... an economic recovery package that truly empowers families!
Here's an excerpt from the email I just got from MomsRising.org that made me pause in my holiday preparations to send a quick message to Congress:
Right now, yes today, Congress is putting together an economic recovery package and we need you to take a brief moment to tell them not to forget about the economic security needs of families (that's us!).
*Send a holiday letter with 1-click to your Congressional representatives telling them to include families in the Economic Recovery Package which they're drafting right now:
www.momsrisingaction.org
Your letter will alert Congress that they need to incorporate the MomsRising Top Priorities for Families in their Economic Recovery Package--ensuring healthcare coverage for all children and then quickly moving forward to full healthcare reform, expanding unemployment insurance to cover part-time workers, giving states funds for family and medical leave insurance, funding quality early learning programs, and creating jobs which help everyone get ahead.
Here's the link to a detailed description of the five priorities in the Family Economic Recovery Passage. It's an impressive Christmas wish list.
Well, back to wrapping presents and helping my kids make ornaments for their grandparents. Have a blessed celebration of Jesus' birthday!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Small Gain (As Small As a Mustard Seed, Perhaps)
Laura Ingalls, the heroine of the Little House on the Prairie series, quoted an adage of her parents in desperate times: "There's no great loss without some small gain."
The economic havoc wreaked by stunning job losses and market upheaval is a great loss indeed. We have only begun to glimpse the impact of this downturn on the lives of children, not only in the U.S. but also and especially around the globe. Demand for public and private services is spiraling up while resources evaporate. Yet there is also small gain.
As budgets contract and needs rise, there is a chance that churches will conclude they have nothing left over to offer their communities, and simply bar the doors to prevent looters. But maybe, just maybe, the truth will hit us upside the head that the most valuable gift we have to offer is not what's in our bank accounts.
"But Peter said, 'I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.'" (Acts 3:6)
The economic downturn presents an opportunity for churches to shift—-by necessity, if not by principle—-from commodity-based ministry to relational ministry, from giving things to giving ourselves, and sharing Christ who gave Himself to dwell within us.
The Search Institute identifies 40 key developmental assets for children at various stages – "common sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults." These assets help give children the resilience to survive poverty and to make choices that lead away from poverty. Parents, schools, churches and community partners can help build up these critical internal and external strengths in eight categories: support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity.
Check out the interactive lists of developmental assets for children at various stages of development, and ask: How many of these assets are dependent on money? Some, in fact, are very costly, such as this dynamic of empowerment in early childhood: "The community demonstrates that children are valuable resources by investing in … high-quality activities and resources to meet children’s physical, social, and emotional needs." Thus we must continue to press for critical public services such as health coverage for all children.
But other assets have a different kind of price tag, such as these suggestions for adolescents: "Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults." "Young people are given useful roles in the community." "Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution." The cost of developing healthy youth is time, energy, community, vision and faith. Many of us are not used to thinking of ourselves as rich in this currency.
Churches may have shrinking budgets yet be overflowing with assets, especially the kind that are best invested in children and youth. "What I have, I give you!" This is a secret that many of our brothers and sisters in poorer nations have mastered, and that we now have the opportunity to discover. Our season of struggle offers us a small gain that we can offer to God to multiply in the community.
The economic havoc wreaked by stunning job losses and market upheaval is a great loss indeed. We have only begun to glimpse the impact of this downturn on the lives of children, not only in the U.S. but also and especially around the globe. Demand for public and private services is spiraling up while resources evaporate. Yet there is also small gain.
As budgets contract and needs rise, there is a chance that churches will conclude they have nothing left over to offer their communities, and simply bar the doors to prevent looters. But maybe, just maybe, the truth will hit us upside the head that the most valuable gift we have to offer is not what's in our bank accounts.
"But Peter said, 'I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.'" (Acts 3:6)
The economic downturn presents an opportunity for churches to shift—-by necessity, if not by principle—-from commodity-based ministry to relational ministry, from giving things to giving ourselves, and sharing Christ who gave Himself to dwell within us.
The Search Institute identifies 40 key developmental assets for children at various stages – "common sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults." These assets help give children the resilience to survive poverty and to make choices that lead away from poverty. Parents, schools, churches and community partners can help build up these critical internal and external strengths in eight categories: support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity.
Check out the interactive lists of developmental assets for children at various stages of development, and ask: How many of these assets are dependent on money? Some, in fact, are very costly, such as this dynamic of empowerment in early childhood: "The community demonstrates that children are valuable resources by investing in … high-quality activities and resources to meet children’s physical, social, and emotional needs." Thus we must continue to press for critical public services such as health coverage for all children.
