The Episcopal Church and Domestic Poverty Alleviation

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The Episcopal ChurchandDomestic Poverty
Alleviation
The Presiding Bishops Summit on Domestic
Poverty Faith in the Balance A Call to
Action By the Rev. Christopher A.
Johnson Program Officer, Domestic Justice and
Jubilee Ministries Ash Wednesday 2009
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Matthew 2537-40

• Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when
  was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food,
  or thirsty and gave you something to drink?
• And when was it that we saw you a stranger and
  welcomed you, or
• naked and gave you clothing? And when was it
  that we saw you sick or in prison and visited
  you?
• And the king will answer them, Truly I tell you,
  just as you did it to one of the least of these
  who are members of my family,
• you did it to me.

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• How can we help to break the cycle of poverty?
• How can we become a place of refuge and healing
  for
• the most vulnerable members of our society?
• How might we be a prophetic voice for those who
  find
• themselves stuck in dead-end situations?

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Executive Summary

• The Presiding Bishop convened this leadership
  gathering envisioning
• the development of creative ways in which we can
  work collectively on common issues,
• the development of steps to eradicate poverty in
  the United States,
• say a word to the nation,
• point to possible actions at the next General
  Convention, and
• recognize, elevate, and celebrate all that is
  done on behalf of the poor on a daily basis in
  our congregations, dioceses, and institutions.

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Executive Councils Jubilee Advisory Committee
Resolution to Establish a program for the
Alleviation of Domestic Poverty

• Resolve 1
• Resolved, the House of _______ concurring, That
  the 76th General
• Convention commend the Presiding Bishops Summit
  on Domestic
• Poverty that met in May, 2008, recognizing with
  gratitude the witness and ministry of all those
  who work to address domestic poverty and
• stand with the poor and marginalized and be it
  further

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• This call to action provides a brief
  introduction that summarizes the summit event as
• the beginning of a process designed to engage
  the ministry of the church as a whole in common
  mission that is
• informed by Holy Scripture and Holy Baptism.

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• A Model for Domestic Poverty Alleviation is
  introduced that follows the
• general format of a congregational development
  model.
• The four-point organizing language of Vision,
  Formation, Networking
• and Advocacy that emerged at the summit is
  preserved in the model
• under the categories of Servant Leadership,
  Christian Discipleship,
• Partnership in Mission, and Stewardship of
  Creation.
• These four categories are further divided into
  three subcategories to
• acknowledge the complexity of the challenges
  before us and to create
• opportunity to draw the whole of the church
  around domestic poverty as
• a common mission.

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• The model intends to provide a relational
  structure through which an
• effective response to domestic poverty can be
  developed.
• It does not intend to provide the details of a
  particular localized
• response
• nor does it intend to provide particular
  strategies that will be adopted by
• the participants.
• This design is to assure a broad sense of
  ownership, which includes
• ownership by those populations it intends to
  impact.

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• Stakeholders have been identified to correspond
  to each of the
• subcategories based on the focus of their
  mission.
• A process has been recommended that outlines
  necessary action steps
• for implementation. The details of that process
  are sufficiently loose at
• this point so that stakeholders are free to shape
  the model based on
• their areas of expertise.
• The model places its faith in the balance sought
  among stakeholders
• as ideas are exchanged and goals are established.
  The model seeks to
• nurture faith in the balance between piety and
  action, personal desire
• and communal responsibility.

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During the summit we arrived at these four
categories as organizing tools to aid us in our
conversation. We approached these categories
using language as follows

• Vision
• to share the blessings we have
• for the good of the whole to
• remember who we are that
• we are infinitely valuable
• Children of God and to see the
• infinite value of the Child of
• God in each of our neighbors.

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2. Formation

• to remember that as Christians we are a
• people of mission, not only overseas, but
• in our local context as well the scope of
• our work is not an either/or dichotomy.

