Especially for people who strive to love their neighbor as themselves, the Advocacy Center is charged to educate, motivate, organize and empower Episcopalians to action for justice, peace and care for all of God's creation, through networks, resources and partnerships.
Jubilee Ministries
Jubilee Ministries was created by General Convention in 1982 and its establishment heralded a new era of work for the Episcopal Church. Jubilee was mandated as a ministry of joint discipleship with poor and oppressed people, to meet basic human needs and to build a just society. This mandate has evolved through the years and has been shaped by the social, economic, political and cultural realities of the times. Jubilee Ministry is an organizing principle for understanding and interpreting Christian Ministry; it makes a direct and dynamic link between our theology and our ethics: the talk of our faith and the walk of our faith.
Currently there are over 430 Jubilee Ministry Centers in the Church, including Puerto Rico, Haiti and Honduras. These centers are community-based sites that are dedicated to improving the lives of the poor through programs of outreach, evangelism, empowerment and advocacy. Empowerment and advocacy are included because those engaged in this ministry frequently need the type of assistance found only in programs that get at the root of a problem, are in need of someone to be involved on behalf of the poor and oppressed being served, and/or work with persons who lack a sense of self-esteem and dignity that is vital in order for people to be empowered to do for themselves.
To apply for designation as a jubilee ministry center, contact your Diocesan Jubilee Officer. The responsibilities of the Diocesan Jubilee Officer are: to be informed on all facets of the Jubilee Ministry, serve as a liaison to Jubilee Ministries, and be available as a resource to their bishops and congregations and otherwise bring support to further Jubilee Ministries. If there is no Jubilee Officer in your diocese, please contact the National Jubilee Office. Information about Jubilee Ministries can be found on the Jubilee web site: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/jubilee.
Jubilee 2000: The Year of the Lord's Favor. At both the 1994 and 1997 General Conventions, resolutions were approved asking the Church to commit to the Jubilee imperatives of debt forgiveness, environmental stewardship and human liberation. The Presiding Bishop has declared the Year of Jubilee to be from the first Sunday of Advent, 1999 through the Day of Pentecost, 2001. A 330-page resource - consisting of theological reflections, Christian education lessons for all ages, action ideas, and worship suggestions - was produced to assist dioceses, congregations and individuals in implementing the imperatives of Jubilee.
Anti-Racism
The Anti-Racism Committee is a subcommittee of Executive Council. Chaired by The Rev. Dr. Sheryl Kujawa of Episcopal Divinity School, the Committee works on behalf of the whole church to address and eradicate institutional and interpersonal racism - educationally, legislatively and structurally. The Committee provides, through the National Institute on Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism (headed by the Rev. Canon Ed Rodman) seminars which will train people from across the church to be anti-racism trainers in their own areas. The Anti-Racism Committee is the body responsible for certifying as trainers those who have completed the requirements of the Institute. If your diocese has not yet sent representatives to one of the training events, begin now to identify two people who can participate - teams are ideally comprised of one man and one woman, and one person of color and one white. The Committee also acts as a resource for diocesan and parish-based anti-racism efforts. Regional hearings on the impact of racism are being planned for Fall 2000 and beyond.
Stop Hate. The Episcopal Church affirms the dignity of all human beings and decries any form of violence directed against persons. Initiated by Dr. Pamela Chinnis, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church during its November 1998 meeting, passed a resolution on hate crimes. An excerpt of the resolution notes the following: Resolved, that the Council urges the U.S. Congress to enact legislation to expand the definition of hate crimes to include gender, sexual orientation or disability (in addition to color, race, religion, or national origin) and expand the number of settings in which the law can be applied. . . The Office of Governmental Relations is working in support of such legislation. A brochure, listing several anti-hate resources, and Stop Hate pins, are available from the Anti-Racism office at the Episcopal Church Center.
Economic Justice
The Peace and Justice Ministries Office focuses on Economic Justice through: the Economic Justice Loan Committee, the Social Responsibility in Investment Committee, active participation in the Economic Justice and Domestic Hunger Program Ministry of the National Council of Churches, and by providing a liaison and financial support to the Episcopal Network for Economic Justice. For more information, contact Harry Van Buren at harryvb@aol.com.
