by Shane Claiborne
http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/?p=3639
God of Abraham, Miriam, Hannah, Rizpah, and David...
God of Elijah, Amos, Ruth, Isaiah, Deborah...
God of Mary, John the Baptizer, Peter, Paul, Philemon and Onesimus...
God of Anthony, Ambrose, Dirk Willems, Teresa of Avila, and Francis of
Assisi,
God of Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, William
Wilberforce, and Oscar Romero
and God of love, grace, and hope...
Thank you for creating a perfect world.
Forgive us for the mess we have made of it.
Thank you for creating Jubilee, gleaning, and Sabbath as patterns to
ensure that the poor are cared for, the earth rests, and inequality is
dismantled.
Forgive us for choosing the patterns of empire.
Thank you for using the weak things to shame the strong and the
foolish things to confound the wise.
Protect us from becoming too strong or too wise.
Protect us from ourselves.
Forgive us...
for the groaning of creation
for the millions who die of hunger and curable diseases
for warehousing people in prisons and using them for labor
for the scandal of billions wasted in war
for worrying about tomorrow and storing up more than this day our
daily bread
for an economy that mirrors the seven deadly sins
for our Caesars and our Herods
for the violence and greed in our own hearts
Save us from ourselves.
Deliver us...
from the arrogance of power
from the myth of redemptive violence
from the tyranny of greed
from the ugliness of racism
from false hope and counterfeit change
from the cancer of hatred
from the seduction of wealth
from the idolatry of nationalism
from the paralysis of cynicism
from the ghettoes of poverty
from the ghettoes of wealth
from the blood-stained pages of history
and from the legacy of slavery.
Deliver us oh God.
Give us the courage...
to bless the poor in a world that blesses the middle class.
to bless the meek in a world that admires aggression.
to bless the hungry in a world that feeds the already fed.
to bless the merciful in a world that shows no mercy on evildoers.
to bless the pure in heart in a world of clutter and noise.
to bless the peacemakers in a world that baptizes bombs.
Give us imagination...
that we might not conform to the patterns of this world.
that we might shatter indifference and interrupt injustice with grace
that we might choose the cross over the sword
that we might be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves
that we might consider the lillies and sparrows as they shame Wall
Street's splendor
that we might choose the dream of God over the dreams of nations
that we might cling to the God that so loved the world, not just America
that we might allow our Jesus to change America rather than America to
change our Jesus.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
For the Children
From: Marian Wright Edelman, Children's Defense Fund [mailto:mwe@childrensdefense.org]
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 5:17 PM
To: Rankine, Edna
Subject: This Historic Election and Our Children's Future
________________________________________
Dear CDF Supporter:
A cartoon published in the early 1960s depicted a Black boy saying to a White boy: "I'll sell you my chance to be President of the United States for a nickel." At the time the cartoon appeared, Barack Obama was a toddler. There were only five Black Members of Congress and about 300 Black elected officials nationwide. The Voting Rights Act hadn't been passed and the overwhelming majority of Black Southerners were disenfranchised.
It is with great pride that I, along with Americans of all races, religions and ethnic backgrounds across our vast nation congratulate President-Elect Obama on his historic election. His road to the White House has led Americans from all walks of life to embrace a new hope for national unity, and this transformational election offers the promise of moving the country in a new direction.
Yesterday's election is a reminder that the United States is still a place of bold ideas and a beacon of hope. It says to every child of color and every poor boy and girl that you belong too, and you do have a future. Throughout America's history, race has been a noose choking our capacity to soar. At a time when we face a great litany of problems, it is moving to see the American people's common sense and faith trump fear. It is truly a triumph that yesterday Americans voted for competence and a new vision, regardless of race.
But President-Elect Obama cannot do the job alone. Leaders are only as good as citizens demand them to be, and we must create a citizens' movement that will fight to provide every child in America with health coverage, that will work to end child poverty, and that will stop funneling children down a prison pipeline that threatens to re-segregate our nation.
