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FAITH AND DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGN
A
SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION...
…
challenging one million congregational members to delve deeply into
their faith. This conversation clarifies our inter-connectedness and our
divisions. It is a call to say “no” to all attempts to divide us. A PRACTICE OF HOPE...
...involving
members of congregations in local issues and civic participation. A CHANGE IN LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL PRIORITIES FROM...
The common banner signals that together Gamaliel Foundation affiliates are a multi-racial, interfaith, non-partisan force acting to assure that all people can participate in the American Dream.
It is more than rallying under the same banner.
To shape a future that works for all requires people in community willing to project a new way of living and acting.
Participation in the democratic process is the path for
each person to realize their own dignity, worth, and power. This is how
people find the voice God intends for them in the sacred community.
Connect our Issues
Every local public meeting will hear reports on the issues that grow from their grassroots listening campaigns. They will hear commitments from community leaders and elected officials to work in ways that affirm common community values.
A number of state, regional and national issues have emerged from the grassroots listening campaigns of local affiliates to become Gamaliel National Platform issues:
Immigration,
Healthcare, Jobs, Housing, and Transportation.
Connect our Congressional Relationships
All over the country Gamaliel Affiliate Leaders are meeting with their US House Representatives and Senators to discuss the values that are the foundation of the promise of the American Dream for all.
In public meeting after public meeting congressional representatives are committing to work with Gamaliel local affiliates on the platform issues.
Connect our Voters
Because participation in the political process is so important to assuring that the American Dream is within the grasp of all, some Gamaliel Congregation Core Teams are organizing Faith and Democracy 100% Voter Campaigns.
Other voter participation campaigns, like Gamaliel Votes, are underway in many of our affiliates. Tens of thousands new voters go to the polls each election as a result of Gamaliel Votes and other local affiliate campaigns.
Connect our Core Teams
Congregations connect to Gamaliel affiliate organizing work through a core team of trained leaders.
The conversation, Gamaliel national and local training, along with the interfaith theological vision of the Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus build congregations that renew their own religious community but their communities as well.
Build our National Identity The Gamaliel Foundation is not a household name in very many cities. Yet we are there. You may be familiar with emerging and powerful organizations with names like MOSES, ISAIAH, BRIDGE, NJRC, ABLE, WISDOM, JOB, PNCC, NOAH, etc.
We were busy building relationships in our local communities, and suddenly we found ourselves in the national arena. Now we are working to solve “our branding problem.” We are trying all sorts of things to let the people in the public arena know that we have become the Gamaliel Network.
If you look at the Iowa Heartland Presidential Forum video, every time a sea of red appears in the scene, that is a sign that “Gamaliel is in the house.”
While our leaders plan our new path ahead, we are sure the “transformation of the soul of our country and our democracy” depends more than ever on our continuing to organize together.
Known by our deeds, our brand will be what we do.
Connect to the Media
Acting together and connecting our identities will lead to coverage in the national press. It has been hard to connect with some of our media targets because of this year’s all- consuming presidential election. We shouldn’t be too surprised. It is one of the most interesting campaigns in years.
We are witnessing how a presidential race changes when one of the candidates began his professional career as a Gamaliel Organizer on the Southside of Chicago!
Many
interesting things have happened for the candidate and for the Gamaliel
Foundation since those early days.
Connect with the Campaign for Community Values
The Gamaliel Foundation is proud to align our Faith and Democracy Campaign with the Community Values Campaign of the Center for Community Change. Gamaliel and the Center have been working together and separately on common issues for many years. We were happy to support the December 2007 Heartland Presidential Forum in Iowa with the attendance of over 600 of our leaders. On December 4th we will proudly join CCC as sponsors of a forum in Washington, D.C. where we will introduce the new administration to our community values.
Tool Kit on the Web
More information about the Faith and Democracy Campaign is available at www.gamaliel.org. Questions may be addressed to info@gamaliel.org.
Public Meeting Schedule
September 21
Ezekiel -
Saginaw MOSES – Detroit October 5 JOB-CA - San Diego October 11 ESTHER - Appleton October 12 JONAH-MI - Battle Creek TAP - South Bend CAUSE – Ventura ISAIAH - St.Paul-Mpls Metro October 14 ARISE - Albany ISAIAH - St. Cloud
October 15 October 16 JOSHUA - Green Bay VOICE - Buffalo October 18 BRIDGE - Baltimore (Summit) October 19 UACT- Connecticut Gamaliel Chicago Metro MCU—Metro St. Louis MORE2 - Kansas City NOAH – Niagara October 20 JONAH-WI - Eau Claire October 23 ISAAC – Kalamazoo MICAH – Milwaukee PINN – Pittsburgh ABLE – Atlanta October 25 FACE – Honolulu October 26 Genesis – Oakland ACTS – Syracuse AMOS - WI – Lacrosse October 27 SOPHIA – Waukesha October 28 RIC - Racine October 30 CUSH – Kenosha JOB - WI – Beloit UCM - East St. Louis PRISCM - Capital Region November 4 ELECTION DAY November 13 LION – Babylon November 18 LION – Riverhead
December 3
December 4 “Realizing the Promise – A Forum on Community, Faith and Democracy.”
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Teaching ordinary citizens to unleash power within themselves to collectively impact social, political, environmental, and economic decisions affecting their lives. |
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Copyright ©2007-2008 The Gamaliel Foundation. All rights reserved. |
These
are the elements at the heart of the Gamaliel Faith and Democracy
Campaign.