Micah Challenge Sunday

“And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Micah Challenge Community Prayer

God of all creation: We pray to you at a moment in history of unique potential, when the stated intentions of world leaders echo something of the mind of the Biblical prophets and the teachings of Jesus concerning the poor, and when we have the means to dramatically reduce poverty.

Today, we want to commit ourselves, as followers of Jesus, to work together for the holistic transformation of our communities, to pursue justice, be passionate about kindness and to walk humbly with God. We pray that you will transform the hearts of decision-makers of both rich and poor nations, to fulfill their public promise to those living in impoverished and marginalized communities; the promise they made to bring an end to extreme poverty.

We pray that your Spirit will stir Christians everywhere to be agents of hope for and with the poor, and to work with others to hold our leaders accountable in securing a more just and merciful world. May your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. In justice, mercy and humility we pray. Amen.

Blogging what's happening at the UN on MDGs

If you visit here.

You will find that Bono and Jeffrey Sachs blog for FT.com from the Millennium Development Goals summit and surrounding meetings in New York

Bono is lead singer of U2 and co-founder of the One campaign

Jeffrey Sachs is a development economist and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the author of The End of Poverty.

Interesting thoughts from them. I like Bono's comments here...

"We’ll be talking a lot about where we are falling short on the MDGs, but it’s worth also talking about the good news. Since the turn of the millennium, 29million more kids are in school in Africa.

Since 2002, 2million Africans are on lifesaving ARVS.

Since 2003, 59million bednets have been distributed in Africa. In the last 2 years, Rwanda and Ethiopia have cut malaria cases and deaths by more than 50%.

For those of you, the many of you, questioning aid on this site, you’re not wrong to suggest that it’s not the only answer. Of course it’s not. It’s trade, it’s governance, it’s private investment. But aid is critical… ask Germany, ask Ireland. See it as a leg-up, not a hand-out."

Check them out!

More on the MDGs

Members and friends of the Episcopal Church marched in a "walk of prayerful witness" on September 25 in New York to UN headquarters in support of the Millennium Development Goals. From left, Debi Frock of the Diocese of Maryland, Bishop Nelson Onono-Onweng of the Diocese of Northern Uganda, Bishop Nedi Rivera of the Diocese of Olympia, Alex Baumgarten of the Episcopal Church's Office of Public Policy.

The Ven. Michael Kendall marched on September 25 in the Episcopal Church's "walk of prayerful witness" in support of the UN's Millennium Development Goals.



[Episcopal News Service] Parts of New York City September 25 were more awash than usual with diplomats, business leaders, royalty, advocates young and old, Episcopalians and Anglicans as the United Nations convened a day-long "high-level event" aimed at gaining a recommitment from the world's leaders to the Millennium Development Goals.

Meanwhile, in fulfillment of the recent Lambeth Conference's call, the Episcopal Church designated September 25 as a day of prayer, fasting and witness.

Halfway between the birth of the MDGs in 2000 and their target for achievement in 2015, the General Assembly session, with its surrounding activities, was meant to "inject new energy into the global partnership for development," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of South Korea told the assembly. "We are the first generation to possess the resources, knowledge and skills to eliminate poverty. Experience shows that where there is strong political resolve, we see progress."

Ban asked the assembly to agree to his proposal for what he called "a formal summit" in 2010 to take stock again of MDG achievements and announce a plan for the last five years before the target date.

Read the rest here.

Learn more about what you can do...

Learn more about what you can do...

Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation (EGR) is an Episcopal grassroots movement of connection and collaboration to seek and serve Christ in the extreme poor around the world.

What is EGR's mission?

Direct the Church's attention globally - Using the Millennium Development Goals as a structure for living out Christ’s call to seek and serve him in “the least of these” (Matthew 25)

Make explicit the Christ center of the MDG movement in the Church - Draw people to this mission not as a secular agenda but as a way to fulfill Jesus’ words “that all might have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10)

Herald a call to conversion at every level of our common life - Lift up the opportunity and need for confession, repentance and amendment of life. Let Christ change us so we can be part of God’s mission of global reconciliation – individually and corporately.