But other assets have a different kind of price tag, such as these suggestions for adolescents: "Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults." "Young people are given useful roles in the community." "Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution." The cost of developing healthy youth is time, energy, community, vision and faith. Many of us are not used to thinking of ourselves as rich in this currency.
Churches may have shrinking budgets yet be overflowing with assets, especially the kind that are best invested in children and youth. "What I have, I give you!" This is a secret that many of our brothers and sisters in poorer nations have mastered, and that we now have the opportunity to discover. Our season of struggle offers us a small gain that we can offer to God to multiply in the community.
Monday, November 10, 2008
A Prayer and a Pledge for Real Change
However you voted in this momentous election, I encourage you to sign a letter to President-elect Barack Obama initiated by Jim Wallis of Sojourners. The letter seeks to hold the new president accountable to "a broad moral agenda that includes a deep concern for poverty, peacemaking, a consistent ethic of life, and care for creation." Specifically, the pledge calls for a commitment to:
* Overcome poverty -- cut domestic poverty in half in ten years and implement Millenium Development Goals to reduce extreme global poverty
* Develop alternatives to war -- emphasize diplomacy and peaceful means of resolving international conflicts
* Promote a consistent life ethic -- drastically reduce abortions as well as addressing genocide, torture, and the death penalty
* Reverse the effects of climate change -- promote clean, renewable energy strategies and a "green economy"
And after you sign this pledge (or even if you decline to sign), say a prayer for our new President-elect as well as our outgoing President, that their actions -- and our own -- may foster a better world for children.
Know any good prayers for a new president?
* Overcome poverty -- cut domestic poverty in half in ten years and implement Millenium Development Goals to reduce extreme global poverty
* Develop alternatives to war -- emphasize diplomacy and peaceful means of resolving international conflicts
* Promote a consistent life ethic -- drastically reduce abortions as well as addressing genocide, torture, and the death penalty
* Reverse the effects of climate change -- promote clean, renewable energy strategies and a "green economy"
And after you sign this pledge (or even if you decline to sign), say a prayer for our new President-elect as well as our outgoing President, that their actions -- and our own -- may foster a better world for children.
Know any good prayers for a new president?
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Economy's Toll on Children
In once-booming Northern Virginia suburbs, children who never had to worry about having a roof over their head don't know where they will sleep tonight.
In Cincinnati, newly-homeless families are splitting their children up among relatives because they can't find shelter together, much less feed everyone.
In Las Vegas, sons and daughters of the city's housekeepers and kitchen workers -- already living on the margin of the American economy – increasingly rely on "weekend food bags" from their school in order to feed themselves from Friday afternoon to Monday morning, when they can eat a subsidized school breakfast.
Welcome to the economic crisis for thousands of Americans too young to have a mortgage, a retirement account, or the right to vote.
Read the rest of the article, Economy's Silent and Heavy Toll on Children: Homeless Rates Among Children on the Rise.
In Cincinnati, newly-homeless families are splitting their children up among relatives because they can't find shelter together, much less feed everyone.
In Las Vegas, sons and daughters of the city's housekeepers and kitchen workers -- already living on the margin of the American economy – increasingly rely on "weekend food bags" from their school in order to feed themselves from Friday afternoon to Monday morning, when they can eat a subsidized school breakfast.
Welcome to the economic crisis for thousands of Americans too young to have a mortgage, a retirement account, or the right to vote.
Read the rest of the article, Economy's Silent and Heavy Toll on Children: Homeless Rates Among Children on the Rise.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Join the Micah Challenge
Micah Challenge USA is a Christian campaign that is part of a global Micah Challenge campaign. Their aims are to deepen our engagement with impoverished and marginalized communities; and to challenge leaders to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and so halve absolute global poverty by 2015. For more information, visit the Micah Challenge website.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Rising Child Poverty in a Sea of Economic Turmoil
In August, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data on poverty and family income for 2007 (download the Census Bureau pdf report; see a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis by Hope for Children in Poverty authors Arloc Sherman and Sharon Parrott).
Here's the good news: the number of uninsured children dropped (largely because of SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program), the overall poverty rate remained steady, and overall median income actually saw a modest rise.
Here's the bad news: most of the economic gains were concentrated in higher-income households. The child poverty rate rose to 18%. An additional 500,000 children fell into poverty in 2007. And the number of Americans in “deep poverty” also rose. About 15.6 million Americans lived below half of the poverty line in 2007. This means for a family of three, the household lived on about $8,300.
Here's more bad news: with the bottom falling out of the global market, things are likely to get a whole lot worse for children and their families, here and abroad.
The issue of lifting people in poverty gets little enough attention in the normal course of political affairs. It becomes invisible in times of crisis. (Did you hear a single question about poverty in any of the last three campaign debates?) If we allow half a million children to sink into poverty in a year when average incomes rise, what will happen to children in a time of significant economic downturn? If our nation neglects its own children, how much less a priority are the millions of desperate children around the world?