Economic Justice Loan Committee. This committee, created in 1998 by Executive Council, combines two former loan committees. The committee is given stewardship of $7 million dollars to make loans to projects to benefit poor and marginalized people, for such purposes as low cost housing or establishing credit unions. The committee develops criteria for Council approval and oversees the application and loan process deciding where loans are made, for how much and under what terms. These loans are available for domestic and international projects. Social Responsibility in Investment Committee. This committee of Executive Council was created in 1972 and has monitored the Church's investment portfolio for social performance ever since. The Episcopal Church is a pioneer in the shareholder activism movement through its earlier tireless anti-apartheid work. Today, among other issues, the committee analyzes and monitors corporate behavior on the environment, equality in the workplace, overseas ethical criteria, arms contractors ethical criteria, health concerns and bank lending practices to minorities. The committee meets twice yearly and by regular conference calls; it has produced resources and holds programs on different aspects of ethical investing. It is an active participant in the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility. The Episcopal Network for Economic Justice is a grass-roots network of Episcopalians from around the country which serves to engage churches and dioceses in matters related to economic justice, wages, labor, employment, community development, the theology of work and related issues (www.)
Environmental Stewardship
The Peace and Justice Ministries Office focuses on Environmental Stewardship through its active participation in the ecumenical Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches and by providing liaison support to the Episcopal Ecological Network. The Eco-Justice Working Group sponsors a bi-annual conference, publishes an annual Earth Day resource (which every Episcopal congregation receives), is actively involved in issues of energy, stewardship and global warming, and works with seminaries and youth to raise the issues of environmental stewardship.
The Episcopal Ecological Network, the grassroots network of Episcopalians from around the country is helping the Church advocate and articulate protection of the environment and preserving the sanctity of creation. The Network's current priorities include: the development of materials and activities which promote the spiritual foundations of ecological protection; helping to implement the 71st General Convention resolution calling for the greening of General Convention and Executive Council meetings, as well as work for the greening of Episcopal conference centers; and actively working with congregations and dioceses around energy deregulation issues. Peace and Justice also supports the work of Episcopal Power and Light, a not-for profit organization working for the use of green energy throughout the Episcopal Church.
Peace Ministries
The Peace Ministries office serves the Presiding Bishop as primary advisor on domestic and world events. The office works closely with Anglican partners through the Anglican Peace and Justice Network (APJN). The office serves as liaison to the venerable Episcopal Peace Fellowship. (EPF)
Anglican Peace and Justice Network (APJN). APJN is a recognized network of the Anglican Communion and is made up of representatives from each Anglican Province. There are about 24 active Provinces. The Director of Peace and Justice Ministries serves as the ECUSA representative and has been secretary since 1989. It meets bi- or triennially and is developing communications using available technology to provide greater sharing of mutual justice concerns. The last meeting took place in April 1999 in Seoul, Korea; a report from this meeting is available from Peace and Justice.
The Office of Government Relations
Located on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the Office of Government Relations brings the positions of the Episcopal Church to the nation's lawmakers. The office represents the social policies established by the General Convention and Executive Council, including issues of international peace and justice, human rights, immigration, welfare, poverty, hunger, health care, violence, civil rights, environment and anti-racism. The office serves as a resource for the Presiding Bishop, dioceses, standing committees and commissions, and Episcopalians across the country by providing information on current legislation, Administration policies, political analysis, government structure and process, and the Church's position on social issues.
The Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) is a nationwide grassroots network of almost 10,000 Episcopalians who call and write their members of Congress and the Administration to advocate the positions of the Church. Members of the EPPN receive policy alerts updating them on what is happening in Washington, the Church's position on public policies, and techniques and information on contacting their government leaders. Membership is free. As Episcopalians, we promise in the Baptismal Covenant to "strive for justice and peace." Striving for a just and peaceful world can take the form of helping those in need one-on-one. It also can involve pursuing broad, social change through public policies designed to help the needy. The EPPN is committed to the ministry of justice and peace through public policy advocacy. Our national leaders need to hear from us, as Episcopalians. Each year, Congress considers hundreds of bills that impact the mission of the Church. If we are not involved, others wind up speaking for us. We have a Christian view of public policy that our nation's leaders need and want to hear. Your letters and calls make a difference. 
