Diocesan Jubilee Officer Cedar Rapids Gathering

Diocesan Jubilee Officer Cedar Rapids Gathering Session Four: New Program Development March 28, 2009 Working Together for Justice Working Together for Justice

Goals for New Program Development • To introduce distinctions between Jubilee Ministries that are congregationally based and those which are agency based • Review Resolution history of Jubilee Ministry & Diocesan Jubilee Officers • Contrast histories with survey interests expressed while making review • Seek further clarification of the questions throughout to assure targeted program visioning and development • To recognize the important work of ECSA and to distinguish between that work and our identity as members of the Jubilee Ministry network • 37.0 % (Strongly Agree);48.1% (Agree); 14.8% (Disagree); 0% (Strongly Disagree) • To introduce the Model for Domestic Poverty Alleviation and to make a direct connection between Jubilee Ministry and its role supporting this commitment • Will accomplish through Morning Prayer with Theological Reflection • Brochure and Study Guide • Discussion around Model for Domestic Poverty Alleviation • To introduce the Excellence in Ministry Recognition program Working Together for Justice Working Together for Justice

Resolution Number: 1985-A106Title: Request That Each Diocese Appoint a Jubilee OfficerLegislative Action Taken: Concurred As Amended • Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That in each diocese there be appointed a Jubilee officer who will • become informed on all facets of the Jubilee Ministry, • serve as a liaison to the Jubilee Ministry Commission, and • be available as a resource to their bishops and congregations and • otherwise bring support to further Jubilee Ministries [in each diocese of the Church]. Working Together for Justice Working Together for Justice

Congregational and Agency Based Ministries The Jubilee Ministries in my diocese consist of the following: • Congregational Based 88.5% • Small Agencies 69.2% • Large Agencies 38.5% • Ecumenical Ministries 50.0% • Interfatih Partnerships 42.3% Working Together for Justice

Feedback from survey comments. What are the major differences between Congregation and Agency based Jubilee Ministries? • Size, funding sources, and Vestry/Board of Directors oversight • Scope is smaller in congregation-based ministries; they tend to appear, work, then disappear because they are based on the passion of one person or group. • Congregational based ministries are smaller, while agency based ministries are more widespread • 501(c)3 are typically ecumenical or interfaith, with an ancillary connection to founding parishes through those members currently active; whereas the parish based are woven into the life and outreach of the faith community • congregation based approved through the Jubilee Office don't exist here. • Congregational ministries are under the supervision of the Rector and Vestry. • We have no agency-based ministries Working Together for Justice

Feedback from survey comments. What are the major differences between Congregation and Agency based Jubilee Ministries? (continued) • Can’t say yet • I don't think I have enough information to accurately answer these questions. The differences, blocks, and issues are different for each congregation. I cannot generalize them. • I am too new to answer this • We have two congregation based ministries that hold a variety of services. • amount of diocesan support • Of the two congregational ministries, one is a ministry to Hispanics in southern MO. The other is a pantry giving toiletries to low income folks. Of the three large agency based ministries, one is a training center for chefs, one is the largest feeding program in Kansas City, MO, and one is a large Parenting Life Skills Center in Springfield, MO. • I think we are mostly congregation based. One of our sites has a partnership with a domestic violence agency. They support the work of this single agency as the biggest part of their ministry. Others are congregational in the sense that they reach out to many agencies, organizations and individual through many means. The ministry of the entire congregation is called upon. Working Together for Justice

Feedback from survey comments. What are the major differences between Congregation and Agency based Jubilee Ministries? (continued) • In the Diocese of Lexington the distinction is the involvement is that Congregational based ministries are primary Episcopal Church centered as opposed to an interfaith focus of member involvement. • Congregation based generally smaller, smaller facilities, smaller reach • Size, mostly. Not certain of the distinctions, in part because some of ours grew from parish-based to spin-off agencies. • Agency based have hired director usually, may not belong to the church, but many church volunteers and financial assistance. The physical place may not be in the church facility. Congregation based is in the church "footprint" and has leadership from church members - Often all volunteer. • Agencies have a elected board of directors, vestry run many church base groups • Congregation based ministry are sponsored by one congregation; agency based usually more interfaith or ecumenical. Working Together for Justice

Feedback from survey comments. What are the major differences between Congregation and Agency based Jubilee Ministries? (continued) • Some of the larger agency-based ministries grew directly out of the initiatives of an individual Episcopal; some are the result of ecumenical efforts to address issues (mostly urban). They mostly address broad social needs. The congregation-based ministries vary greatly; some focus on one specific need, while some congregations address a variety of needs; these tend to be smaller initiatives, but they are still worthwhile programs. • The main difference would be available resources and size of program. Working Together for Justice

