Battered by the Storm

Check out the recent study by the Institute for Policy Studies on the the effects of the current economic crisis, "Battered by the Storm: How the Safety Net Is Failing Americans and How to Fix It" at http://www.ips-dc.org/reports/battered-by-the-storm.

A Bold Plan to Combat Poverty

U.S. Census data released today shows the burden of the Great Recession has fallen mostly on those at the bottom. The data reveals that the U.S. in 2009 had the largest number of Americans living in poverty in the 51 years that poverty has been measured, 43.6 million people, and the highest poverty rate, 14.3% since 1998.

Institue for Policy Studies Fellow Karen Dolan, urges policymakers and those concerned about growing poverty to read the recommendations in IPS's report "Battered by the Storm," which warned about these massive increases in poverty and put forth common-sense solutions to alleviate it.

Dolan says, "This new data reveals our nation's inability to respond to the profound needs of a growing number of Americans falling precipitously through a badly tattered safety net. We must act quickly to stop the devastation that will affect generations to come."

To read more, go to the website for the Institue for Policy Studies at http://www.ips-dc.org/

Hope for the City - Pathways to Restoration

This weekend, over 100 church and community leaders and seminarians gathered at the Maritime Institute of Technology in Linthicum, MD for the Baltimore Region's second annual Hope for the City Urban Ministry Convocation. Our focus was on exploring ways to expand capcity in collaboration and partnership in urban ministry, as we seek to restore the proverbial village that is the city. Dr. Robert Franklin, in his latest book "Crisis in the Village", offers that several strategic steps must be employed in order for the village to be renewed and restored. These steps are:
(1) Focused Conversation
(2) Collaborative Leadership
(3) Vision and Planning
(4) Accountability and Action
(5) Sustaining and Fundraising
(6) Documenting and Celebrating Progress.

The Power of Partnership

“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

Some of the most significant aspects and opportunities that we share in ministry are found in the ways that we engage in partnership, collaboration, and teamwork.

In ancient Greek literature there is a story that shows the power of working together.

“An aged, dying father called his seven sons around him. He gave each one a stick and told them to break it. Each son easily broke his separate stick. The old father then bound seven sticks together, and gave the bundle to his eldest son and told him to break the bundle. The eldest son could not break it. Then the second son was commanded to try. He could not break it. Nor could any of the rest. “So is it to be of you,” said the father. “Alone you are weak, but together you are strong.”

This is the nature of synergism. It is derived from the Greek word “synergos” meaning “working together.” Synergism means that by joining with others, common objectives can be more easily and effectively accomplished. There is strength in numbers when we multiply our efforts through working with others.