From Hans van de Vorst

This is what poverty looks like - helpless, naked, bowed down in defeat.  Every day, we collectively walk past the 30,000 children in the world that die from extreme poverty - we look this child in the eye, then walk away.  Male or female, black white or brown, gay or straight - our tolerance of poverty and the lack of hospitality we show the hungry is an outrage that, for me at least, far outstrips any other challenge facing the body of Christ.

With that as my lens, of all the things coming out of the most recent denominational meeting of my tribe, the biggest (and least reported) advance that I can see is the overwhelming embrace of the Millennium Development Goals as the number one mission priority of the Episcopal  Church.  Mike Kinman at  reports:

The Episcopal Church put its money where its mouth is---on the MDGs!

                 

The Episcopal Church budget for the triennium showed the depth of the commitment our church is making toward the MDGs ... and the degree to which God's mission of global reconciliation captured the heart, mind, spirit and imagination of this Convention. It includes:

*A line item representing more than 0.7% of the budget dedicated to supporting the MDGs. 

*An additional $1,326,000 in new and increasing mission funds that support the MDGs in various ways.

*A challenge to every department and funded mission and ministry of the Church to give 0.7% of their money toward the MDGs.

*A pledge by all members of the Program, Budget and Finance Committee to pledge 0.7% of their personal incomes toward the MDGs and a challenge to all Bishops and General Convention Deputies to do the same.

"My passion is for mission. Because I think that's how we build the reign of God. The Millennium Development Goals give us an image, an icon or a lens, if you will, for how we can build the reign of God in our own day. They're achievable. They're achievable in less than 10 years if we can commit as nations and communities and individuals across the world to do it. That is remarkable! It's the first time in history when we have been able to say that it's possible to make poverty history. I think that's a great and glorious and incredibly engaging model for what it means to be church!"

Those are the words of our new presiding bishop- elect, the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, in an interview with General Convention Nightly (see the whole interview here.). Bishop Schori's election is a landmark in many ways for the Episcopal Church, but chief among them is how it embodies the commitment to God's mission of global reconciliation incarnated in the Millennium Development Goals that has been breaking through in powerful ways throughout this convention.

Why is this so vital ?

EGR reports the following:

According to researchers John and Sylvia Ronsvalle of empty tomb, inc., if members of historically Christian churches in the US had tithed in 2001, they would have given an additional $143.4 billion to the work of their churches.

How much of a difference could Episcopalians make? Trained as both a priest and economist, the Rev. Jay Lawlor, also with the Cambridge Consultation, worked as a research economist for Sachs at the Center for International Development at Harvard before attending seminary. Based on 2003 General Convention figures, Lawlor said:

· If every Episcopal diocese gave 0.7% of income we would raise $ 1.2 million per year

· If every Episcopal congregation gave 0.7% of income we would raise $9.8 million per year

· If every Episcopalian gave 0.7% of his or her income we would raise $354 million per year.

And an individual who earns $50,000 a year could make a difference just by donating $350--0.7 of 1% of their earnings.

Comments

[Pastor Ken Silva]

What a sad day for the apostate Episcopal Church. The social gospel was tried before and it will not work apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, but He has removed this pitiful denominations' lampstand.

[Michelle]

I agree wholeheartedly with the first paragraph of your post. However, what on earth are we going to do about greedy human nature? I just hate it when war, politicians, etc. create barriers to aid for the poor. I get down about it if I think about it too much. What do you think can be done to overcome the corruption that many aid agencies must deal with?