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Clearing things up -- an EGR FAQ
Episcopalians for
Global Reconciliation doesn't fit
neatly into traditional church categories. We're an
organization resourcing a movement of spiritual
transformation of Church and world through bearing
Christ to and meeting Christ in the poorest of the
poor. We cross borders, break down barriers and
promote anything that furthers the mission --
whether it's an initative of ours or someone else's.
After all, we're all about the same thing -- God's
mission of
global reconciliation in the Millennium
Development.
Unfortunately, that's caused some confusion. So
here's a brief primer to set the record
straight.
What is EGR? Where does the funding come
from?
EGR is an independent nonprofit that is not part of
any official Episcopal Church structure (i.e. -
we are not a Church
Center/815/national church
program). Our funding is entirely from donor
individuals, congregations and dioceses -- in other
words, you. Click
here to learn more about supporting EGR.
Is EGR just about 0.7% giving?
No. We focus on 0.7% giving toward the MDGs because
it is tangible, doable for everyone, provides
resources for global mission partnerships and,
because our treasure and heart dwell together, is a
doorway into deeper engagement with God's mission of
global reconciliation. We have found that 0.7%
giving is a tangible hook that then draws people
into education, political advocacy, prayer,
relationship building and other exciting ways of
incarnating this mission. 0.7% giving is a beginning
not an end. Read
our 0.7% FAQ.
Do I give my 0.7% to EGR? Where should I give it?
EGR is not a granting agency. We do not build
schools or clinics or make grants to those who do.
Any money given to us will be put to excellent use
fueling the MDG movement (which will end up with
more resources going to the people who need it most)
EGR encourages people to give their 0.7% in ways
that build and resource global partnerships ... so
that what could be just writing a check turns into a
face-to-face encounter with Christ. Remember, this
is a movement of spiritual transformation -- not
checkbook charity.
ERD and EGR?
Episcopal Relief and
Development (ERD) provides
direct relief and development aid and structures
that work on the Millennium Development Goals. EGR
is not a granting organization. EGR works with ERD
to
educate the church about the MDGs and promote the
good work ERD is doing to make them a reality.
EGR and ONE/ONE Episcopalian
The ONE campaign is
a movement of political advocacy
to mobilize Americans to urge our government to
devote an addition 1% of the U.S. budget to
eradicating extreme poverty. ONE
Episcopalian is our
church's incarnation of that campaign and is run out
of the Episcopal
Office of Government Relations. EGR
enthusiastically supports, promotes and works
collaboratively with ONE and ONE Episcopalian (as well
as the advocacy work of Bread for the World and
others), but has no official connection with
them.
EGR and YOU
This is what it's all about. Helping you, your
congregation, your diocese and your Church discern
and follow God's call to bear Christ to and meet
Christ the extreme poor. Got an idea? We want to
hear it. We want to help you make it happen. We want
to help connect you with others who can work with
you. Run into a wall? We want to connect you with
people to get you over, under and around it. Find
something that works? We want to share it with the
Church and the world. This is a movement of
spiritual transformation. God transforming us ...
through us the Church ... through us the world.
| What One Congregation Can Do |
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From "A Guide to Developing a MDG Ministry in
Your Congregation," by the Rev. Jay Lawlor
Picking a Project & Building Momentum:
Picking your ?Quick Win?: As important as it is to
raise awareness about each of the MDGs and the areas
they address, it is equally important to select a
project that will be successful in your
congregation. It is often easier for people to
grasp a single-focused project (at least initially)
so they do not feel overwhelmed and can see the
?fruits of their labor.? This will make further MDG
work easier.
It is also important that you pick an area of the
MDGs that people in your congregation are passionate
about. If you can?t decide, or need a list of
topics to choose from, The
Millennium Project
identified several ?Quick Wins? that can offer you a
place to start. These Quick Wins represent
solutions that are relatively simple, low-cost, and
can achieve immediate and significant impact toward
achieving an MDG. Here are four areas that would
fit well for a congregation project:
1. Free
distribution of mosquito bed-nets to
protect against malaria and effective anti-malaria
medicines for all children in regions of malaria
transmission.
