EGR Conference Call Highlights

The only new action item is a flyer Elizabeth Henry will create and send to Tracey Herzer, noting the dual events in October: the next "Eat In to Help Out" campaign (administrated by Elizabeth) and the "Stand Up Against Poverty" global campaign.

The former action items continue to be relevant:
- Continued efforts are needed to pass the Farm Bill, now in the Senate. 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.

- 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 .

Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation Conference Call - MINUTES

Thursday, August 9, 1 pm EDT, Noon CDT, 11 am MDT, 10 am PDT, 9 am AKDT

Participants – Eleanor Braun; Carl Rehling; Bill Wright; Bean Murray; Evelyn Piety; Tracey Herzer; Char Miller; Penny Phillips; Elizabeth Henry; Marguy McVey

I.                    Welcome & brief introduction

II.                  Prayer, Readings and Reflection – see below

III.                In the absence of members from ONE Episcopalian Campaign/Office of Gov. Relations on the call, Elizabeth (as a recipient of EPPN newsletters)  extemporaneously updated our group on the status and issues of the Farm Bill.  The Farm Bill, which vitally effects populations here and overseas, due to the way we support our crops, passed in the House approximately two weeks ago.  Though it passed without a much of its intended reforms.  Calls to action are now focused on emailing/contacting Senate offices to try to get it passed there.  The Office of Govt. Relations has vast information on its website.  Carl noted that the House gutted important parts of the bill which are not likely to be reinstated by the Senate, as the omissions primarily involve aspects of oversight by the House.

IV.                Movement update from EGR – Elizabeth Henry, et. al.

a.       Eat in To Help Out – Elizabeth Henry

The initial dinners, which focused on youth and young adults’ involvement and the date of 7/7/07, were such a success more are being spearheaded for October 12 – 22.  The aim of this round of dinners is to broaden the participation to multi-generational involvement.  These 10 days in October are selected to coincide with the international campaign “Stand Up Against Poverty”, Wednesday, October 17, 2007.  Last year, globally, some 40 million people participated in this effort.  UTube has an effective video of this event.  The Jubilee Act (Jubilee USA) is also sponsoring a 40-day fast leading up to October 16^th.  Thus, perhaps these three efforts, which overlap, could support each other – including the ending of the fasts being celebrated with Eat In to Help Out Dinners.  Tracey offered to send info on this (these multiple efforts) to Christian Educators.  Elizabeth offered to print a flyer and send it to Tracey combining at least the “Eat In to Help Out” & “Stand up” campaigns, highlighting how they may work in support of each other.

b.      EGR Youth/Young Adult community – Elizabeth Henry

Elizabeth has been working all summer to identify where youths’ and young adults’ (18 to 30-year-olds) interests in the MDGs reside and how to foster their greater involvement in MDG efforts.  A steering committee of sorts is being created to aid in this effort.  Elizabeth welcomes all referrals and ideas on this project and invites your emails to her or to Mike.

c.       Developing children/Youth MDG educational materials – Tracey Herzer

Tracey is president of a grassroots network of educators.  These educators encompass anyone, both formally and informally trained, who considers him/herself to be a Christian Educator.  Tracey regards the EGR website to have the most comprehensive list of materials for providing education about the MDGs.  Yet, following multiple conferences with Mike, Tracey accepted his request to be the “point person” to cull information and materials from Christian educators working throughout the US to educate youth on the MDGs.  Among other aims, it is hoped such materials and exercises will be used as models for dioceses to educate youth at retreats and elsewhere.  More information on these efforts will be available on the EGR website soon.  Tracey can always be contacted and welcomes ideas and referrals at traceyherzer@aol.com .  She reminds all, “No qualifications are necessary to become an educator for the MDGs”.

d.      Speakers Bureau – Marguy McVey

We are in the initial stages of creating a Speakers Bureau.  The aim is to cultivate a geographically diverse list of speakers for groups, large and small, to increase education about the MDGs.  We are sending brief forms to potential speakers asking for their interest; availability; further referrals to potential speakers; the MDG subjects on which they would like to speak; their geographic region and how far they may travel to speak.  As this will be an ongoing project and resource, we will continue to welcome referrals to potential speakers.  Bill Monk, our tireless website manager, is researching design options for displaying the Speakers Bureau on the website.  In addition to PowerPoint options accessible there, he hopes to add multimedia options such as videos of presentations and more; including links to Speakers’ biographical information and materials they may offer.  As we assist in placing MDG speakers we expect to receive more requests – perhaps increasing rapidly and exponentially.  So we encourage the search for speakers to continue among all of us.  Elizabeth noted, as Tracey mentioned earlier, there’s no need for credentials in education, public speaking or any other discipline to join the bureau.  Anyone who cares about spreading the word on (any of) the MDGs and occasionally has free time to help others become more knowledgeable or involved is the speaker we need.

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

Penny asked about the Congregational survey:  Do all dioceses have contacts and do all know about the surveys?  (Mike may answer this in more detail later.); can Presiding Bishop Katharine Schori be encouraged to speak on the MDGs again this fall?  Penny suggested this would be quite effective if it were to occur before or during the upcoming Bishops meeting in New Orleans, Sept 20-25, 2007?  She noted it would be helpful, if it occurred, if the P.B.’s presentation were recorded and accessible on the website, as well as to have articles written about her support of the MDGs.  Mary Francis Schoenberg, (of Episcopal News Service?) was suggested as a good resource to spur articles in this regard.  Also recommended were Episcopal Communicators .org and Jan Nunley.

“Episcopal Life” magazine is noted as having its most recent edition devoted to the MDGs.  Bishop Don Johnson, of West Tennessee, decided a good use of MDG money was to send that issue to every household.

It was noted, “Arkansas Episcopalian” has about 2 full pages in that issue regarding Arkansas efforts for the MDGs.  Evelyn said she will be putting together a handbook and may list projects that are diocese specific (including many collaborative efforts among multiple dioceses).  Publication of this is expected in the coming months.  Evelyn’s email in West TN can be used for requests for handbook.

Bill’s(?) diocese gave out 5 grants for MDG projects in the first cycle of this giving & expects about 5 more, totaling about $25,000.  Southern Ohio invited people who are doing any sort of ministry or projects related to MDGs to apply for the grants.

Arkansas sent out a communiqué from the Bishop encouraging all to respond to the Congregational survey (approximately six internet pages, to identify what has been happening in different diocese, so that not only EGR knows but all other interested parties know what’s occurring on the MDGs.  There are six primary ways we encourage involvement in the MDGs: Prayer; advocate; educate; give and connect.  The aim is also to use the survey as an educational tool.  We’re trying to get at least one person from each congregation to look at the survey.  The penetration of EGR is to the dioceses level.  Then the contact person/people from the diocese must carry the information to the local community from there.   Tracey stated the educator network will know if the MDGs have been preached about within their communities - so Tracey would like to send the survey to her contacts.

VI.                Closing Prayer and dismissal