ONE Episcopalian™ is a grassroots partnership between The Episcopal Church and the ONE Campaign to rally Episcopalians – ONE by ONE – to the cause of ending extreme poverty in our world and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The ONE Campaign is a movement of American of all beliefs and every walk of life, united as ONE to help make poverty history. Join this historic campaign, as ONE by ONE we change the world.

Out on the front lines...

Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States, guided by the Episcopal Church’s principles of compassion, dignity and generosity as we work to heal a hurting world. We take our mandate from the words of Jesus, found in Matthew 25: 37-40, that call us to feed the hungry, care for the sick and welcome the stranger.

The MDG Inspiration Fund was launched in 2007 by Episcopal Relief & Development, Jubilee Ministries and the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church. Focusing specifically on achieving MDGs 4, 5 and 6, the Fund implements programs to fight malaria and other preventable diseases in Africa and Asia, and provides basic health care, health education, and sanitation systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.

With just a few simple interventions, we help to save millions of lives:

• Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets provide protection from malaria — a preventable illness that kills 1 million people every year.
  
• Basic sanitation systems and wells eliminate water-borne diseases that claim the lives of 4,000 children every day.
  
• Smokeless stoves reduce acute respiratory infections and chronic respiratory disease — the leading cause of death in children under 5 in Latin America.
  
• Knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevents the spread of the disease, which has now killed 25 million people and left 15 million orphans.

The Karen Emergency Relief Fund Inc. exists for the sole purpose of helping a group of people in need -- the Karen people of Burma. In 1999 and 2006 the United Nations mounted great efforts to stop the killing in Kosovo and East Timor (newly named as Timor-Leste). But nothing was done to end the killing, robbing and raping of the Karen people of Burma -- or to stop the oppression conducted by the illegal military dictatorship of that country.

The Karen Emergency Relief Fund, Inc. works to ease the sorrow and pain of the Karen people – especially women and children – who are suffering the horrors of ethnic cleansing.

Archbishop of Canterbury calls for greater co-operation to meet MDGs

Archbishop calls for greater co-operation to meet MDGs

Wednesday 24 September 2008

On the eve of the United Nations General Assembly meeting on Millennium Development Goals in New York, the Archbishop of Canterbury has underlined the commitment of the Anglican Church to continue to work for the eradication of poverty.

In a video message the Archbishop has backed calls for a renewal of the pledges made by the international community in 2000, and spoke of the need for the Anglican Church to work in harmony with governments and NGOs around the world in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015:

"...much of the work that's being done by the Anglican Church covers very comprehensively the Millennium Development Goals. We want to anchor that work in worldwide co-operation. We want to do that work in synergy with those governments and NGOs who are working for the same end. And we want to let Governments and NGOs know that we are there and we are ready. ....Let this meeting in New York be an occasion where the consciences and the hearts of all are truly touched and changed, turned towards the needs of the poorest, turned towards the recognition that we have it in our hands to make a difference"

The video message follows on from the manifesto that was formally handed to Gordon Brown PM at the conclusion of the Walk of Witness during the Lambeth Conference in July. In the manifesto the bishops of the Anglican Communion urged that:

"When they meet in New York at the United Nations on 25th September, world leaders must find greater political commitment to addressing poverty and inequality. A timetable for achieving the MDGs by 2015 needs to be created. Our leaders need to invest in and strengthen their partnership with the Church worldwide, so that its extensive delivery network for education and health care, alongside other faiths, is fully utilised in the eradication of extreme poverty."

The video message can be viewed on the Lambeth Palace YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/lambethpress

Letter to the Church in the US

Let all those who can hear, listen to what our brothers and sisters from the south are saying to us...

August, 2008

TO THE CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES

As the Church of the Lord in what is known as the “Southern” part of the world, moved by the Holy Spirit to fight for the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers, we address our Christian family in the United States, a Church of the same covenant, faith and love. Grace and Peace to all of our brothers and sisters.

We know your works of love; these works have allowed millions of human beings for many generations in our countries in the South to receive the gospel, the Grace of Jesus Christ and the power of His Salvation. The U.S. church’s untiring missionary effort planted in our lands Hope in Him who came to reconcile EVERYTHING.

Nevertheless, the political, social and economic situation in the places where this hope has been announced is increasingly distressing. Millions of people in the global South are dying of hunger, violence and injustice. These situations of poverty and pain are not simply the product of the internal functions of our countries; rather they are the results of the international policies of the governments that wield global power.