2. Participate in the campaign to bring 3
million AIDS patients in developing countries onto
antiretroviral treatment.
3. Participate in the expansion of school
meals programs to cover all children in hunger
hotspots using locally produced foods.
4. Provide scholarships to pay for school
fees, uniforms and books, so children can attend
school in Africa.
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| They say/You say |
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Answers to Common Criticisms of the MDGs and
Global Giving
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Adapted
from materials the U.N. Millennium
Project
They say: "Trade, not aid, is what is
most important?
You say:
Though important, trade is far from a magic
bullet for achieving development. The slogan ?trade,
not aid? is utterly misguided, particularly in the
poorest countries.
Trade reforms are complementary to other parts of
development policy, such as infrastructure
investments and social programs to develop a healthy
and well educated workforce. As outlined in Monterrey,
a MDG-based international trade policy should focus
on trade and aid together:
Trade that allows poor countries need better access
to other markets and terms that level the playing field.
Aid that focuses on investment in infrastructure
(roads, electricity, ports) that will lower costs
and increase the competitiveness of poor countries'
exports.
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| Sites to Bookmark |
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*Don't Just
Sit There!
UNICEF Canada's awareness and fundraising program
specially designed for junior high and high school
students across Canada. Each year focuses on a
different theme. By participating in the Don?t just
sit there! campaign, you have an opportunity to save
and improve the lives of the world's least fortunate
children.
*AIDS
Orphans - the facts -- From Avert.org, an
excellent footnoted resource about the AIDS orphans
problem.
*ChildSoldiers.org--
A collaborative effort to raise awareness about
child soldiers in Sierra Leone and elsewhere
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| Quote of the Week |
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"I am not an enthusiast for dynastic wealth,
particularly when the alternative is 6 billion
people having that much poorer hands than we have in
life having a chance to benefit from the money."
-Warren Buffett, announcing plans to give away
most of his $40 billion fortune to the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation
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It worked in Columbus.
It'll work in ________ |
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One of our goals at General Convention was to make
the MDGs
come alive in ways that words on paper
could not. What worked there can also work in your
congregation. Here are some ideas for introducing
your people to the MDGs. And remember always to have
examples of What One Person, Congregation and
Diocese Can Do to make the MDGs a reality (EGR's
free, downloadable MDG cards are a great place
to start).
The Click - A
child dies every three seconds A powerful
statistic to introduce MDG
#4 (reduce child. At Convention the entire House of
Deputies snapped their fingers every three seconds
for a full minute. When that's the only sound you
hear, it stays with you. You can lead your
congregation in this during a sermon, a class ... or
anywhere.
Popsicle Stick Cross- We
used 10,200 multicolored popsicle sticks (one
for every child that died during the 8 1/2 hour
convention day). Use 1,200 (the number of children
who die during a one-hour Eucharist or Sunday School
class). The
experience of building it is powerful ... and you
end up with a beautiful cross that keeps the message
alive and can be a focus of worship and mission.
Reading stories to reduce maternal mortality
- 500,000 women die a year of complications from
pregnancy and childbirth (MDG #5
- reduce maternal mortality). To illustrate that, we
gathered a group of women to read children's books
in unison, dropping out one by one and placing
photos of the children left behind as they "died" on
a wall. (Full
details and pictures here). This could be a
parish event or, better yet, a diocesan, ecumenical
or interfaith community awareness-raising (and
fund-raising) event.
Carrying water-Fill a five-gallon water
cooler jug with water and invite
people to carry it around the church for as long as
they can. Tell people that 80 billion man-hours
(actually, mostly woman-hours) are used up annually
just carrying water from wells and streams.
More ideas coming (and be sure and send us
yours)
... and also on the EGR website.
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