wfn.org | [ENS] Millennium Development Goals: Episcopalians note progress

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Daybook, from the Episcopal News Service

August 18, 2005 -- Friday Forum

Millennium Development Goals: Episcopalians note progress

ERD launches MDG section on website

It's been nearly two years since the Episcopal Church passed Resolution
D006
http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution-complete.pl?re
solution=2003-D006 at the 2003 General Convention aligning itself with
the
United Nation's (U.N.) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which pledge
1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;
2) achieve universal primary education;
3) promote gender equality and empower women;
4) reduce child mortality;
5) improve maternal health;
6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases;
7) ensure environmental stability and;
8) develop a global partnership for development.

"I think we're doing really well," said the Rev. Michael Kinman,
Episcopal
chaplain at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and member of
the
Church's Standing Commission on Anglican and International Peace with
Justice Concerns. "We have contacts in just about every diocese working
on
this."

Resolution D006 reaffirmed the 2000 General Convention's resolutions
A001
http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution-complete.pl?re
solution=2000-A001 and D033
http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution-complete.pl?re
solution=2000-D033 and issued a challenge to all diocese and
congregations
to contribute 0.7 percent of their annual budgets to fund international
development programs. It also called on the appropriate offices and
staff of
the Episcopal Church Center, in cooperation with Episcopal Relief and
Development (ERD), to promote among dioceses and congregations education
about and participation in the 0.7 percent contribution for
international
development.

Kinman, also of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation (EGR)
http://www.episcopalglobalreconciliation.org/commitment.html , an
emerging
network of lay and ordained economists, business people, students,
social
organizers, theologians, attorneys, labor activists, and advocates
united in
their pursuit of justice and peace, said that two years ago "people
didn't
know what the MDGs were, so what we are doing is educating ourselves."

"The stories of transformation have been incredible," Kinman said. "I
think
that by the next General Convention, we will have 1/2 to 2/3 on board
with
this."

ERD's MDGs website

Continuing to do its part, ERD recently launched a MDGs section on their
website: http://www.er-d.org/mdg

The new 20-page section, called "What Can One Person Do? The MDGs and
You,"
provides information about the MDGs, cites examples related to ERD's
programs and key issues, and provides ideas for how one person can make
a
difference.

ERD also worked in partnership with EGR and Episcopal Public Policy
Network
to develop new downloadable materials, including a brochure, pew card,
and
survey.

"The MDGs are integral to each of Episcopal Relief and Development's
programs," said Robert W. Radtke, ERD president. "Our site can be used
to
find valuable resources on how we can work together to eliminate extreme
global poverty."

Meeting to find concrete ways

On Sunday, September 11, leaders from a wide range of Christian
denominations worldwide will gather privately at Washington National
Cathedral to discuss concrete ways the faith community can better aid
the
U.N. and its MDGs.

Following these deliberations, a delegation will travel to New York to
present a communiqué to the U.N. on the eve of its 60th General
Assembly
session, beginning Wednesday, September 14.

Among those expected to attend the sessions at the Cathedral are Lord
George
Leonard Carey, retired archbishop of Canterbury; Presiding Bishop Frank
Griswold of the Episcopal Church in the United States; and Archbishop
Andrew
Hutchinson, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. Church leaders
from
numerous African nations attending include Archbishop Njongonkulu
Ndungane
of Cape Town; Lubabalo Ngewu, rector of the College of the
Transfiguration
in South Africa; and Ndaba Mazabane, chair of World Evangelical Alliance
in
South Africa. Religious leaders from Kenya, Botswana and Tanzania will
also
be present.

Other world religious leaders attending the conference include Angel
Furlan,
former president of Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Unida in Brazil; Luis
Prado,
retired Bishop of the Province of Brazil; Dorothy Lau, director of Hong
Kong
Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council; Ishmael Noko, general secretary of the
Lutheran World Federation in Switzerland; Setri Nyomi, general secretary
of
World Alliance of Reformed Churches in Switzerland; Jenny Te Paa,
principal
of the College of Saint John the Evangelist in New Zealand; Richard
Marsh,
director of the International Education Centre of Canterbury College in
the
United Kingdom; and Geoff Tunicliffe, international director of the
World
Evangelical Alliance of Canada.

The convocation will commence in the Cathedral nave with a lecture by
Dr.
Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University,
at
2:00 p.m. Sachs, who was recently named by TIME magazine one of the 100
most
influential leaders in the world, is also a special adviser to U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, on the MDGs. His address and an interfaith
prayer service at 4 p.m. are open to the public.

The convocation, officially called the Consultation of Religious Leaders
on
Global Poverty at Washington National Cathedral, is an initiative of the
Cathedral's recently-established Center for Global Justice and
Reconciliation. The Rev. Canon John L. Peterson, former secretary
general of
the Anglican Communion, directs the center. The center forges
collaborations
within the Anglican Communion, among Christian denominations, and with
interfaith partners, governments, NGOs, and the private sector.

D006 Implementation Update [Source: EGR]

Participating dioceses as of August 9, 2005:
Total number of dioceses engaged in 0.7% in some form - 48
Percentage of dioceses engaged-44
Percentage of dioceses giving at 0.7% or above - 18.3

Dioceses currently giving at 0.7% or who have 2005 budgets with 0.7%
included in them as of April 1, 2005 (20):
Bethlehem (giving at close to 2%)
California (diocesan giving at 0.62%, expect parish supplements to meet
or
exceed 0.7%)
Central New York
Convocation of American Churches in Europe
Delaware
Eastern Michigan (giving at 1%)*
Hawaii
Iowa
Los Angeles
Maine
Massachusetts*
Michigan (gave $17, 029 in 2005 - 0.7% giving since 2003)
Missouri
Nevada (giving at 0.88%)
New Jersey
Newark
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh
Western Massachusetts

*Also has passed resolution asking congregations to give at 0.7% (1% for
E.
Michigan)

Dioceses that passed resolutions commending D006 and urging
congregations to
give at 0.7% (1):
Wyoming

Dioceses that have passed resolutions calling for diocesan giving at
0.7% in
2005 budget and urging congregations to give at 0.7% (9):
Chicago
East Tennessee
Kentucky
Long Island
Milwaukee
New York
Rhode Island
Southeast Florida* (failed to get into 2005 budget, will try again in
2006)
Southern Virginia

Dioceses that have passed resolutions calling for diocesan giving at
0.7% in
2006 budget and urging congregations to give at 0.7% (8):
Atlanta
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Iowa
New Hampshire
Ohio
San Diego

Dioceses that have passed resolutions calling for "study" before
committing
funds (2):
Olympia
West Missouri

Dioceses that will be presenting resolutions at their next convention
calling for diocesan giving at 0.7% in 2007 budget and urging
congregations
to give at 0.7% (8)"
Alabama
Indianapolis
Kansas
Maryland
Mississippi
Southwest Florida
Upper South Carolina
Vermont

Dioceses that will present some sort of MDG resolution at their 2005
convention (1):
Minnesota

Working toward 0.7% giving, hope to be there in 2006 (2):
Alaska
Arkansas