Therefore, we have this against you, brothers and sisters, that along with this powerful announcing of the Gospel, the Church from the United States has not also raised its voice in protest against the injustices that powerful governments and institutions are inflicting on the global South - injustices that afflict the lives and ecosystems of millions of people who, centuries after the proclamation of the Gospel, still have not seen the sweat of their brow turned into bread.

The worsening inequality and poverty in the South is alarming. Seven years since the United States and 191 other nations publicly promised to cut extreme global poverty in half by the year 2015 through the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), your country has made only a little progress towards fulfilling its commitments.

The MDGs should stir us to action because they echo the calls of the biblical prophets for justice and equity. Further, they are achievable and measurable markers on the roadmap to end extreme global poverty. And so we ask you as sisters and brothers, citizens of the wealthiest most powerful nation on earth, to publicly challenge your candidates and political leaders – now and after the elections are over - to lead the world in the struggle to cut global poverty in half by 2015. If you who know the Truth will not speak for us who will?

The Church in the United States has the opportunity today to be faithful to the Hope that it preaches. We urge you to remember that the Hope to which you were called as a messenger demands that you seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s justice.

Out of love for us, the global Church, in holiness, use your citizenship responsibly for the benefit of the entire world; it is for this very reason that the Lord poured out His life on the Cross.

All who have ears, let them hear what the Lord says to His Church.

28 Pastors of Global South Churches

Prayers for MDG Day

Some prayers for today:

Almighty and eternal God: may your grace enkindle in all hearts a love for the many unfortunate people whom poverty and misery reduce to a condition unworthy of human beings. Arouse in the hearts of those who call you Father a hunger and thirst for social justice and for love in deed and in truth. Grant, O Lord, peace in our days, peace to souls, peace to families, peace to our country, and peace among nations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. - Pope Pius XII

Lord God Almighty, our help and defender: Deliver those of us who are oppressed, have compassion on the humble, lift up the fallen, reveal yourself to the needy, heal the sinners, call back those who have gone astray, feed the hungry, liberate prisoners, raise up the sick, and encourage the faint-hearted. May all the nations know that you alone are God, that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that we are your people and the sheep of your pasture; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. - Saint Clement of Rome

Most loving God, as your desire for mercy for those who are poor is unrelenting, may we be unrelenting in our pursuit of mercy for all; as your compassion for the suffering of the poor knows no limit, may our hearts overflow with compassion for all. Open our eyes to the structures of oppression from which we benefit, And give us wisdom to chart a sound course amid complexity, and perseverance to continue our work until it is finished. Breathe your life giving spirit into your Church to free us from apathy and indifference; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. - adapted from St Paul’s Cathedral, London

O Holy God, you love righteousness and hate iniquity: strengthen we pray, the hands of all who strive for justice throughout the world, and seeing that all human beings are your offspring, move us to share the pain of those who are oppressed, and to promote the dignity and freedom of every person; through Jesus Christ the Liberator, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. - A (Episcopal) Priest's Handbook

MDG Day

Today is MDG Day, people the world over are marking this Day of Prayer, Fasting and Advocacy for the MDGs.

I will be blogging all day about the Millennium Development Goals and our role in them.

You are invited to:

+Pray. Say prayers with special intention for the extreme poor throughout the world.

Loving God, whose hand is open to satisfy the needs of every living creature: Break down the barriers of ignorance, indifference, and greed, we pray, that the multitudes who hunger may share your bounty; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

+Fast. Skip at least one meal in solidarity with the nearly 1 billion people who go to bed hungry each night. (As possible depending on health ... consult your doctor if in doubt)

+Witness. Participate in an online advocacy action promoting our government's fulfilling its promises to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Click here to send an email to your Congressional leaders urging our nation to keep its promises to make the MDGs happen!

More to come!

The MDGs: Marking the half-way point

The year 2008 is the halfway point to 2015, the target year for accomplishing the eight Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000 by the United Nations.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has called a “High-Level Event” on Thursday, September 25 at which world leaders and others will discuss the progress toward the MDGs and the efforts that will still be needed to accomplish them.

