Tuesday, September 25, 9 pm EDT, 8 CDT, 7 MDT, 6 PDT, 5 AKDT Participants: Eleanor Braun; Debbie Betsill; Bill Monk; Joyce Wilkinson; Char Mills; Dayna Jewson; Laura Amendola; Marguy McVey.

Mike Kinman was unable to be on the call because of travel delays (and the FAA won’t let him use a cell phone in flight!). He has added bits of the report he would have given in italics.

I.                    Welcome & brief introduction

II.                  Prayer, Readings and Reflection – see below

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

a.       Website/Blog update

Bill noted that hackers, recently, had ruined the drive index and many other files on the website.  Thus, Bill has been rebuilding the site from scratch, with greater security.  Bill and Mike have been adding categories and information to create an even better site.  Next week there will be a Comments Section, edited by site managers.  But virtually anything anyone in this group wants to submit will be accepted.  For example, people can comment on articles and perhaps their experiences with certain projects.  Eleanor noted the Links and Resources section is great, so abundant!  Bill explained we have even more information and links to add.  There will be a Google news feed and other feeds for daily updating of MDG news.  Presently, one can go to the top of the site and enter” MDGs” in the search box, which results in a wealth of information.  Bill encourages everyone to email him anything they think relevant to be included on the site.

 

b.      Fundraising update

A fundraising mailing… followed by an emailing … is going out in the next two weeks. We have $28,000 in the bank right now and need to raise another $25,000 to break even by the end of the year. If we wish to meet our goal of having 3 months worth of expenses in the bank (which isn’t that big a cushion), we need to raise around $57,000 by years’ end. We have outstanding pledges totaling $20,000 that we are confident in receiving, leaving $37,000 needing to be raised in the next 3 months.

 

c.       Youth/Young Adult update

We’ve had 185 people sign up for Eat in to Help Out Parties on FaceBook. We’re pulling together a leadership team of youth/young adults from around the church to help guide where EGR’s energies should be directed.

 

d.      Congregations Next Steps update

Mark Anschutz and Mike Kinman are meeting by phone this week to get this initiative rolling.

 

IV.                Other Agenda Items

a.       Diocesan Conventions – what are good activities to actively engage people in the MDGs (Debbie Betsill)

At the diocesan convention in November, we’re looking for short activities we can do for the MDGs; activities to get the delegates and clergy to refocus on the MDGs and to leave them with a next step to foster work on the MDGs.

 

In response, Eleanor offered ideas for two aims -- one related to suggestions for the diocesan councils, the other related to Christmas suggestions.  These are condensed from “What Can One Person Do?” on the EGR website: 

 

We have encouraged people to act for the MDGs in one or more of these four ways:

Pray

Learn

Give

Advocate

 

Putting that into a diocesan council context, you might have four tables or areas in a meeting room.  At each table might be:

 

Prayer

· Write sample Prayers of the People for the MDGs

· Hand out sample prayers and prayer resources, such as those found at:

o       http://www.e4gr.org/news/prayers/index.html

o       http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_64549_ENG_HTM.htm

· Have resources such as: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_64550_ENG_HTM.htm

· Have resources for a U2charist: http://www.e4gr.org/u2charists/service.html

· Have copies of the Franciscan Benediction (below)

 

Learning

· Have sample copies of:

o       What Can One Person Do: Faith to Heal a Broken World

o       God's Mission in the World

o       Eradicating Global Poverty:  A Christian Study Guide on the MDGs

· Have copies of the resources list :

o       www.e4gr.org/documents/download/15.pdf

· Run a video of:

o       +KJS investiture sermon

o       Bono's acceptance speech at NAACP

o       Others

· Have a list of key web resources:

o       E4GR

o       ERD

o       EPPN

o       UN

o       Other

Have materials from other organizations that provide education/advocacy/leadership on key issues, such as:

· Bread for the World - Hunger

· Oxfam America - Trade (e.g., how to do a Hunger Banquet)