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3. Networking

• to assess, coordinate, and
• disseminate information about
• various outreach efforts and
• resources available or needed
• to alleviate poverty in its
• domestic context.

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4. Advocacy

• to argue and insist on justice for the
• people of God and for creation and
• to break away from our history of
• charity models rather than
• partnerships.

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• It is the interdependence of relationships that
  strikes at the heart of the
• challenge before us as a faith community seeking
  to alleviate domestic
• poverty.
• The effectiveness of our engagement of each of
  the four elements we
• will be developing is dependent upon our
  willingness and capacity as a
• body to work for the common good. And, it will be
  out of this mutual
• effort that we become a place of refuge and
  healing for all. The adapted
• model explores the dynamics interacting between
  Servant Leadership,
• Christian Discipleship, Partnership in Mission,
  and Stewardship of
• Creation as categories that can accommodate the
  summit categories of
• Vision, Formation, Networking, and Advocacy.

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Vision, Formation, Networking, Advocacy

• SERVANT LEADERSHIP
• Local/Contextual
• Consultant
• Corporate
• CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP
• Scripture
• Reason
• Tradition

• PARTNERSHIP IN MISSION
• Congregations
• Agencies
• Fund Partners
• STEWARDSHIP OF CREATION
• Time
• Treasure
• Talents

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Servant Leadership .

• Will you persevere in resisting evil, and
  whenever you fall into
• sin, repent and return to the Lord?

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Revelation 211, 3-5

• Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the
  first heaven and the
• first earth had passed away, and the sea was no
  more. And I heard a
• loud voice from the throne saying, See, the home
  of God is among
• mortals. He will dwell with them they will be
  his peoples, and God
• himself will be with them he will wipe every
  tear from their eyes. Death
• will be no more mourning and crying and pain
  will be no more, for the
• first things have passed away. And the one who
  was seated on the
• throne said, See, I am making all things new.
  Also he said, Write this,
• for these words are trustworthy and true

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Mark 1042-45

• You know that among the Gentiles those whom they
  recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and
  their great ones are tyrants over them.
• But it is not so among you but whoever wishes to
  become great among you must be your servant, and
• whoever wishes to be first among you
• must be slave of all.
• For the Son of Man came not to be served but to
  serve, and to give his life a ransom for many

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More on the nature of leadership

• This is an interesting word, healing, with its
  meaning, to make whole.
• Perhaps, as with the minister and the doctor,
  the servant-leader
• might also acknowledge that his own healing is
  his motivation. There is
• something subtle communicated to one who is being
  served and led if, implicit in the compact
  between servant-leader and led, is the
• understanding that the search for wholeness is
  something they share.
• (Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership)

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Elements of Vision discussed at the summit
suggest

• The introduction of a major empowerment fund
  directed to combat systemic issues of poverty
• The development of a nine-year plan that provides
  annual strategies and priorities for church-wide
  promotion and education
• The establishment of a Domestic Poverty Task
  Force
• The development of an overall message addressing
  domestic poverty

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Christian Discipleship .

• Will you proclaim by word and example the Good
  News of God in
• Christ?

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1 John 49-11

• Gods love was revealed among us in this way God
  sent his only Son
• into the world so that we might live through him.
  In this is love, not that
• we loved God but that he loved us and sent his
  Son to be the atoning
• sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved
  us so much, we also
• ought to love one another

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The summit assumed Eleven Essentials of Justice

• Affordable Food
• Employment
• Affordable Quality Childcare
• Education
• Healthcare
• A Just Immigration Policy
• Cultural Affirmation
• Equal Protection Under the Law
• Economic Opportunity
• A Healthy Environment
• Housing

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Conversations around the work of Formation at the
summit encouraged the Church to

• Develop strategic programs for congregational
  faith formation and poverty alleviation
• Focus on lifelong learning
• Develop Bible Study programs and theological
  education resources
• Provide experiential programs designed to educate
  and transform participants (clergy and lay)
• Provide domestic missionary opportunities
• Explore how to use formation to promote the need
  for public awareness