How can we ensure that we don't let the cries of poor children go unanswered in the mist of much clamor about markets, bankruptcies and bailouts? How can we encourage policymakers to weigh the impact of their initiatives not only on Main Street, but also on the meanest streets where children live?
One way is to participate in Sojourner's Vote Out Poverty Campaign.
"While most elected officials say they want to reduce poverty, few have provided leadership on the issue. Why? Most Americans are disengaged from the lives of the poor and the political process, so poverty reduction is pushed to the bottom of the priority list. Meanwhile, 30,000 children die every day of preventable causes around the world and millions go to bed hungry. These statistics are unacceptable to Christians if we profess to follow the teachings of Christ. To change them, we must engage in personal service, community transformation, and political advocacy."
The goal of the campaign is "to mobilize a faith-based constituency of churches and individuals capable of putting poverty at the top of the political agenda," pushing for a concrete plan and signed pledge from political leaders to (1) reduce poverty in the U.S. by 50% over the next decade, and (2) achieve the Millennium Development Goals (a set of international goals for reducing global poverty).
Perhaps this general economic insecurity gives us a new opportunity to highlight the needs of poor children. When poverty becomes a destination that more people are at risk of visiting, we have an added collective incentive to wipe it off the map.
What are your ideas for placing children on the horizon of national policies? What questions in relation to children in poverty should our current and potential political leaders be addressing as they search for the best way out of this mess?
Here's the good news: the number of uninsured children dropped (largely because of SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program), the overall poverty rate remained steady, and overall median income actually saw a modest rise.
Here's the bad news: most of the economic gains were concentrated in higher-income households. The child poverty rate rose to 18%. An additional 500,000 children fell into poverty in 2007. And the number of Americans in “deep poverty” also rose. About 15.6 million Americans lived below half of the poverty line in 2007. This means for a family of three, the household lived on about $8,300.
Here's more bad news: with the bottom falling out of the global market, things are likely to get a whole lot worse for children and their families, here and abroad.
The issue of lifting people in poverty gets little enough attention in the normal course of political affairs. It becomes invisible in times of crisis. (Did you hear a single question about poverty in any of the last three campaign debates?) If we allow half a million children to sink into poverty in a year when average incomes rise, what will happen to children in a time of significant economic downturn? If our nation neglects its own children, how much less a priority are the millions of desperate children around the world?
How can we ensure that we don't let the cries of poor children go unanswered in the mist of much clamor about markets, bankruptcies and bailouts? How can we encourage policymakers to weigh the impact of their initiatives not only on Main Street, but also on the meanest streets where children live?
One way is to participate in Sojourner's Vote Out Poverty Campaign.
"While most elected officials say they want to reduce poverty, few have provided leadership on the issue. Why? Most Americans are disengaged from the lives of the poor and the political process, so poverty reduction is pushed to the bottom of the priority list. Meanwhile, 30,000 children die every day of preventable causes around the world and millions go to bed hungry. These statistics are unacceptable to Christians if we profess to follow the teachings of Christ. To change them, we must engage in personal service, community transformation, and political advocacy."
The goal of the campaign is "to mobilize a faith-based constituency of churches and individuals capable of putting poverty at the top of the political agenda," pushing for a concrete plan and signed pledge from political leaders to (1) reduce poverty in the U.S. by 50% over the next decade, and (2) achieve the Millennium Development Goals (a set of international goals for reducing global poverty).
Perhaps this general economic insecurity gives us a new opportunity to highlight the needs of poor children. When poverty becomes a destination that more people are at risk of visiting, we have an added collective incentive to wipe it off the map.
What are your ideas for placing children on the horizon of national policies? What questions in relation to children in poverty should our current and potential political leaders be addressing as they search for the best way out of this mess?
Monday, September 22, 2008
JustLead: Serving by Nurturing Leaders
Meet Victor Blair, sixth grader and Just Leader of the Month.
But first, meet JustLead.
JustLead is a program of Emerald Youth Foundation, a collaborative ministry serving children and youth in the urban neighborhoods of Knoxville, TN. Their mission is to raise up a large number of youth to love Jesus Christ and become effective leaders who help renew their neighborhoods.
JustLead program strategies include faith development, academic reinforcement, relationship building, sports and cultural enrichment. Through JustLead, urban churches and faith-based organizations are networked together to connect youth and their families with a congregation and with growth experiences so they will grow up loving Christ and making their city a better place to live.
JustLead provides a wonderful example of a community-based ministry that focuses on the potential of youth rather than their risk factors. And Victor is a wonderful example of a potential future community leader.