To mark this occasion, the Anglican Communion will hold a solemn Evensong on September 25 at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of the Episcopal Church will celebrate: Archbishop of York John Sentamu will preach.

The Primates of the Anglican Communion have been invited to the Evensong by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan D. Williams through the Office of the Anglican Observer at the United Nations.

The observance was endorsed by the bishops attending the recent Lambeth Conference in Canterbury, England, who said in their reflections document, “The Provinces of the Communion call for a day of prayer and fasting and witness on 25th September 2008 when there is a special session of the United Nations to discuss the Millennium Development Goals.”

What can be done to help?

Several organizations within the Episcopal Church are working continually on ways to fulfill the MDGs, in response to Christ’s command to care for the people of the world:

• Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, in solidarity with people of faith throughout the world and in response to the Anglican Communion’s call, invites all church members to commit on September 25 to:

Pray. Say prayers with special intention for the extreme poor throughout the world.

Fast. Skip at least one meal in solidarity with the nearly 1 billion people who go to bed hungry each night. (As possible depending on health; consult your doctor if in doubt)

Witness. Participate in an online advocacy action promoting our government’s fulfilling its promises to achieve the MDGs.

For more information, or to participate, visit www.e4gr.org.

• The Episcopal Public Policy Network will identify an MDG advocacy action for September 25. For information, visit www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn

• Episcopal Relief and Development is working actively throughout the world to achieve the MDGs. To donate online, visit www.er-d.org; by mail, Episcopal Relief & Development, P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, Virginia 22116-7058; by phone (with a credit card), 800-334-7626, ext. 5129.

"The year 2008 should mark a turning point in progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Together with the President of the General Assembly, I am convening a special High-level Event on the MDGs on 25 September in New York. This gathering will bring together world leaders, representatives of the private sector and our civil society partners to discuss specific ways to energize our efforts. I expect the meeting will also send a strong message that governments are ready to rise to the financing for development challenge. I look forward to working with Member States to make the September event an unqualified success. Together, we must make this year one of unprecedented progress for the poorest of the poor, so that we can realize a better, more prosperous future for all.”

—Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General, April 1, 2008

Raising our voices on Poverty

"The Provinces of the Communion call for a day of prayer and fasting and witness on 25th September 2008 when there is a special session of the United Nations to discuss the Millennium Development Goals." (2008 Lambeth Conference Reflections Document)

In solidarity with people of faith throughout the world and in response to the Anglican Communion's call, Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation invites you to commit on Thursday, September 25 to:

+Pray. Say prayers with special intention for the extreme poor throughout the world.

+Fast. Skip at least one meal in solidarity with the nearly 1 billion people who go to bed hungry each night. (As possible depending on health ... consult your doctor if in doubt)

+Witness. Participate in an online advocacy action promoting our government's fulfilling its promises to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Read about it here.

I will be blogging more about this and will be part of the World MDG Blogging Day.

Marching for the MDGs (Virtually)

On Thursday, July 24, more than 600 Anglican bishops, their spouses and other faith leaders from around the United Kingdom will march through central London to show the Anglican Communion’s support of the Millennium Development Goals and making poverty history.

You can “march” with them.

The Episcopal Public Policy Network and Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation are sponsoring a "Virtual March for the MDGs" to coincide with the Lambeth Conference walk. The aim is the same. Only instead of walking through the streets of London with the bishops, we'll be sending emails into Congressional inboxes in Washington, D.C. asking our leaders to share our commitment to the MDGs and making poverty history.

How do I participate?

The "Virtual March" of advocacy -- Just click here to enter your email and sign up for the march. After registering there, on July 24th you'll get an email with a link to click and take an MDG-related advocacy action (the precise action will be decided in the coming weeks. EPPN will choose the most effective action based on the status of various pieces of anti-poverty legislation before Congress). The whole process will take no more than 3 minutes each time.

Join the bishops and support the MDGs.

Deuteronomy 15: Economics of Generosity

Micah Challenge Prayer Friday 20 June 2008

The Poverty and Justice Bible is the first ever to highlight more than 2,000 passages that speak of God’s attitude to poverty and injustice. Challenging the notion that the Bible is a dusty, outdated rulebook, it shows that, on the biggest issues of our day, God got there first.

John Douglas, Executive Assistant of Micah Challenge UK, explores striking verses that impact on society.