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Executive Councils Jubilee Advisory Committee
Resolution to Establish a program for the
Alleviation of Domestic Poverty

• Resolve 2
• Resolved that the Episcopal Church recognize the
  pressing challenges
• to those living in poverty and the working poor
  throughout this nation
• and call for new and innovative strategies to
  address issues related to
• nutrition, employment, childcare,
• education, healthcare, environment,
• housing, as well as equal protection under law
  and cultural affirmation,
• and in particular be it further

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Partnership in Mission .

• Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons,
  loving your neighbor
• as yourself?

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Proverbs 318-9

• speak out for those who cannot speak, for the
  rights of all the destitute.
• Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights
  of the poor and needy

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Effective Partnerships are established when
people and organizations unite in support of
common mission.

• As applied to the Model for Domestic Poverty
  Alleviation, such
• partnerships represented at the summit would
  naturally bring together
• representatives of our congregations, social
  service agencies, and our
• funding organizations.
• While each organizational culture has its own
  particular interests and
• perceived mandates for existing, in the context
  of the Church all three
• seek to serve Christ faithfully through their
  ministry and the programs
• they offer.

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Partnerships in Mission Congregations, Agencies
Fund Partners
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The conversation on Networking at the summit
called the Church to

• Promote and develop improved collaboration among
  stakeholders through comprehensive database
  management
• Establish grant-writing partnerships
• Promote ecumenical partnerships
• Foster partnerships among grassroots empowerment
  groups
• Partner through shared programs for leadership
  development
• Explore the financial requirements for funding
  such an initiative
• Assure the placement of benchmarks and means for
  accountability

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Stewardship of Creation .

• Will you strive for justice and peace among all
  people, and respect
• the dignity of every human being?

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2 Corinthians 810-15

• And in this matter I am giving my advice it is
  appropriate for you who began last year not only
  to do something but even to desire to do
  something now finish doing it, so that your
  eagerness may be matched by completing it
  according to your means.
• For if the eagerness is there, the gift is
  acceptable according to what one has-
• not according to what one does not have. I do not
  mean that there should be relief for others and
  pressure on you,
• but it is a question of a fair balance between
  your present abundance and their need,
• so that their abundance may be for your need, in
  order that there may be a fair balance.
• As it is written, The one who had much did not
  have too much, and the one who had little did not
  have too little

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Everyone one has a gift to offer Time

• In this model it would be helpful to expand this
  traditional teaching in
• light of Pauls words from 2 Corinthians so that
  stewardship, as it is applied to the work of
  alleviating domestic poverty, seeks to draw out
• all of the resources available in a way that
  advocates an ongoing vision
• of justice. Since all have gifts to offer, the
  challenge of stewardship is to
• identify and receive gifts from those in
  perceived positions of power
• equally as from those in perceived positions of
  vulnerability and need.

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Everyone has a gifts to offer Treasure
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Talent Episcopal Appalachian Ministries share
stories at the Domestic Poverty summit
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Elements of Advocacy raised at the summit
include

• Developing strategies for the utilization of
  property and buildings
• Planning collaboration among ministries of social
  transformation
• Allocating budget funds to address domestic
  poverty
• Encouraging public statements focused on issues
  of domestic poverty to the Church, including
  General Convention, and to the Nation

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Necessary Actions Steps for Implementation

• Identify leadership to oversee each of the four
  focus areas and facilitate development.
• Ask for buy-in from each of the organizations
  suggested, revise those listed if necessary.
• Convene an initial gathering of the
  representatives.
• Review comments from the summit event.1
• Discuss how these four areas compliment one
  another and are interdependent.
• Provide training for group interaction.
• Establish measurable goals for each group for the
  period 2010-2018 based on the categories listed
  in the 11 Essentials of Justice presented during
  the summit event.
• Form groups to develop general strategies to
  accomplish goals.
• Form groups to develop timelines for monitoring
  progress.
• Develop consolidated list of measurable goals
  with timelines.
• Introduce Native American response as a beta test
  group through which evaluation and revisions to
  the model can be made.