From an Emerald Youth Foundation News Release, July 1, 2008:
Victor Blair, a rising sixth grade student at Vine Middle School, is being recognized as the July Just Leader of the Month by Mount Zion Baptist Church and Emerald Youth Foundation.
Blair entered the JustLead program in 2005 as a quiet young man who did not particularly like engaging with other young people or the adult leaders. Since that time, he has matured and become a youth admired by others.
Robin Johnson, the JustLead coordinator at Mount Zion, appreciates Blair’s growth and enthusiasm for the ministry. “Victor is a joy to have in JustLead. He is always willing to participate in the various ministry components, whether completing his homework, leading prayer or building relationships with his friends and the adults. Victor is more than willing to do what he can to get the most out of the ministry,” Johnson said.
As Blair prepares for middle school to start in August, he is able to look back on his time at Green Magnet School with fondness. He was an excellent student, and throughout his elementary years his teachers were very positive and encouraging regarding his success. Johnson always received affirming reports about Blair from the staff at Green Magnet.
While Blair is not sure what his future holds, he eagerly speaks about what’s going on in his life. “It’s a little too early for me to know what I want to do for a career. Right now I’m having a great time in JustLead and enjoy everything we do; I especially like the recreation times when we get to play basketball. Oh, and I also like the small groups…I learn a lot from the adults and what they’re teaching,” said Blair.
Blair quickly credits his mother, Kim, for helping him grow in many areas, including his academics. “She is always there and teaches me things I don’t know. She helps me to see the difference between right and wrong,” he said.
Mount Zion Baptist and Emerald Youth Foundation are honored to have Victor Blair in JustLead and excited about his future in the ministry and beyond.
Learn more about Emerald Youth Foundation and JustLead online at emeraldyouth.org or call (865) 637-3227.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
How Externally Focused Churches Minister to Children
In her Leadership Network paper How Externally Focused Churches Minister to Children: The Power of Serving Kids in Your Community, Krista Petty offers stories, practical tips, and wisdom from experienced community practitioners working with children. Here's an excerpt:
Church leaders and volunteers serving children in their communities find it to be one of the most rewarding as well as challenging ways to extend God’s grace beyond the walls of their church. ... Omar Reyes, Community Development Director at NorthWood Church, Keller, TX is passionate about mobilizing the church and its resources to make a transformational impact in the local community, especially in the lives of children. “If children aren’t dancing in the community, then something is wrong,” says Omar.
Download the paper and read about how churches are fathering the fatherless, promoting children's health, addressing the foster care crisis, mentoring children of prisoners, and more. Share it with someone in your church!
Church leaders and volunteers serving children in their communities find it to be one of the most rewarding as well as challenging ways to extend God’s grace beyond the walls of their church. ... Omar Reyes, Community Development Director at NorthWood Church, Keller, TX is passionate about mobilizing the church and its resources to make a transformational impact in the local community, especially in the lives of children. “If children aren’t dancing in the community, then something is wrong,” says Omar.
Download the paper and read about how churches are fathering the fatherless, promoting children's health, addressing the foster care crisis, mentoring children of prisoners, and more. Share it with someone in your church!
Monday, August 25, 2008
An Updated Look at the Statistics
On August 26, the U.S. Census Bureau will release data on poverty and family income for 2007. In anticipation of these new data, the National Center for Children in Poverty offers the following resources that may be helpful for talking about the numbers:
Ten Important Questions About Child Poverty and Family Economic Hardship
Statement on Establishing a Modern Poverty Measure (submitted for congressional hearing held July 17, 2008)
Demographic State Profiles (check back after Labor Day for the new data!)
We encourage you to check out these resources and use them as a starting point for discussion in your family, community group, small group, or Sunday school class.
Ten Important Questions About Child Poverty and Family Economic Hardship
Statement on Establishing a Modern Poverty Measure (submitted for congressional hearing held July 17, 2008)
Demographic State Profiles (check back after Labor Day for the new data!)
We encourage you to check out these resources and use them as a starting point for discussion in your family, community group, small group, or Sunday school class.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Rewarding Reading in Family and Community Ministries Journal
The Summer 2008 issue of the Family and Community Ministries journal focuses on how people of faith are nurturing the most vulnerable children. You can read several of the articles online, including an excerpt from Hope for Children in Poverty:
What Does the Bible Say about Hope for Children in Poverty?
By Ronald J. Sider and Heidi Unruh
An astounding 210 verses in the New International Version of the Bible use the words "poor" or "oppressed." If our churches featured this theme with the same prevalence and passion as Scripture, how might God use the church to bring new hope to children in poverty?
