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A Current Focus of Christian Churches
Together in the USA
Domestic Poverty is a focus of Christian Churches Together in the
USA. We invite all churches and organizations to engage this issue
in any way that is appropriate in your setting. We would like to hear of such
engagements so we can report about them to other participants and in
order to share ideas for study and action that have worked in actual
practice. Please send your reports (and additional suggested
resources) to dhamm@ddi.org.
January 2009 Report: Implementing the
Call to Cut Poverty in Half
The following link goes to a report generated from the January 2009
Annual Meeting in which participants sought to identify some
particular strategies for addressing poverty.
January 2009 Report:
Implementing the Call to Cut Poverty in Half.
| Some Reported Actions by CCT
Participants and others |
- June, 2009, The Reformed
Church in America
In it’s General Synod meeting, the Church adopted a
resolution (R53) “To direct the General Synod Council to
make the Christian Churches Together poverty objectives a
priority; and further, to widely share the Christian
Churches Together Statement on Poverty and subsequent
principles and ideas with congregations and encourage
congregations to take active steps in confronting poverty in
the community. Reported by Earl James, coordinator of
multiracial ministries and social justice.
- January, 2009, The
Mennonite Church USA
The Mennonite Church USA became an “outreach partner”
for the Mobilization to End Poverty sponsored by Sojourners,
World Vision and others in Washington, DC, April 26-29, 09.
Through this initiative, Mennonite Central Committee US and
Mennonite Central Committee East Coast also became outreach
partners. Using newsletters, e-mail networks and bulletin
announcements they drew the attention of their members to
this event and the scandal of domestic poverty. They
enlisted church members in six east coast and mid-west
cities to recruit participants. They also offered several
thousand dollars in scholarships to help young adult/student
and racial/ethnic members of our churches attend. Reported
by Andre Gingerich Stoner, Director of Interchurch
Relations, Mennonite Church USA.
- December, 2008, The
Church of the Brethren
The Church’s Global Food Crisis Fund and Emergency
Disaster Fund began a new program last winter to encourage
congregations to make a special effort to respond to local
food bank or soup kitchen financial needs. The "Domestic
Hunger Matching Grant" program is a partnership with the
Church of the Brethren's stewardship department.
Congregations were matched dollar for dollar — up to $500 —
for a gift to one local food bank or soup kitchen. The
program was in place through March 15. It was developed "in
response to the worsening supply crisis in our nation's food
banks," said Ken Neher, director of stewardship and donor
development.
To qualify for the grant a congregation had to raise new
funds for the food crisis, fill out and return an
application form, and enclose a copy of the check it wrote
to the food bank or soup kitchen. Matching checks were then
issued in the charity's name and mailed to the requesting
congregation for forwarding to the local organization.
Matching grants were available until the $50,000 set aside
for the program by the two funds was exhausted.
- November 10, 2008,
The Ecumenical Commission of the Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ) in Indiana and the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of
the United Church of Christ met and affirmed the CCT
Statement On Poverty. This is the first middle
judicatory-level body in the country to do so.
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Resources for Study and Action
The following resources have been offered by participants in
CCT. Our thanks to Gary Cook of Bread for the World and Adam Taylor
of Sojourners for gathering these. We will add to the list as we
receive further suggestions.
| Resources
available through websites |
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| Other
resources |
- “Hungry for Justice: A
six week guide for praying daily, building community,
and changing the world”: from the editors of Sojourners
magazine. Available at
www.sojo.net
- “Who Is My Neighbor?
Economics As If Values Matter”. Available at
www.sojo.net
- “Hunger no More” A six
session guide developed cooperatively by 23 churches and
organizations through the Bread for The World Institute
and available at
www.bread.org or
www.hungernomore.org
- “A Place at the Table”
and related resources developed by the Committees on
Domestic and International Policy of the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops are available at
www.usccb.org/sdwp
and from the Bishops’
Catholic Campaign
for Human Development
- Catholic Charities USA,
2006 Policy Paper, “Poverty in America: A Threat to The
Common Good”, available from Catholic Charities USA,
www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
- “Just Neighbors Tool
Kit” is an excellent resource for helping church groups
understand the nature and impact of poverty. It offers
nine sessions, but each can also be used as
“stand-alone”. It is used by Catholic and Protestant
churches across the nation. More information available
at
www.justneighbors.net and
www.familypromise.org. A Catholic Social Teaching
Supplement is also available.
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