· Jubilee USA - debt

And materials focusing on youth/young people

· http://www.e4gr.org/youth_young_adults/resources.html

· http://www.mtv.com/thinkmtv/global/millennium_goals.jhtml

· http://www.takingitglobal.org/themes/mdg/campaign_kit.html

 

 

Advocating

· Get materials from EPPN, including

o       Faith & Citizenship www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/FAC_20050322.pdf

· Get materials from ONE Campaign, including:

o       The Presidential Platform found at http://www.onevote08.org/issues.php

· Have sign up form for ONE campaign, bumper stickers, brochures

 

 

Giving

· Make sure there is a background piece about 0.7% giving (available somewhere on the E4GR site)

· Have information about:

o       ERD http://www.er-d.org/programs_36756_ENG_HTM.htm especially the Gifts for Life catalog http://www.er-d.org/waystogive_40774_ENG_HTM.htm

o       Heifer Project http://www.heifer.org/

o       Five Talents International http://www.fivetalents.org/

o       And other groups

 

FUN STUFF

Do fun things like the popsicle stick cross, have videos like Sarah McLachlan's World on Fire playing.

 

 Additionally, for Christmas, one might encourage contributions to various MDG-focused organizations instead of buying conventional Christmas presents.

 

We are holding an "Advent Fair" on December 1 and 2.  We are featuring products from Ten Thousand Villages, featuring fair trade items.  We are going to set up a special area for children to shop for their parents with lower cost items.

 In addition, we will have tables to encourage giving to organizations such as Heifer International, Five Talents, and Episcopal Relief and Development.

 

b.      What are best practices for setting up a MDG commission in your diocese (Eleanor Braun)

Eleanor continues working to set up a diocesan-wide MDG commission.  She has asked the Bishop to appoint a Global Reconciliation Commission, which hasn’t happened yet.  One suggestion is that it be a task force or sub-group of the committee already focused on international mission activities.  Eleanor has sent questions to people in other diocese to explore this topic, asking the questions:  How does it work in your diocese?  What is the relationship between those (staff or volunteer) working on international mission and on the MDGs?  She wonders if it may be a good match to unify these forces more demonstrably and, perhaps, more effectively.  She will send some of the responses she gets to her queries to Bill, for possible inclusion on the site.  Bill noted this will fall under the “Diocesan Projects” section.

 

Bill added that the EGR website can be used as a home base for communication among parties on multiple topics; effectively making it a collaborative workspace.  Information can be summarized as well as uploaded and downloaded repeatedly among parties.  It can be set-up to allow for both confidential and open communication.

 

 

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

Debbie noted the listserve announcement about the Inspiration Fund, but says there doesn’t seem to be any big kick-off yet.  She will follow-up with Luke Fodor, who is out of town until early October, to see if there will be a big launch and whether EGR-participating folks can help.  Debbie is also doing “5 days of Christmas” in Advent.  It will include Meditations (of 250 words) by people who have been on missions.  A team is matching those meditation expressions with scripture verses.  Bill would like to make these meditations available on the website, when possible, under the category “Council Ideas”.

 

Eleanor said one of their group, the Virginia Interfaith Coalition, is working on legislation.  Further, that it’s important to clarify that MDG projects are those aimed to benefit individuals who are living on $1 - $2 dollars per day – the extreme poor.  Some people and parishes are confused and think beneficial projects that may help people with less desperate needs also qualify as MDG projects.

 

Marguy asked if the “Episcopal Life” issue focusing on the MDGs had been used effectively or had rendered a noticeable impact among readers, perhaps prompting at least increased information-seeking.  The response among the present group was that the issue has not been used extensively nor has seemed to generate interest, independently.  Bill intends to include a website link to the issue.

 

Bill concluded, saying he is seeing much more activity for the MDGs this year than last year.  It seems to be evidence we’re making headway.  One inspiring example of this is his Rector had to institute budget cuts recently.  The Rector declared that if this resulted in too little funding for MDG work, he would take money out of the Discretionary Fund to make up the difference.  Bill believes focusing on individuals’ commitment within parishes makes a big difference.  

 

VI.                Closing Prayer and dismissal