Read more
'We're Losing Them in the Nursery'
By Susan Cowley
After 12 years of ministry in one deep pocket of multi-generational urban poverty, we'd attended more teenagers' funerals than high school graduations. It was running three to one – gravesides to grads. We simply knew that the Lord had not brought us here to watch these children become drug dealers or mothers by the age of 14, go to prison, and die young. A call was forming as God dreamed into us what could be.
Read more
'Why Do You Care?'
By Michael Kelly
Last winter I sat down with three of the most energizing and dynamic ministerial leaders I've ever met. The conversation took place on Chicago's West Side, a large African-American region of Chicago that has been battered by many years of neglect, poverty and family breakdown. This conversation came about because the group was interested in sharing their ideas for creating caring church communities for young people. I wanted to show how three ministers from a variety of Christian faith traditions could come together to begin healing the youth and families of their communities.
Read more
Living and Teaching the Fruits of the Spirit
By M. LeAnn Gardner
Truth or Consequences, NM has 15,000 residents, 80% of which are considered to be living in poverty or "at risk" of living in poverty. Truth or Consequences' (TorC) Full Gospel Tabernacle opened its doors to the community in 1979 providing a place of worship and community outreach. In 1996, a young, enthusiastic Rebecca Dow arrived in TorC to facilitate a training event for the church nursery staff at Full Gospel. When she saw the need of the community during that training weekend in 1996, she felt called to return to her childhood home to start a child care center.
Read more
If you have come across a good article or resource on ministry with children in poverty, please share the link!
What Does the Bible Say about Hope for Children in Poverty?
By Ronald J. Sider and Heidi Unruh
An astounding 210 verses in the New International Version of the Bible use the words "poor" or "oppressed." If our churches featured this theme with the same prevalence and passion as Scripture, how might God use the church to bring new hope to children in poverty?
Read more
'We're Losing Them in the Nursery'
By Susan Cowley
After 12 years of ministry in one deep pocket of multi-generational urban poverty, we'd attended more teenagers' funerals than high school graduations. It was running three to one – gravesides to grads. We simply knew that the Lord had not brought us here to watch these children become drug dealers or mothers by the age of 14, go to prison, and die young. A call was forming as God dreamed into us what could be.
Read more
'Why Do You Care?'
By Michael Kelly
Last winter I sat down with three of the most energizing and dynamic ministerial leaders I've ever met. The conversation took place on Chicago's West Side, a large African-American region of Chicago that has been battered by many years of neglect, poverty and family breakdown. This conversation came about because the group was interested in sharing their ideas for creating caring church communities for young people. I wanted to show how three ministers from a variety of Christian faith traditions could come together to begin healing the youth and families of their communities.
Read more
Living and Teaching the Fruits of the Spirit
By M. LeAnn Gardner
Truth or Consequences, NM has 15,000 residents, 80% of which are considered to be living in poverty or "at risk" of living in poverty. Truth or Consequences' (TorC) Full Gospel Tabernacle opened its doors to the community in 1979 providing a place of worship and community outreach. In 1996, a young, enthusiastic Rebecca Dow arrived in TorC to facilitate a training event for the church nursery staff at Full Gospel. When she saw the need of the community during that training weekend in 1996, she felt called to return to her childhood home to start a child care center.
Read more
If you have come across a good article or resource on ministry with children in poverty, please share the link!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
What Do Our Presidential Candidates Have to Say About Poverty?
Yesterday, a press release from Associated Baptist Press reported that faith leaders have asked the DNC and RNC to share their anti-poverty plans during their upcoming presidential-nominating conventions:
In a recent letter to presumptive Republican nominee John McCain and likely Democratic contender Barack Obama, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and Protestant leaders requested that both use prime-time speaking slots at the conventions to outline their respective plans for combating poverty.
"As people of faith, we believe that it is immoral to ignore our nation's most vulnerable populations," the leaders wrote.
They pointed out that more than 37 million Americans, including almost 13 million children, currently live below the federally defined poverty level. Millions more, they noted, are one crisis away from joining the ranks of the desperately poor.
"As Americans, we believe enduring poverty undermines our country's economic strength and prosperity," the leaders said, pointing out that alleviating poverty requires national effort.
Faith leaders pledged to work together in the lead-up to the general election to "build the political and public will to combat poverty in the United States."
The letter's signers included David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World; Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches; Richard Cizik, vice president for government affairs at the National Association of Evangelicals; Jim Wallis, Sojourners chief executive officer; Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA; Steve Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs executive director; David Saperstein, director and counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; Sayyid Syeed, Islamic Society of America secretary general; and Eboo Patel, executive director of Interfaith Youth Core.
To read the letter, click here.
What do you believe the government's role should be in alleviating poverty?