What is it? A quick rule of thumb Is the organizational budget approved by the congregation at its Annual Meeting or by a Board of Directors? If the budget is approved by the congregation at its annual meeting, then this is most likely a congregationally based Jubilee Ministry. If the budget is approved by a Board of Directors, then it is most likely an agency based Jubilee Ministry. Congregational and ecumenical cluster ministries rely on congregations to approve outreach support, while approving their program budget. Working Together for Justice

Theological implications for consideration in determining needed resources One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbor as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question. Mark 12:28-34 Working Together for Justice

Theological implications for consideration in determining needed resources Congregations tend to focus on personal piety – loving God with heart, mind, soul and strength Agencies tend to focus on faith in action – loving neighbor as self. To the extent that this observation is true, congregations need help with resources that focus on putting their faith in action, while members of agencies need help with resources that focus on cultivating their relationship with God as the source of their faith. Working Together for Justice

Resources needed to support Congregations doing Jubilee Ministry Working Together for Justice Working Together for Justice

Resources needed to support Congregations doing Jubilee Ministry Survey feedback regarding the blocks to development of congregational based ministries: • I think there is an absence of clergy awareness. • Can't say yet • Yeah, all them in some combination, and what wil usually seem to jumpstart is one person with a burning desire to do the work and then hopefully finding the support in the rector or DJO to do the research, determine what resources are needed to meet the need, then go look for seed money to 'kick start', and work on broader support with the parish • All the above; I believe our chief challenge is critical mass; because we are <5,000 Episcopalians in the whole state, our ministries must be ecumenical; Our one Jubilee Ministry is situated on a circle where every other church in town is located within a few hundred yards; the ministry taps volunteers from one or more of these nearby centers. • Probably lack of knowledge of JM together with lack of money • lack of vision Working Together for Justice

Resources needed to support Congregations doing Jubilee Ministry • Here is a big push for Millennium Development Goals projects that dominates. Currently, the two co-chairs of the MDG's feel all funds should go overseas to help folks earning $1 a day. • Relationship between wider parish and particular ministry/the group that "runs" it. Funding, communication, broadening senes of "ownership," when/why to spin off as 501(c)3, etc. • Often small churches here have an older congregation, not willing to start and lead. BUT the recent gift of $12,000 for a Mustartd Seed Mission to every one of our churches is a huge stimulus and just getting off the ground! Working Together for Justice

Resources needed to support Agencies doing Jubilee Ministry Home of the Innocents, Louisville (above) BridgingArizona, Mesa (at left) Working Together for Justice Working Together for Justice

Resources needed to support Agencies doing Jubilee Ministry Survey feedback regarding major issues facing agency based ministries • Outcome measures (as opposed to "through put" measures) can be most elusive to identify and measure. • Can't say yet • Board training and fund development are frequent but not always asked for, those new to grants usually don't have their measurables in place so will try to match with nonprofit resource center to gain those skills • Not applicable in our diocese • Congregations are small in size. The two centers are at our largest churches. • As far as I know the three large agency based Jubilee Centers are doing well. Working Together for Justice

The important work of Episcopal Community Services in America Presentation and discussion by: Dr. Jay F. Lehnertz, Ph.D.Chair Board of Directors, ECSA President/CEOEpiscopal Community Services of Kansas & West MissouriKansas City, MO www.episcopalcommunity.org Working Together for Justice Working Together for Justice

The Episcopal ChurchandDomestic Poverty Alleviation The Presiding Bishop’s Summit on Domestic Poverty Faith in the Balance: A Call to Action By the Rev. Christopher A. Johnson Program Officer, Domestic Justice and Jubilee Ministries Ash Wednesday 2009 Working Together for Justice

How can we help to break the cycle of poverty? How can we become a place of refuge and healing for the most vulnerable members of our society? How might we be a prophetic voice for those who find themselves stuck in dead-end situations? These are questions Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori challenged participants to address while attending the Summit on Domestic Poverty held at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, in May 2008. Working Together for Justice

Executive Summary The Presiding Bishop convened this leadership gathering envisioning “the development of creative ways in which we can work collectively on common issues, the development of steps to eradicate poverty in the United States, say a word to the nation, point to possible actions at the next General Convention, and recognize, elevate, and celebrate all that is done on behalf of the poor on a daily basis in our congregations, dioceses, and institutions.” Working Together for Justice