Now the real hard work begins. As President-Elect Obama charts his course during this transition period, I urge him to place our nation's children at the center of his administration's priorities. We must fight to create a level playing field for every child in every corner of America and invest in our human capital, which will determine the vibrancy of America`s leadership in the new century. It is a new day in America, and it is a time for all of us to step forward together for children since they own the future.
Sincerely,
Marian Wright Edelman
President, Children's Defense Fund
________________________________________
Children's Defense Fund
25 E St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
www.childrensdefense.org
Unsubscribe
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Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 5:17 PM
To: Rankine, Edna
Subject: This Historic Election and Our Children's Future
________________________________________
Dear CDF Supporter:
A cartoon published in the early 1960s depicted a Black boy saying to a White boy: "I'll sell you my chance to be President of the United States for a nickel." At the time the cartoon appeared, Barack Obama was a toddler. There were only five Black Members of Congress and about 300 Black elected officials nationwide. The Voting Rights Act hadn't been passed and the overwhelming majority of Black Southerners were disenfranchised.
It is with great pride that I, along with Americans of all races, religions and ethnic backgrounds across our vast nation congratulate President-Elect Obama on his historic election. His road to the White House has led Americans from all walks of life to embrace a new hope for national unity, and this transformational election offers the promise of moving the country in a new direction.
Yesterday's election is a reminder that the United States is still a place of bold ideas and a beacon of hope. It says to every child of color and every poor boy and girl that you belong too, and you do have a future. Throughout America's history, race has been a noose choking our capacity to soar. At a time when we face a great litany of problems, it is moving to see the American people's common sense and faith trump fear. It is truly a triumph that yesterday Americans voted for competence and a new vision, regardless of race.
But President-Elect Obama cannot do the job alone. Leaders are only as good as citizens demand them to be, and we must create a citizens' movement that will fight to provide every child in America with health coverage, that will work to end child poverty, and that will stop funneling children down a prison pipeline that threatens to re-segregate our nation.
Now the real hard work begins. As President-Elect Obama charts his course during this transition period, I urge him to place our nation's children at the center of his administration's priorities. We must fight to create a level playing field for every child in every corner of America and invest in our human capital, which will determine the vibrancy of America`s leadership in the new century. It is a new day in America, and it is a time for all of us to step forward together for children since they own the future.
Sincerely,
Marian Wright Edelman
President, Children's Defense Fund
________________________________________
Children's Defense Fund
25 E St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
www.childrensdefense.org
Unsubscribe
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Sunday, November 02, 2008
Election Thoughts - 2008
And the difference???
Electric election excitement!
Political beehives buzzing
Across the land.
Bags of money
Counted, allocated, distirbuted
Votes traded,
For a bag of rice, a piece of cloth
A pair of shoes, school fees for a year
Small economies, basic economics
Thousands of villages,millions of villagers,
Third world ignorance, developing young democracies!
Votes, most precious of commodities,
Sacred trust, not for sale
Priceless: the Ideal!
Electric election excitement!
Political beehives buzzing
Across the land!
Billions in budgets - promises
Education, health care, tax credits
Stimulus packages, bank bailouts
Jobs lost, jobs created,
Jobs, jobs, jobs!
Democracy matured - The Model!
Electric election excitement!
Political beehives buzzing
Across the land.
Bags of money
Counted, allocated, distirbuted
Votes traded,
For a bag of rice, a piece of cloth
A pair of shoes, school fees for a year
Small economies, basic economics
Thousands of villages,millions of villagers,
Third world ignorance, developing young democracies!
Votes, most precious of commodities,
Sacred trust, not for sale
Priceless: the Ideal!
Electric election excitement!
Political beehives buzzing
Across the land!
Billions in budgets - promises
Education, health care, tax credits
Stimulus packages, bank bailouts
Jobs lost, jobs created,
Jobs, jobs, jobs!