In a recent letter to presumptive Republican nominee John McCain and likely Democratic contender Barack Obama, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and Protestant leaders requested that both use prime-time speaking slots at the conventions to outline their respective plans for combating poverty.
"As people of faith, we believe that it is immoral to ignore our nation's most vulnerable populations," the leaders wrote.
They pointed out that more than 37 million Americans, including almost 13 million children, currently live below the federally defined poverty level. Millions more, they noted, are one crisis away from joining the ranks of the desperately poor.
"As Americans, we believe enduring poverty undermines our country's economic strength and prosperity," the leaders said, pointing out that alleviating poverty requires national effort.
Faith leaders pledged to work together in the lead-up to the general election to "build the political and public will to combat poverty in the United States."
The letter's signers included David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World; Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches; Richard Cizik, vice president for government affairs at the National Association of Evangelicals; Jim Wallis, Sojourners chief executive officer; Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA; Steve Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs executive director; David Saperstein, director and counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; Sayyid Syeed, Islamic Society of America secretary general; and Eboo Patel, executive director of Interfaith Youth Core.
To read the letter, click here.
What do you believe the government's role should be in alleviating poverty?
Friday, August 8, 2008
Free Hunger Worship Resources from Bread for the World
Bread for the Preacher, a new service for busy ministers, is now available from Bread for the World. This free service comes straight to the e-mail inbox of church leaders who sign up. The resource includes: lectionary-based reflections on hunger and poverty, prayers and other worship resources, bulletin inserts and announcements, and information about additional resources and opportunities. To sign up, visit www.bread.org and enter your e-mail address in the "newsletter sign-up" box on the homepage. You will then be taken to a page to fill out contact information and check the "Bread for the Preacher" box in the online newsletters section.
Monday, August 4, 2008
FACES
When I write the words, "children in poverty," a slideshow of children's faces comes to mind.
One is a beautiful infant with kissably chubby brown cheeks, liquid eyes and a soft fringe of hair. Members of her family are rumored to be drug dealers. She is named after her mother's favorite alcoholic drink. Born to a single mother, granddaughter of a single mother, the statistics governing her destiny are stark, the odds of her escaping another go-round on the descending spiral of fatherless generational poverty all too slim.
Another face belongs to a ruddy, pudgy boy, just having reached the magical birthday when he gets to add "teen" to his age. A placid expression and slow speech denote his borderline IQ. Under heavy medication for ADHD, he alternates unpredictably between hyperactivity and vacant passivity. But when a friend comes within a few feet he springs into action, with a huge bear hug and huger sloppy grin. His father is in prison, his mother recently died of the health complications that often accompany a hard-lived life. According to all research, the path before him leads, statistically speaking, to his father's locked-down doorstep. I can only pray that he finds a detour.
I see the impish face of a first-grader, showing off her new pair of pink shoes from Wal-Mart. She loves candy, furry animals and anything that involves going fast. Her parents are married, employed homeowners who stay home when their childless friends are out partying. But with minimal education, their jobs pay little above minimum wage, with few prospects for advancement. If not for her parents' being savvy about available benefits – EITC, free school lunches, state-sponsored child health care, home repair assistance programs – my little friend's life would be far more of a struggle. For now, being poor doesn't enter her conscious world, except that it means she can't have a pony.
The fourth face looks out at me from a Compassion photo. He lives in Brazil, in a family struggling to keep every mouth fed. He is about the same age as my son, who was delighted to discover that his new Brazilian friend also likes race cars. We will probably never meet, but at least I know that he will get to eat every day, wear clothes that fit and receive an education — gifts that the three other children in my slideshow will probably take for granted.
What faces come to your mind?
How is our response to "children in poverty" conditioned by the faces we see—and by the faces we never see?
If you don't hold the face of a child in poverty in your heart … perhaps one of the first steps you can take on this journey is to get to know a poor child.
In fact, since one out of six children in this country are poor, it's likely that you already know such a child; you just don't know that they are poor. And that's a not a bad thing. Because first and foremost, children in poverty are simply children. The core essence of their life is not their financial status or their risk factors or statistical life outcomes.
The essence of a child looks out at us through those beautiful, God-stamped faces.
One is a beautiful infant with kissably chubby brown cheeks, liquid eyes and a soft fringe of hair. Members of her family are rumored to be drug dealers. She is named after her mother's favorite alcoholic drink. Born to a single mother, granddaughter of a single mother, the statistics governing her destiny are stark, the odds of her escaping another go-round on the descending spiral of fatherless generational poverty all too slim.