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Necessary Actions Steps for Implementation

• Convene Native American leadership from beta test
  group during 2010-2012.
• Repeat step 3.
• Establish budget to accomplish goals.
• Test goals and timelines established by overall
  strategy team against those determined by beta
  test group.
• Note variances and weigh importance of those
  variances to strategies.
• Convene focus group leadership to receive Native
  American plan.
• Initiate planning discussions with other target
  populations during 2011-2012 to design models.
• Review contents from step 3.
• Apply learning from Native American model.
• Repeat step 6 for new target population.
• Convene focus group leadership to receive new
  plans.

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Stakeholder Commitment for Domestic Poverty
Alleviation
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Executive Councils Jubilee Advisory Committee
Resolution to Establish a program for the
Alleviation of Domestic Poverty

• Resolve 3
• Resolved, that the Church as a special focus in
  the new triennium,
• recognizing that many of the poorest counties in
  the United States are
• among Native Peoples living on reservations,
  gives priority to our
• sisters and brothers of this land whose
  population has increased while disparities in
  income, economic security, health and health
  care, and
• quality of life continue unabated,
• and be it further

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Executive Councils Jubilee Advisory Committee
Resolution to Establish a program for the
Alleviation of Domestic Poverty

• Resolved, that a program be
• developed at Church Center,
• reporting to Executive Council, with
• measurable goals for an advocacy
• program to federal, state and local
• governments to reduce poverty in
• these counties, and measurable goals
• to build capacity and sustainable
• communities through development
• initiatives working with local dioceses
• and tribal governments, and that a
• minimum funding level of 400,000
• per annum be made available from
• the General Convention for these initiatives, and
  be it further

Resolve 4
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• During the 2010-2012 triennium 400,000 per annum
  has been
• requested in this resolution. Funding for this
  initiative will underwrite
• two categories of expenses those which serve to
  develop strategic
• relationships out of which common goals are
  established and those
• through which targeted capacity building for
  local implementation and
• development aimed at poverty alleviation can
  occur.
• Funding for strategic relationships for the
  purpose of establishing
• common goals. The Model for Domestic Poverty
  Alleviation has two
• emphases a meta narrative that establishes
  timelines and outcomes
• that intend to be responsive to issues of
  domestic poverty experienced
• by all categories of people and a beta narrative
  that establishes the
• same criteria with a particular focus on Native
  American Poverty
• Alleviation.

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Domestic Poverty Alleviation Model
ImplementationOverview of 2010-2012 Triennial
Budget Proposal

• Expenses associated with developing strategic
  relationships
• 2010 2011 2012
  Total
• Gatherings 140,000 110,000 150,000
  400,000
• Consultants 40,000 30,000 30,000
  100,000
• Total 180,000 140,000 180,000 500,000
• Expenses associated with capacity building for
  local implementation
• development
• 2010 2011 2012 Total
• Domestic Program Dev. 60,000 60,000
  60,000 180,000
• Native American Program 160,000 200,000
  160,000 520,000
• Total 220,000 260,000 220,000
  700,000
• Summary Total 400,000 400,000 400,000
  1,200,000

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Executive Councils Jubilee Advisory Committee
Resolution to Establish a program for the
Alleviation of Domestic Poverty

• Resolve 5
• Resolved, that primary coordination be in the
  Advocacy Center,
• particularly the Office of Jubilee Ministries and
  Domestic Justice, The Office of Native American
  Ministries and the Office of Government
  Relations,
• working with the Executive Council Committee on
  Indigenous Ministries
• and in partnership with other appropriate offices
  from the mission Centers and other bodies as may
  be identified such as the Episcopal Church
  Foundation.