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CONNECTING with
FAITH AND DEMOCRACY |
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ISAIAH Marks a Huge Victory
Unfortunately, Governor Pawlenty did not support the vision behind this widely-supported bill and an override was required to turn the bill into law. more |
BRIDGE
SENDS 20 to National Leadership Training in Maryland. President Alan Traher told the presidents in their conference call that getting people to training requires setting goals at the year's beginning, generating a large list of prospects, and asking congregations to identify people who could benefit from training. It was a team effort that required the lead organizer to recruit new people and to use Gamaliel Executive Director Greg Galluzzo and Metro Equity Mike Kruglik to "help" people to make a decision. "Getting people to training," Traher said, "depends on goals and personal agitation." BRIDGE uses local money from their ad book and their banquet to provide scholarships to send lay leaders to National Leadership Training. |
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Sending Leader and Organizer Teams To Training Benefits Affiliates John Norton and a number of lead organizers, including Katie Jansen of MCU of St. Louis, stressed the importance of organizers bringing teams of leaders with them to Advanced Training and Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus Training. Having a clear goal for the return back home focuses the training for the leader/organizer team. Paul Marincel, director of the Midwestern Territory, often speaks of a team of ISAIAH spiritual leaders who attended Advanced Training together and developed the plan that led to Minnesota legislators understanding the values driving the legislative hopes of many of their constituents. These are the kind of relationships that contribute to veto over-rides! Presidents and Organizers: Who is on your team for 2008 Advanced Training and Clergy Caucus Training? What will be different in your community three years from now because you sent a focused team to training? There is still room for teams at two Faith and Democracy focused trainings this spring.
Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus Training
April 15-17, 2008 - Mundelein, Illinois |
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AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP COMMISSION
sets theme! |
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Inclusion and Racial Equity Task Force is preparing to write its report! According to Ann Smith, President of the Gamaliel Foundation, the data gathered from more than 150 personal interviews and several focus groups is now being analyzed by Dr. Margaret M. Camarena, director of the assessment team. This will be a two-stage process that includes the statistical analysis of the collected data and the careful summarization of the themes which appear in the large amount of narrative material supplied by the interview participants. In a recent Conference Call reporting session with the Inclusion and Racial Equity Task Force members, interviewer Mary McGirl noted how much she appreciated the people she interviewed. "These people provided a wealth of information, were a highly open and vocal group with strong opinions, with a willingness to share and to be vulnerable." Each of the interviewers reported being impressed with the high level of commitment of the interviewees to the Gamaliel network. "People are really busy," said McGirl, "but they rearranged their worlds for us. It was a great experience." Professor john powell, project director, reminded both the task force members and the interview team that until the report is finally completed, hopefully by the end of April, nothing can be said about what is being discovered by this important process. Gamaliel Network members who have questions and concerns are still directed to contact the task force through Ann Smith. More information about the task force and its work can be found at the Gamaliel Racial Equity and Inclusion Task Force website. |
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Gamaliel Religious Leaders
seek signers for Health Care Statement In a letter to religious
leaders Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus leaders wrote: “We hope that
after reading the document, For the Healing of the Nation, you will
agree to join other religious leaders as a signer. |
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Trinity United Church of Christ Blogspot A message from our Friends at the Procter Conference
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Turman and Welch see contrived controversy around Dr. Jeremiah Wright
Click links to
left for full text and other information “In response to the rather contrived controversy surrounding Dr. Wright, Sen. Obama stated that perhaps now we can engage in a candid, forthright conversation about the lasting vestiges and impact of centuries of race-based segregation of educational, political, economic and social opportunities and the anger, resentment and frustration they have caused for generations, perhaps more generations and more anger than is realized by the larger society.” Welch and Turman find it unfortunate that the media is more interested in characterizing Dr. Wright’s style than plumbing the depths of his message, “or the passion that gives rise to the remarks.”
They find that Sen. Obama’s call for conversation has been largely ignored by the media “though they have greater opportunity than most to begin the airing, across our broad culture, of differing perspectives on race, racism, prejudice and patriotism.”
Turman and Welch say that: “As leaders within our community, African American pastors stand united in our support of Dr. Wright and the points he made in his messages....African American pastors have been historically granted by their congregations permission, both to speak to them and for them for the purpose of prophetic and challenging guidance."
Citing the use of the words of Dr. Wright to caricature Senator Obama and his politics, they ask, “Have we not progressed beyond that era and transcended such chicanery? Honest conversation is rare in political campaigns… there are plenty of African American clergy ready, willing and able to meet with representatives of any medium and carry this conversation forward. ‘Free men’ and ‘free women’ are among you; who among you is ready to listen?” |
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"Faith and |
Remember to check for new materials for the Gamaliel Faith and Democracy online manual. |
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If you are no longer
president of your organization or employed by a Gamaliel affiliate |
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Copyright ©2000-2008 The Gamaliel Foundation. All rights reserved. |
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