Another face belongs to a ruddy, pudgy boy, just having reached the magical birthday when he gets to add "teen" to his age. A placid expression and slow speech denote his borderline IQ. Under heavy medication for ADHD, he alternates unpredictably between hyperactivity and vacant passivity. But when a friend comes within a few feet he springs into action, with a huge bear hug and huger sloppy grin. His father is in prison, his mother recently died of the health complications that often accompany a hard-lived life. According to all research, the path before him leads, statistically speaking, to his father's locked-down doorstep. I can only pray that he finds a detour.
I see the impish face of a first-grader, showing off her new pair of pink shoes from Wal-Mart. She loves candy, furry animals and anything that involves going fast. Her parents are married, employed homeowners who stay home when their childless friends are out partying. But with minimal education, their jobs pay little above minimum wage, with few prospects for advancement. If not for her parents' being savvy about available benefits – EITC, free school lunches, state-sponsored child health care, home repair assistance programs – my little friend's life would be far more of a struggle. For now, being poor doesn't enter her conscious world, except that it means she can't have a pony.
The fourth face looks out at me from a Compassion photo. He lives in Brazil, in a family struggling to keep every mouth fed. He is about the same age as my son, who was delighted to discover that his new Brazilian friend also likes race cars. We will probably never meet, but at least I know that he will get to eat every day, wear clothes that fit and receive an education — gifts that the three other children in my slideshow will probably take for granted.
What faces come to your mind?
How is our response to "children in poverty" conditioned by the faces we see—and by the faces we never see?
If you don't hold the face of a child in poverty in your heart … perhaps one of the first steps you can take on this journey is to get to know a poor child.
In fact, since one out of six children in this country are poor, it's likely that you already know such a child; you just don't know that they are poor. And that's a not a bad thing. Because first and foremost, children in poverty are simply children. The core essence of their life is not their financial status or their risk factors or statistical life outcomes.
The essence of a child looks out at us through those beautiful, God-stamped faces.
Friday, August 1, 2008
THE STORY OF HOPE FOR CHILDREN IN POVERTY
Dr. Ron Sider and I have written a number of books and articles together. So it was not a surprise when he called to ask if I was interested in working with him to edit a book that Judson Press had in mind – a reader on child poverty. The book would complement the Children in Poverty initiative sponsored by National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA, and it would combine social analysis, theological reflection, and stories of effective ministries. We said yes.
The book grew in scope to include over forty contributors, plus selections of children's art and poetry. We were honored to have Marian Wright Edelman, outspoken children's advocate and founder of the Children's Defense Fund, write the introduction. The list of contributors is a cross-section of the diverse agents in our society taking a stand against poverty: university professors, policy analysts, nonprofit staff, pastors, writers, denominational leaders, professionals, community activists, children. You will, I hope, be hearing from many of these book participants through this blog, as well as new voices.
The book includes appendices with tools to help individuals and churches take steps toward a practical response to child poverty: a list of books and websites for more information, and a guide to planning a ministry program.
It was also Judson's idea to offer a free study guide online. The study guide has been used by hundreds of churches that have studied Hope for Children in Poverty in small groups as part of the ABC Reads initiative.
Due to the wide interest in the book and the critical issues it represents, its status as the ABC Reads selection has been extended through the end of the year. Hope for Children in Poverty has also been recognized as a finalist in the Social Change category of the National Best Books 2007 Awards and as "notable" in the Culture category of the Eric Hoffer 2008 Book Awards.
It has been my great privilege to be part of this project – to learn from the experts in the field, to be inspired by the stories of ministry pioneers, to be entrusted with the work of young poets and artists. I'll be honest: Shepherding this complex book project took a lot of work, a lot of babysitting hours, and a lot of patience (especially on the part of our publisher). But there is no doubt it has been worth it.
One high point of my involvement with Hope for Children in Poverty was an email we received after its publication. It was from a pastor, saying that after reading the book, his church was interested in starting a ministry involving foster children. I can think of no better book review.
Do more with Hope for Children in Poverty:
• Read the Table of Contents and Introduction
• Order a copy of the book from Judson Press (note: 10% of the proceeds from sales of Hope for Children in Poverty will go to the Children in Poverty initiative of National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA)
• Download the free Study Guide
• Find out more about the editors, Ron Sider and Heidi Unruh
The book grew in scope to include over forty contributors, plus selections of children's art and poetry. We were honored to have Marian Wright Edelman, outspoken children's advocate and founder of the Children's Defense Fund, write the introduction. The list of contributors is a cross-section of the diverse agents in our society taking a stand against poverty: university professors, policy analysts, nonprofit staff, pastors, writers, denominational leaders, professionals, community activists, children. You will, I hope, be hearing from many of these book participants through this blog, as well as new voices.
The book includes appendices with tools to help individuals and churches take steps toward a practical response to child poverty: a list of books and websites for more information, and a guide to planning a ministry program.
