened that we don’t know about.

· $2532.25 to date (7/12/07)

o $1082 to ERD

o $426.25 to Kiva

o $310 to Companion Groups (pre-existing relationships)

o $714 to other NGOs (Heifer Project, Millennium Promise, Smile Train, 5 Talents International)

Elizabeth’s favorite story (using what works in the local context): The youth at All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Mobile, AL fixed a big breakfast between services on Sunday morning. They figured out what would work in their local context, and did it.

This project encouraged people to engage locally. Elizabeth invited feedback from all to make any potential improvements for future efforts. Two participants suggested more advance notice of such projects would be helpful. Elizabeth clarified that this effort was a pilot project, scheduled with the little time available, in essence, to see what might develop among the new Facebook group (of mostly youth and young adults) interested in the MDGs. Yet she is heartened by the interest shown by people of all ages who discovered the project. Further, though the initial campaign highlighted the option to hold dinners on July 7, there was also encouragement to hold dinners throughout the year.

 

Mike suggested that maybe the next campaign could encourage dinners on or around 10/17/07 (the date of the next Stand Up against poverty event – www.standagainstpoverty.org -- and perhaps Campus Ministries could be targeted to get involved, including to schedule dinners anytime. The mapping of this project will continue and will build.

 

b. Congregational Surveys

Mike said these are now available on Surveymonkey.com, the actual survey can be accessed through www.e4gr.blogspot.com or directly at http://tinyurl.com/2t47gw The information provided by these surveys is available to all, with the exception of names/emails – which will be made available to diocesan contacts with the understanding it is only to be used for MDG projects. The surveys are designed to only take 5 – 7 minutes to complete and also to be educational for the survey-taker as well as gathering information. Trudie said they are a great way to outline, for others, all the requirements for the MDGs and asked if they could be used by her congregation. Mike said they are very easy to sort (including by Diocese and Congregation) and he will send instructions to diocesan contacts on how to access the data and sort by parameters (for example, for Diocese of Dallas).

c. Counting Prayers

Mike said John Denn, of the Trinity Conference Center in Connecticut, is developing a great idea to harness the power of prayer for the MDGs. He’s creating a way to count the number of prayers for the MDGs, globally. He will ask individuals and congregations to pray a simple, one sentence prayer for the MDGs (an example of which will be noted on his site) and designate how many times a prayer is being offered in a given time period. Then a mapping function will be available through his site to illustrate the numbers of these prayers being said throughout the world. It will be a way to quantify what’s developing from the funding for the MDGs, as the mission expands. It is an ecumenical aim, in part to illustrate how we can unite among diverse communities on the Development Goals. The website will be launched soon. It will be called something like countingprayers.org or .com. We will hear more about this in the coming weeks and months.

VI. Open floor for storytelling, questions, problem-solving, resource-sharing, exploring partnerships, conversation

 

Kathy Horvat seeks the wording of any other resolutions that may exist that mention Reconciliation Committees. She is preparing for the annual convention deadlines. Mike suggested she go to the EGR website to select the MDG Toolkit, which has examples of Resolutions, including ones we’ve endorsed. They are meant to offer boilerplate language and provide examples of local adaptations.

 

Elizabeth Henry encouraged all to consider the project for Debt Relief which promotes a 40 day fast – (a fast of any sort, e.g., sugar, television fare, etc.). It is modeled on the Jubilee Act of ’99 by one pastor who walked to each congressional office, to visit and inform members, as if visiting hospital rooms. She considers this fast an opportunity for local connection and spiritual discipline. More information can be found at http://www.canceldebtfast.org/. (The pastor's name who led the public fast in 2000 was Rev. David Duncombe.)

 

Dayna asks for prayers to be offered in support of her advocacy efforts for the MDGs. She will be meeting, again, in September with her Bishop (who is supportive) and is trying to get more people to join efforts for the MDGs. She has faced some obstacles and opposition to her efforts, for which she welcomes prayers to open possibilities.

 

VII. Closing Prayer and dismissal

Prayer, Readings and Reflection

 

Prayer for the Church (BCP, p. 816)

Gracious God, we pray for your holy, Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior, AMEN.

Gospel Reading for Thursday, Proper 10, Year 1 – Mark 2:23-27

One Sabbath, Jesus was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’

 

Silence

 

A reading from the Confessions of Saint Augustine

"O Lord God, you who have given us all, grant us your peace, the peace of rest, the peace of the Sabbath, the peace without an 'evening.' For this very beautiful order of things will pass away when they have accomplished their appointed purpose. They all were made with a 'morning' and an 'evening.' But the seventh day is without an 'evening' and it has no setting, because you have sanctified it so that it may last eternally. Your resting on the seventh day after the completion of your works, foretells us through the voice of your Book, that we also after completing our works through your generosity, in the Sabbath of eternal life shall rest in you."

 

Silence, followed by word or phrase reflections

The EGR Prayer

Most loving God, as your desire for mercy for the poor is unrelenting, may we be unrelenting in our pursuit of mercy for all; as your compassion for the suffering of the poor knows no limit, may our heart overflow with compassion for all; as you long for justice for the poor, may we strive for justice for all. Open our eyes to the structures of oppression from which we benefit, and give us courage to accept our responsibility, wisdom to chart a sound course amid complexity, and perseverance to continue our work until it is finished. Breathe your life-giving Spirit afresh into your Church to free us from apathy and indifference; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.