Democracy matured - The Model!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
2008 Poverty Summit - From ACCESS
2008 Voices for Action Poverty Summit
On November 13th an estimated 2,500 people from around our state including over 700 individuals who live in poverty will gather at Cobo Hall for the 2008 Voices for Action Poverty Summit.
Did you know that one in eight Americans live at or below the national poverty level, and nearly one in five people in Michigan are living at or below the national poverty level? For Michigan, this includes 500,000 children.
This is a problem that strongly affects the Dearborn community: 39% of households in East Dearborn reported incomes below $25,000, and families with children exhibited the highest household poverty rates; 56% of single-parent female-headed families with children fell at or below the poverty income threshold. When these children were less than 5 years of age, this rate soared to 86%.
We must all take a stand and show our willingness to become part of the solution.
On November 13th an estimated 2,500 people from around our state including over 700 individuals who live in poverty will gather at Cobo Hall for the 2008 Voices for Action Poverty Summit.
Did you know that one in eight Americans live at or below the national poverty level, and nearly one in five people in Michigan are living at or below the national poverty level? For Michigan, this includes 500,000 children.
This is a problem that strongly affects the Dearborn community: 39% of households in East Dearborn reported incomes below $25,000, and families with children exhibited the highest household poverty rates; 56% of single-parent female-headed families with children fell at or below the poverty income threshold. When these children were less than 5 years of age, this rate soared to 86%.
We must all take a stand and show our willingness to become part of the solution.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Stolen Quote
I stole this quote from a new friend in "Facebook." I like the idea of connecting to people who believe as I do - that we are all in it together!
" I believe that to meet the challenges of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. Each of us must learn to work not just for oneself, one's own family or nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace". Dalai Lama
I have not posted for a long, long time. Very, very busy meeting challenges. I love what I do but sometimes the doing leaves very little time to the being, to reflective thinking, if only to remind myself that what I am doing is good for all.
Thank you my friend for this great reminder!
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" I believe that to meet the challenges of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. Each of us must learn to work not just for oneself, one's own family or nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace". Dalai Lama
I have not posted for a long, long time. Very, very busy meeting challenges. I love what I do but sometimes the doing leaves very little time to the being, to reflective thinking, if only to remind myself that what I am doing is good for all.
Thank you my friend for this great reminder!
View blog reactions
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Lessons Learned: Michigan Campus Compact Service Learning Institute
"Lessons Learned" was the topic of one of the "Open Space" tables at the institute. Dr. Abalo Adewui was the most fascinating participant at this table. Dr. Adewui is originally from Ghana. He was educated in Scotland. He is an associate professor at Central Michigan University specializing in Teacher Education and Professional Development.
He shared that most traditional Ghanian cultures are communal in nature. Ghana have many different tribes. Extended families lived in compounds. The person who takes care of all the members of his extended family is well respected and accorded the higher status, while the person who doesn't is shunned or sometimes cut off. This form of reward system worked very well for traditional Ghanian society.
The compound was composed of family mud huts. Those who had means of employment, business or farms worked outside the compound - generally helping each other as they go along. Prosperity and poverty were shared equally among the members of the compound. Child care or elder care was never an issue - although the system was not perfect, it provided its own social safety net for all the families.
Yet, it was considered "primitive" by the folks who came to educate the young during the colonial period.
The system has long been eroded with the advent of western style family systems and governance structures adopted by the "educated". Families started to build individual homes away from each other. The culture of consumerism became stronger as the years went on. Resources are no longer shared. Communal and familial sharing has been replaced with the pursuit of consumer goods and other modern conveniences such as travel and leisure, etc...
The vestiges of the old system can now be seen through the practice of nepotism in government and other social structures. Social problems continue to grow. Where this is leading is beyond imagination.
I see parallels of the phenomena happening everywhere - not just Ghana. The illustration cited by Dr. Adewui is not exclusively Ghanian, it has become universal.