Deuteronomy 15.1–18 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts...

God’s justice is not just about what is right and fair but is also about overwhelming generosity. I had never understood this before. And thanks to a sermon I once heard based on this passage, The Economics of Generosity, it became so alive to me in a whole new way.

Verses 1 to 3 deal with the release of debt while verses 12 to 18 are concerned with the release of slaves. Both of these are laws based on two ancient economic laws in Exodus reissued in Deuteronomy with added instruction for generosity and compassion. These laws are designed to protect the impoverished and marginalized on the lower rungs of society.

What strikes me first of all is the fact that God has gone to the lengths and detail of setting out an economic system that is fair and just with the goal of the economic balance he wants to see in society. God has not only considered the plight of the poor but also the responsibility of having plenty, giving clear instruction on how to honor him.

In Deuteronomy 15.1–18 God presents both his ideal, ‘No one in Israel should ever be poor’ (4) and the fallen human reality that, ‘There will always be some Israelites who are poor and needy.’ (11) But that does not leave us without excuse because generosity functions as a bridge between this ideal and our reality while God’s laws function as a break from the relentless economic forces at work within society. God tells us that we are not meant to be ‘mean and selfish’ with our money; we are called to ‘be kind’ and ‘be happy to give to the poor what they need’. Slaves, when they were released, were not to be sent off with mere well wishes but an incredibly generous redundancy package of ‘sheep and goats and a good supply of grain and wine.’ God instills generosity in these laws so that his people will reflect to the world the generosity they have been shown by him.

At one point in the sermon, the preacher stated, ‘If there was a far great commitment, let alone from the G8 and all those other forces, if there was even commitment among the world Church to commit itself to some kind of fairness and justice and generosity, what a difference that would make and what a prophetic sign that would be.’

So as God’s desire for justice and his concern for the poor are plain for us to see, will we commit to fairness, justice and generosity as his people? Can we be the generation that will make that difference and be a prophetic sign to the world?

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/deuteronomy.15.gods.justice/17407.htm

Sign up to Pray every Friday!

Each Friday thousands of Christians in different countries pray for Micah Challenge and we warmly invite you to join with us. To subscribe please send a blank email to regine.nagel@micahchallenge.org with the words 'subscribe prayer' in the subject line. You will receive a short email each week containing prayer points from our national campaigns, a bible verse and study article, and a current statistic as a focus for meditation. An archive of study articles and statistics are also available as a resource for preparing learning materials and presentations.

Hoops for Hope: Join EGR's March Gladness!

"March Gladness" - taking the NCAA basketball tournament and turning it into a way to raise awareness and money for relieving global poverty. Here's how it works:

*Instead of an entry fee, there is a small donation ($10) per bracket

*Along with your bracket(s), you designate a nonprofit (must be an official 501(c)3 whose work contributes to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals) that you will be picking for.

*Instead of the winners taking home the pot, all money raised will be given to the designated MDG-related organizations.

Find out more here:

"What One Can Do" - The Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation blog: Hoops for Hope: Join EGR's March Gladness!

I signed up. Go UConn!

Remember to complete your brackets before registration closes at tip off of the first game of Round 1 on Thursday, March 20.

The Micah Challenge

Micah Challenge is a global Christian campaign. Our aims are to deepen our engagement with impoverished and marginalised communities; and to challenge international leaders, and leaders of rich and poor countries, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and so halve absolute global poverty by 2015!

...what does the LORD require of you? To do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

Part of their mission is a weekly prayer emailing like the one you see below. You can receive it in your email box every week send a blank email to regine.nagel@micahchallenge.org
with the words 'subscribe prayer' in the subject line.

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To mark the International Women's Day 2008 on 8 March, our reflection today is on the effects of global poverty on women.

Poverty affects women more than men, and therefore poverty still has the face of a woman. Please click here to see a drawing that tried to capture the discussion on Integral mission and gender at a Micah Network consultation in Malaysia.

In first-century Palestine, the way Jesus treated women was considered revolutionary. Please reflect on Luke 8: 1-3 where we learn that Jesus allowed women to travel with him and his male disciples. He was not limited by the culture he lived in and allowed women to take part in his ministry to the world.

