Conversations about Poverty


This webspace was prepared to provide resources and materials to support Diocesan constituent committees, commissions, institutions, and congregations in fulfilling Resolution 2013-1. 

 

As stated in Resolution 2013-1, each aforementioned group is expected to include as a part of every meeting from September 2013 through November 2013 or any other three consecutive month period between March 1, 2013 and the 2014 Diocesan Convention, no matter what the purpose, the following agenda item: 

 

“How will what we are doing here affect or involve people living in poverty?”

 

The goal of these conversations is to create a safe space to explore the reality of poverty in a way that transforms how we understand ourselves as individuals and as Christians in “seeking and serving Christ in all people.”  Although the intention of these conversations is initially reflection, we hope everyone involved will become inspired to take action to prevent poverty and the unnecessary suffering caused by it.

 

Resources we have available include:

 

     A handbook for the conversations.  It contains guidelines for the conversations, personal stories about poverty, discussion prompts, lessons from Scripture and prayers.

 

     A powerpoint presentation about these conversations and their place in our campaign.

 

     Reflections on such conversations and lessons learned.

 

 

A recent article on Philly.com shows why a campaign like this is needed.  It begins:

 

     "Many Americans disdain the poor - and science proves it.

 

     When people were placed in neuroimaging machines and shown photos of the poor and homeless, their brains responded as though the photos depicted things, not humans - a sign of revulsion."  Read the rest of the article here.

 

 

Here is a link to the prayers we used at the training on July 20