Civic engagement, community service and service learning are designed to counter this trend. By teaching the young to balance individualism and the common good; freedom and responsibility - the practitioners hope to mend and strenghten the frayed fabric of society.
Thank you Dr. Adewui for sharing your insights. Your students are very lucky to have you.
He shared that most traditional Ghanian cultures are communal in nature. Ghana have many different tribes. Extended families lived in compounds. The person who takes care of all the members of his extended family is well respected and accorded the higher status, while the person who doesn't is shunned or sometimes cut off. This form of reward system worked very well for traditional Ghanian society.
The compound was composed of family mud huts. Those who had means of employment, business or farms worked outside the compound - generally helping each other as they go along. Prosperity and poverty were shared equally among the members of the compound. Child care or elder care was never an issue - although the system was not perfect, it provided its own social safety net for all the families.
Yet, it was considered "primitive" by the folks who came to educate the young during the colonial period.
The system has long been eroded with the advent of western style family systems and governance structures adopted by the "educated". Families started to build individual homes away from each other. The culture of consumerism became stronger as the years went on. Resources are no longer shared. Communal and familial sharing has been replaced with the pursuit of consumer goods and other modern conveniences such as travel and leisure, etc...
The vestiges of the old system can now be seen through the practice of nepotism in government and other social structures. Social problems continue to grow. Where this is leading is beyond imagination.
I see parallels of the phenomena happening everywhere - not just Ghana. The illustration cited by Dr. Adewui is not exclusively Ghanian, it has become universal.
Civic engagement, community service and service learning are designed to counter this trend. By teaching the young to balance individualism and the common good; freedom and responsibility - the practitioners hope to mend and strenghten the frayed fabric of society.
Thank you Dr. Adewui for sharing your insights. Your students are very lucky to have you.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Community Service – What’s in it for Young People?
Service is a big part of the Madonna University mission statement…”a commitment to serving others through a liberal arts education …” and other institutions of higher education. It often argued that community service or volunteer work should come from the heart. Although it is universal, heart language is a very hard language to learn or comprehend. Arguably, it is understood by all once spoken, the challenge is tremendous.
Heart language can be both negative and positive. It is never neutral. Students at Madonna University are asked to learn, speak and understand heart language all the time – service to others is a direct expression of heart language.
Outside of this, there are other benefits in serving. According to some statistics, 65% of new job creation in the US is in the non-profit or service sector. Most of the major employers in the US encourage and require community service. Some have whole departments dedicated to community relations and community service.
How good will it be if a list of service activities is included in your resume? A consistent record of service or service learning classes is sure to impress. So it is not all points in heaven or the hereafter, after all! Service is also points for after graduation – employment opportunities. In this highly globalized and competitive employment market, service could just be the edge the employer is looking for.
Service leadership provides the students with ways to improve time management skills, problem solving skills, decision making skills, organization skills, resource identification skills, interpersonal skills, intrapersonal skills, networking skills, skills in working with diverse populations and communication skills. These skills may not be offered anywhere in the students' plan of study for graduation.
“Awareness is the First Step toward Change..." - the tagline for Heifer International's "Hope for the Future Capital Campaign." I could not agree more. Several awareness or consciousness raising events are held at Madonna University throughout the year - from health issues such as addictions and HIV/AIDS, to Fair Trade, Internally Displaced People and Refugees, homelessness and hunger, domestic violence. The list goes on.
"Action is eloquence." I can't remember who said that but action gives credibility and integrity to any program. Our students are offered travel opportunities not only in the US but to Mexico, Italy and other places to learn and to serve. We also serve at local soup kitchens, local school districts, Gleaners' Community Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity and the annual; Christmas for Kids Project.
Don’t just sit there and get bored! There is always something exciting you can do something that needs doing and something to be excited about when you are serving. The examples I have given are actions and results based mostly on the language of the mind.