This call to action provides a brief introduction that summarizes the summit event as the beginning of a process designed to engage the ministry of the church as a whole in common mission that is informed by Holy Scripture and Holy Baptism. A Model for Domestic Poverty Alleviation is introduced that follows the general format of a congregational development model. The four-point organizing language of Vision, Formation, Networking and Advocacy that emerged at the summit is preserved in the model under the categories of Servant Leadership, Christian Discipleship, Partnership in Mission, and Stewardship of Creation. These four categories are further divided into three subcategories to acknowledge the complexity of the challenges before us and to create opportunity to draw the whole of the church around domestic poverty as a common mission. The model intends to provide a relational structure through which an effective response to domestic poverty can be developed. It does not intend to provide the details of a particular localized response nor does it intend to provide particular strategies that will be adopted by the participants. This design is to assure a broad sense of ownership, which includes ownership by those populations it intends to impact. Working Together for Justice

Stakeholders have been identified to correspond to each of the subcategories based on the focus of their mission. A process has been recommended that outlines necessary action steps for implementation. The details of that process are sufficiently loose at this point so that stakeholders are free to shape the model based on their areas of expertise. The model places its faith in the balance sought among stakeholders as ideas are exchanged and goals are established. The model seeks to nurture faith in the balance between piety and action, personal desire and communal responsibility. Working Together for Justice

SERVANT LEADERSHIP Local/Contextual Consultant Corporate CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP Scripture Reason Tradition PARTNERSHIP IN MISSION Congregations Agencies Fund Partners STEWARDSHIP OF CREATION Time Treasure Talents It is the interdependence of relationships that strikes at the heart of the challenge before us as a faith community seeking to alleviate domestic poverty. The effectiveness of our engagement of each of the four elements we will be developing is dependent upon our willingness and capacity as a body to work for the common good. And, it will be out of this mutual effort that we become a place of refuge and healing for all. The adapted model explores the dynamics interacting between Servant Leadership, Christian Discipleship, Partnership in Mission, and Stewardship of Creation as categories that can accommodate the summit categories of Vision, Formation, Networking, and Advocacy. Working Together for Justice

During the summit we arrived at these four categories as organizing tools to aid us in our conversation. We approached these categories using language as follows: • Vision: to share the blessings we have for the good of the whole; to remember who we are – that we are infinitely valuable Children of God; and to see the infinite value of the Child of God in each of our neighbors. • Formation: to remember that as Christians we are a people of mission, not only overseas, but in our local context as well; the scope of our work is not an either/or dichotomy. • Networking: to assess, coordinate, and disseminate information about various outreach efforts and resources available or needed to alleviate poverty in its domestic context. • Advocacy: to argue and insist on justice for the people of God and for creation and to break away from our history of charity models rather than partnerships. Working Together for Justice

The summit assumed Eleven Essentials of Justice: • Affordable Food • Employment • Affordable Quality Childcare • Education • Healthcare • A Just Immigration Policy • Cultural Affirmation • Equal Protection Under the Law • Economic Opportunity • A Healthy Environment • Housing Working Together for Justice

Partnership in Mission The conversation on Networking at the summit called the Church to: • Promote and develop improved collaboration among stakeholders through comprehensive database management • Establish grant-writing partnerships • Promote ecumenical partnerships • Foster partnerships among grassroots empowerment groups • Partner through shared programs for leadership development • Explore the financial requirements for funding such an initiative • Assure the placement of benchmarks and means for accountability Effective Partnerships are established when people and organizations unite in support of common mission. As applied to the Model for Domestic Poverty Alleviation, such partnerships represented at the summit would naturally bring together representatives of our congregations, social service agencies, and our funding organizations. While each organizational culture has its own particular interests and perceived mandates for existing, in the context of the Church all three seek to serve Christ faithfully through their ministry and the programs they offer. Working Together for Justice

Necessary Actions Steps for Implementation • Identify leadership to oversee each of the four focus areas and facilitate development. • Ask for “buy-in” from each of the organizations suggested, revise those listed if necessary. • Convene an initial gathering of the representatives. • Review comments from the summit event.[1] • Discuss how these four areas compliment one another and are interdependent. • Provide training for group interaction. • Establish measurable goals for each group for the period 2010-2018 based on the categories listed in the 11 Essentials of Justice presented during the summit event. • Form groups to develop general strategies to accomplish goals. • Form groups to develop timelines for monitoring progress. • Develop consolidated list of measurable goals with timelines. • Introduce Native American response as a beta test group through which evaluation and revisions to the model can be made. Working Together for Justice