Prayer

Let us pray:

* That we as individuals and in our churches can be more like Jesus and learn to evaluate our cultural norms through the word of God.
* Our prayer focus today is Micah Challenge in Burkina Faso.

Over the past few weeks the country has seen unrest and violence due to an increase of basic goods prices of over 200%. This may be due to the soaring global food prices which have triggered riots over the cost of living in several Sahelian countries which are highly dependent on imported wheat and rice.

Many demonstrators have been imprisoned without being heard by a judge and there are reports of torture.

Ines Lompo from Micah Challenge in Burkina Faso writes:

· Please pray for our government (the prime minister is attending an Assembly of God church in Burkina) that they will react wisely and effectively to the tension that has arisen by the increased prices and seek to act justly.

· Pray that the root causes of the increase of prices will be tackled.

· Pray for the economic sector of Burkina: for transparency, consumer protection and fair prices.

· Please also pray for our church leaders as they seek to respond to the crisis speaking of truth, justice and mercy.

* Reflecting on the statistic below: Lord, we pray for victims of violent conflicts and wars all over the world. We pray for the women and children in their suffering, have mercy!

Meditate on the Statistics

As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we include each week (see below). Our hope is that you will find this series of statistics a useful resource in preparing presentations.

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Target 3.A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015

‘At the beginning of the 20th century, 90% of war victims were soldiers and 10% civilians. In the wars of the last decade, 90% of the victims were civilians mostly women and children.’

Source: Newsletter Gender and Armed Conflict, 2007

The newsletter, although produced for Western Asia, provides a good overview of impacts of wars and armed conflict on women and recommendations on how to mainstream these gender concerns. www.escwa.org.lb

You can also find them on the web here: www.micahchallenge.org

Eat in, Help Out - MDG (1/2 Way Point)

On Saturday, July 7th, we will be at the halfway point of the time frame set for acheiving the Millennium Development Goals. To mark this day, Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation is sponsoring "Eat In to Help Out" -- a national night with friends and family that will help us reflect on the MDGs while building community, both in our own homes and abroad.

And it's as easy as doing something you'd love to do anyway on a summer's eve -- have some friends over for dinner!
Here's how you do it:

STEP 1 - Instead of going out to eat, invite your friends to come
over to your apartment or house one evening. Ask them to bring the money they would normally spend going out to eat.

STEP 2 - Enjoy a great meal together, using some simple resources EGR will provide to have a discussion about global poverty and the MDGs.

STEP 3 - Take the money you would have spent "eating out" and "help out" - give it somewhere to help make the MDGs happen. You can give online to Episcopal Relief & Development find a microfinance project on www.kiva.org, give to something you're already involved in - it's your choice.

STEP 4 - Get on the map. Once you've decided to host a party, put yourself on our online map, and let us know you'll be doing it. After your group has made their gift, log into our other online map and record:

-Where the dinner was (e.g. San Francisco)
-How many attended (e.g. 7)
-How much money was raised (e.g. $120)
-Where the money was given (e.g. through Kiva to a project in Kenya)

Check back and see how we all did!

When we're all done we'll have a big map of all the places that"ate in," all the places in the world that were "helped out" and arunning total of diners and how much money we raised. Not a bad
night's (or week's) work!

If you can't do it on Saturday, July 7 -- don't sweat it. We'd love everyone to host meal sometime during the week of July 1-7, but if you can't do it then, do it some other time! The idea is for these dinners is to be a low-key way to engage people one on one with the MDGs. They don't have to be fancy and you don't have to make a formal presentation! Do whatever works for you and your friends. You can invite friends who are already working with the MDGs, or people who have never heard of them before.

For more information, visit here.

on the Millennium Development Goals

You have heard me preach on them, I've wrote about them, here is an important voice on the MDGs...

Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of Cape Town, Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, has been one of the leading voices on issues of peace and justice throughout the Anglican Communion and is steadfast in his endorsement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In an interview with the Episcopal News Service, Ndungane offers an overview of the MDGs and speaks about ways in which people can become involved in the fight against global poverty.

Video and audio streams of Ndungane's interview are available here.

The full text can be found here.

"Therefore, it's calling our Church to the fundamentals of who we are as God's servants, as God's stewards, as those who are called to make a difference to the people's lives."