It was also Judson's idea to offer a free study guide online. The study guide has been used by hundreds of churches that have studied Hope for Children in Poverty in small groups as part of the ABC Reads initiative.
Due to the wide interest in the book and the critical issues it represents, its status as the ABC Reads selection has been extended through the end of the year. Hope for Children in Poverty has also been recognized as a finalist in the Social Change category of the National Best Books 2007 Awards and as "notable" in the Culture category of the Eric Hoffer 2008 Book Awards.
It has been my great privilege to be part of this project – to learn from the experts in the field, to be inspired by the stories of ministry pioneers, to be entrusted with the work of young poets and artists. I'll be honest: Shepherding this complex book project took a lot of work, a lot of babysitting hours, and a lot of patience (especially on the part of our publisher). But there is no doubt it has been worth it.
One high point of my involvement with Hope for Children in Poverty was an email we received after its publication. It was from a pastor, saying that after reading the book, his church was interested in starting a ministry involving foster children. I can think of no better book review.
Do more with Hope for Children in Poverty:
• Read the Table of Contents and Introduction
• Order a copy of the book from Judson Press (note: 10% of the proceeds from sales of Hope for Children in Poverty will go to the Children in Poverty initiative of National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA)
• Download the free Study Guide
• Find out more about the editors, Ron Sider and Heidi Unruh
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
IF YOU ARE A DREAMER, COME IN
Welcome to the blog for Hope for Children in Poverty!
This blog is for anyone who cares about creating a better future for children in poverty and their families. For those who have read the book Hope for Children in Poverty: Profiles and Possibilities, this blog offers an ongoing discussion on the issues surrounding child poverty in the U.S. and our response as followers of Jesus.
Four convictions animate this blog:
1. God loves children, passionately and eternally. Every one of them.
2. God entrusts adults with embodying this divine love to children, by ensuring their wholesome development in body, soul and spirit.
3. Love leads us to confront the shameful realities of child poverty, and to dream of a world that reflects God's good design for children.
4. We set our sights higher, and accomplish more, when we are connected than when we work alone.
With this in mind, we hope this blog can offer a vehicle to:
- raise awareness about issues surrounding child poverty in the U.S.
- share ideas for effective responses at the individual, congregational, community and national levels
- tell stories about ministries with children in poverty
- highlight helpful resources and organizations
- provide information about public policies that affect children in poverty and opportunities for advocacy
- offer a theological perspective on children, poverty, and the church's role
- appreciate the present blessings and future potential that children bring to our lives
- encourage and inspire one another to take action on behalf of children in poverty everywhere
Your comments, questions, stories and suggestions are welcome. In fact, your input is what will make this a meaningful forum. A dialogue is so much more engaging than a solo.
As a Christian, showing compassion and seeking justice for the poor is an integral part of my faith. Biblical references and themes will be a common motif in this blog. But the forum is certainly open to all perspectives, in harmony with our common desire to see children released from poverty and healed from all its damaging effects.
Crossing the Threshold of Hope
"If you are a dreamer, come in …" It seemed appropriate to title this introductory blog with a line from a poet who is a favorite among children, Shel Silverstein.
In this world of lost chances, there is a fine line between being a hopeless dreamer and a hopeful visionary. Poverty is a symptom and a cause of much that is on the hopeless side. It breaks down bodies, minds, spirits, relationships. It oppresses with a daily burden of stress, often exploding into violence and crime or imploding into depression and addiction. It obscures the bright stamp of God's image with a dim, grimy lie of worthlessness.
But we can't let these harsh realities stop us from crossing the line together to dream about and work toward the kingdom of God. After all, as Jesus said, it is children who show us the way to this kingdom (Matthew 18:1-4).
So let's envision a different reality – a world in which where every newborn is welcomed with the expectation of a long and prosperous life (Isaiah 65:20-23), where children have nothing to fear (Isaiah 11:6-9), and where the streets overflow with their laughter (Zechariah 8:5).
What do you dream for children in poverty?
What can we all do about it?
Monday, July 7, 2008
Welcome to our Hope for Children in Poverty blog
In 2007, Judson Press published Hope for Children in Poverty: Profiles and Possibilities. In this comprehensive reader, editors Ron Sider and Heidi Unruh brought together the expertise of academics, activists, pastors, and social service professionals to consider the lives and special concerns of children living in poverty—biblically, educationally, physically, sociologically, politically.Hope for Children in Poverty takes a giant step forward in exploring real solutions through public policy and faith-based organizations. Now, with the addition of this blog, we hope to keep the conversation, and the action, going. Hosted by Heidi Unruh, this blog will be a place for discussion, idea-sharing, support, and inspiration as we rally against this national tragedy which affects nearly 13 million American children and their families.
Look for an official launch of the blog on August 1, 2008!
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