Necessary Actions Steps for Implementation • Convene Native American leadership from beta test group during 2010-2012. • Repeat step 3. • Establish budget to accomplish goals. • Test goals and timelines established by overall strategy team against those determined by beta test group. • Note variances and weigh importance of those variances to strategies. • Convene focus group leadership to receive Native American plan. • Initiate planning discussions with other target populations during 2011-2012 to design models. • Review contents from step 3. • Apply learning from Native American model. • Repeat step 6 for new target population. • Convene focus group leadership to receive new plans. Working Together for Justice

Excellence in Ministry Recognition Working Together for Justice

Excellence in Ministry Recognition Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. These familiar words from Matthew’s Gospel express our deepest desire of how to serve God faithfully and responsively. Our ministries give shape and form to that expression of desire. I would like to note that for each of us excellence in ministry is a worthy pursuit. It is a worthy pursuit not because its attainment somehow makes us better than others, but rather because we uphold excellence as the very best that we have to offer. With this idea in mind I would like to invite us to acknowledge the excellence that is happening around us. I would like to invite each of you to look around and to consider where excellence in Jubilee Ministry is happening as an expression of the best we have to offer in service to Christ. Working Together for Justice

Excellence in Ministry Recognition Specifically, I would like to invite you to make nominations for Excellence in Ministry for the following three categories. • Jubilee Ministries that are Congregationally driven (budget approved by Congregation) • Jubilee Ministries that are Institutionally driven (budget approved by Board of Directors) • Diocesan Jubilee Officers Nomination forms for each category and a brief definition of each are available on the webpage to guide you. It is my hope to announce nominees for these recognitions at year’s end. Their stories will be posted on the Jubilee Ministry web pages throughout 2010, so please be sure to include photos. Once made, I hope you will take the opportunity to also acknowledge these recognitions at your respective 2010 Annual Diocesan Conventions Working Together for Justice

List three criteria you would use to select DJOs and Jubilee Ministries throughout the Episcopal Church for “Excellence in Ministry” recognition • Commitment to poor and oppressed. Willingness to network/share information and resources • DJOs – increased number of Jubilee Ministries. Ministries recognition for impact on the community, e.g. those outcome measures • New approaches to outreach; impact on the community; demonstrated focus on being an advocate who works toward getting the Church to alleviate the needs identified • Partnerships beyond Episcopal churches • Jubilee Ministries for expanding healthy centers doing particular work in the areas of supporting the planting of new ministries domestically and/or internationally, and/or doing specific outstanding and innovative work in the areas of advocacy, lay empowerment, and/or evangelism. For DJO, someone who has a long successful record of growing and expanding centers as well as working on behalf of Jubilee in the church • Success in delivering service Working Together for Justice

List three criteria you would use to select DJOs and Jubilee Ministries throughout the Episcopal Church for “Excellence in Ministry” recognition • 3 points made: • Does the program "teach people to fish"? Do the program leaders really want to go out of business some day? Or, does the staff need the clients more than the clients need the staff? • How well does the program support its volunteers' need for rest, renewal? Does the program intentionally seek to develop volunteers' capacity for compassionate caring as well as healthy self-care and appropriate boundaries? • Does the agency or program give any thought to redundancy in staffing, and succession planning of the leadership? • Expanded service per dollar spent innovation those not afraid of “hot topics.” • Involvement and vision for Jubilee Centers. Leadership in establishing centers with funding empowerment for lay involvement • Measurable outcomes; successful models; community recognition • No comment here. This is hard for me to figure out how to hold up one ministry and not another • Persons with strong spiritual backgrounds, knowledge of communities, and experience working with diverse cultures • Walk the walk; hands-on experience, articulate and aggressive Working Together for Justice

List three criteria you would use to select DJOs and Jubilee Ministries throughout the Episcopal Church for “Excellence in Ministry” recognition • Quality of program(s) -- impact, dignity w/ which they partner Number of people in TEC they impact by their work -- how connected are they? Are they organically connected to the parish/diocese? For DJO's, how well do they inspire, help create new centers, partner w/ the Network, etc. • DJO: availability in the Diocese, ability to encourage into joyful ministry and believe in growth, expertise to help with goals. Jubilee Ministries: Creativity, Joyful Growth, Involvement and investment of the congregation coming from their reason for being a church rooted in Christ. • Diocesan Profile of Center in your Diocese, letter from the bishop, number of times your are involved in national networks • 1. Creativity in working with congregations to help them become Jubilee-focused. 2. Evidence of working with Bishop(s) and other diocesan staff to increase understanding of and support for Jubilee. 3. Evidence of support for the development of new Jubilee programs. • Those ministries that provide programs that are not band-aids, but help to make a long-term difference. DJOs that are involved in helping their centers in whatever way possible. Innovative centers that could teach the rest of us something new. Working Together for Justice

Diocesan Jubilee Officer Cedar Rapids Gathering