Advocacy is service, too. The Michigan Nonprofit Association offers free or low cost training to those who are interested. Passion for a cause? Let us connect to places where your voice is heard, such the US Congress to speak out for the health of American Rivers, children’s health and global justice. Or you can work with members of the Michigan legislature and senate in efforts to make life better in Michigan. One of our student groups had a law passed in Michigan in 2007 that will help save children’s lives as well as improve their quality of life. How cool is that?
Most students miss out on opportunities for fellowships, internships, scholarships and travel dollars by not staying informed. Taking advantage of the service opportunities offered by various corporations and non-profits: such as Farmer’s Insurance, Allstate, the National Wildlife Federation, Habitat for Humanity, Michigan Campus Compact, Learn and Serve, Michigan Service Commission, American Association of University Women… Again the list goes on; a lot of college scholarships require service components.
Community service in any form, help educate the whole person and promote growth. Service – community service/service learning is a bridge connecting the intellect and the heart, connecting ideals and values to action, connecting theory to practice. Let your heart speak and come, find out more about connecting your head to your heart.
Heart language can be both negative and positive. It is never neutral. Students at Madonna University are asked to learn, speak and understand heart language all the time – service to others is a direct expression of heart language.
Outside of this, there are other benefits in serving. According to some statistics, 65% of new job creation in the US is in the non-profit or service sector. Most of the major employers in the US encourage and require community service. Some have whole departments dedicated to community relations and community service.
How good will it be if a list of service activities is included in your resume? A consistent record of service or service learning classes is sure to impress. So it is not all points in heaven or the hereafter, after all! Service is also points for after graduation – employment opportunities. In this highly globalized and competitive employment market, service could just be the edge the employer is looking for.
Service leadership provides the students with ways to improve time management skills, problem solving skills, decision making skills, organization skills, resource identification skills, interpersonal skills, intrapersonal skills, networking skills, skills in working with diverse populations and communication skills. These skills may not be offered anywhere in the students' plan of study for graduation.
“Awareness is the First Step toward Change..." - the tagline for Heifer International's "Hope for the Future Capital Campaign." I could not agree more. Several awareness or consciousness raising events are held at Madonna University throughout the year - from health issues such as addictions and HIV/AIDS, to Fair Trade, Internally Displaced People and Refugees, homelessness and hunger, domestic violence. The list goes on.
"Action is eloquence." I can't remember who said that but action gives credibility and integrity to any program. Our students are offered travel opportunities not only in the US but to Mexico, Italy and other places to learn and to serve. We also serve at local soup kitchens, local school districts, Gleaners' Community Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity and the annual; Christmas for Kids Project.
Don’t just sit there and get bored! There is always something exciting you can do something that needs doing and something to be excited about when you are serving. The examples I have given are actions and results based mostly on the language of the mind.
Advocacy is service, too. The Michigan Nonprofit Association offers free or low cost training to those who are interested. Passion for a cause? Let us connect to places where your voice is heard, such the US Congress to speak out for the health of American Rivers, children’s health and global justice. Or you can work with members of the Michigan legislature and senate in efforts to make life better in Michigan. One of our student groups had a law passed in Michigan in 2007 that will help save children’s lives as well as improve their quality of life. How cool is that?
Most students miss out on opportunities for fellowships, internships, scholarships and travel dollars by not staying informed. Taking advantage of the service opportunities offered by various corporations and non-profits: such as Farmer’s Insurance, Allstate, the National Wildlife Federation, Habitat for Humanity, Michigan Campus Compact, Learn and Serve, Michigan Service Commission, American Association of University Women… Again the list goes on; a lot of college scholarships require service components.
Community service in any form, help educate the whole person and promote growth. Service – community service/service learning is a bridge connecting the intellect and the heart, connecting ideals and values to action, connecting theory to practice. Let your heart speak and come, find out more about connecting your head to your heart.
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