Peace Out: Week Twenty-One

Communications: Establish a communications strategy for EPF; provide ED content for website, social media, and Constant Contact communications; look at website for adequacy for our needs; manage social media platforms and “comments”; blogging; help decide how to manage mail for EPF’s virtual office; volunteer to help with virtual office details. (NEC leadership: Ellen Lindeen, Barrington, IL)

Sustainability: Develop a multi-year diversified development plan and goals for EPF; help with fundraising, budgeting, determining long range financial needs and campaigns; help consider how EPF money should be managed; determine electronic banking needs and look at bank investments to determine suitability for managing EPF’s money. (NEC leadership: Rt. Rev. Jeff Fisher, Tyler, TX; Katherine Bailey Brown, Austin, TX)

Membership: Create the requirements and commitments for EPF membership for individuals; recruiting member initiatives; help look at donor and contact database management; chapter and peace partner recruiting. (NEC leadership: Betsy Davidson, Traverse City, MI; Rev. Richard Wineland, Nashville, TN)

Programming: help with resources for missions of EPF (curriculum, materials, speakers bureau, etc.) and pilgrimages (Year of Action and urban pilgrimages); consult on management of EPF virtual store; plan for 2021 General Convention, review and expand partnership with other peace organizations. (NEC leadership Rev. Michael Kurth, Port Chester, NY; Br. Columba Maynus, Minneapolis, MN)

Individuals or groups interested in learning more about Sacred Ground: a film-based dialogue series on race and faith are invited to an introductory webinar hosted by Katrina Browne, Sacred Ground curriculum developer, and producer/director of the acclaimed documentary Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, and the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, canon to the Presiding Bishop for evangelism, reconciliation, and creation care.

Built around a curriculum of powerful documentary films, videos, and readings, Sacred Ground is a 10-part series that considers some of the major chapters of the United States of America’s history of race and racism. It focuses on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian American histories as they intersect with European American histories. It also invites participants to weave in the threads of personal and family story, economic class, and political and regional identity.

In this webinar, Spellers and Browne share the “why and how” of the Sacred Ground series, including an overview of all of the elements of this resource. They will take participants through the online Sacred Ground curriculum and resources, including the password-protected pages. There will be time for questions.

This free one-hour webinar is offered on Tuesday June 11, 1pm Eastern (noon Central/11am Mountain/10am Pacific/9am Alaska/7am Hawaii); Register here.

Registration is required.

“More than a teaching tool, Sacred Ground calls us into intentional, sustained circles in which we can pray, watch, share our own stories, reflect, wonder, reckon, heal, and commit to action. Think of it as a pilgrimage in place,” notes Spellers.

Click here to begin to explore the Sacred Ground webpages, and to sign up to receive additional resources. The press release for the series is here.

Read more about this hopeful news, and join our Death Penalty Abolition Action Group to make progress in your jurisdiction! Read more here:
https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/05/30/episcopal-leaders-cheer-new-hampshire-becoming-21th-state-to-outlaw-death-penalty/

From Caroline Stevenson and Furonda Brasfield,
death penalty abolition advocates in Arkansas:

"Congratulations to the many advocates in New Hampshire who have given so much and worked so long and hard to make abolition of the death penalty a reality.
The EPF Chapter of Arkansas and the Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty are really encouraged by what you’ve accomplished."

Melanie's upcoming schedule:

Steven, Miranda and I will be in North Carolina for the next several weeks! Are you here, too!? Let me know if you want to meet for coffee or worship!

Looking forward, EPF will be in:

June 8: Wear Orange for Gun Violence Prevention, Winston Salem, NC
June 9: Pentecost with St. Anne's, Winston Salem, NC
June 19: Juneteenth event, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Asheville, NC
June 27-29: Washington, DC "Love God, Love Neighbor: Advocacy in Action"
July 12-13: Big Provincial Gathering, Province V, Kalamazoo, MI
July 20: Commemoration of Sojourner Truth, Battle Creek, MI (tentative)
July 21: Grace Episcopal Church, Traverse City, MI
July 25: Chicago, IL
August 8: St. Andrew's, Birmingham, AL
August 9-10: Commemoration of Jonathan Daniels and Martyrs of Alabama
Visit to Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and
Justice, Montgomery and Hayneville, AL
Sept. 4: Bp. Paul Jones' feast day, Diocese of Vermont
Sept. 27-29 Drone warfare initiative, Princeton, NJ
Oct 13-24 Palestine
Nov. 11: EPF 80th Anniversary, Providence, RI
Nov. 14-16: Borderland Ministry Summit, St. Stephen’s, Tucson, AZ
Dec. 22: National Day of Reparations (FOR) TBD

Are you near any of our planned stops and want to visit? Just shout! epfactnow

Until next time,
power to the peaceful!

Melanie

• Give to EPF
• Offers of hospitality always welcome!
• Join an EPF committee
• Suggestions of icons of social justice, landmarks or museums she must see.
• Driveway for parking "Miranda", her home on wheels. (Home or church parking lot welcome)
• Offer of laundry facilities.
• Suggestions of coffee shops, eateries, and sports bars she should visit.
• Identify best walks and hikes in your neighborhood.
• Invite her to church!
• Prayers for safe travel.
• Favorite camp sites (with dump station, preferred).
• Visits with your pets -- she is feeling deprived!