Last week, the board of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation met to discern where God is calling this movement in the future. EGR executive director the Rev. Mike Kinman reports on the meeting and the future mission of EGR.
That time together began with Bishop Jeffery Rowthorn, chaplain to the board, leading us through two hours of silent meditation on scripture in three parts on the theme "Spiritual Transformation and the Future Mission of EGR."
The first question was "Is God still calling EGR to exist?" With the help of feedback given from EGR's diocesan contact network, the answer to that was a resounding YES! As to what our mission is, our discernment kept coming back to three points:
2) To make explicit the Christ-center of the MDG movement in the Church ... drawing people to this mission not as a secular agenda but as a way to fulfill Jesus' words "that all might have life and have it in abundance." (John 10:10)
3) To herald a call to conversion -- repentance/amendment of life -- at every level of our common life ... individual, congregational, diocesan, national, and global.
The strength and unanimity with which this vision emerged was powerful. This is all the more remarkable by the fact that those around the circle (the EGR Board) represent the entire political/theological spectrum of the Episcopal Church.
The sense of common call we felt did not make our differences fall away, but it made clear that what binds us together in the midst of those differences is powerful ... and even more than that ... life-giving and joyful. That in itself is a strong witness of hope for this movement and the Church.
That was the first day. The next day, we got specific and set three priorities for EGR's work:
1) Communication/Resourcing -- EGR as resource center. Making the website and the rest of our internet presence (blog, listserv, Facebook, etc.) the best gathering place and two-way (uploading and downloading) resource for this mission it can be.
2) Education - EGR as herald. Providing and resourcing preachers, teachers, speakers, authors and artists to spread this mission across the church.
3) Connection -- EGR as network and movement -- continuing to grow the churchwide network and nurturing that network to grow not just in breadth but in depth. Facilitating new opportunities for connection and partnership in mission.
Financially, EGR continues to live in a state of perpetual crisis ... something common in the nonprofit world, but which continues to hamper our ability to engage this mission. We agreed that even a modest increase in staff was necessary to be what God calls us to be. We need to be more efficient and effective at lifting up EGR's many needs (time, talent, money) to the wider movement so we make sure all are being invited to offer their gifts.
I hope you will continue to consider what gifts you have to offer in the context of the mission and priorities outlined above. To continue to ask that question -- What Can One Person, One Congregation, One Diocese Do -- to help EGR and this movement thrive.
Every gift is significant and appreciated. Especially as we enter this season of expectation and wonder, I invite you to consider what would be to you a significant year-end gift to EGR. Gifts can be made by sending a check made out to EGR to:
Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation
c/o Mike Fitzgerald, EGR accountant
115 Pinewood Avenue
Brandon, FL 33510
Two other ways to give:
We also hope you will consider your time and skills ... how God is calling you to offer those to this movement. And always to keep your ideas and efforts coming.
This movement doesn't belong to the board or to the diocesan contacts. It belongs to God, and of it we are all trustees and of Christ we are all servants. As we give ourselves to Christ's service and follow this mission, as we reach out from the depths of our faith to the 1.2 billion images of God who live on less than $1 a day, we will find that together we will have what Christ dreams for us...
... that all might have life and have it in abundance.
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Some upcoming MDG-related gatherings that might spark your interest: 
