Massachusetts Episcopal Network for the Poor People’s Campaign
Thanks to everyone who turned out on March 2 and helped spread the word about the march and assembly! (And if you couldn't make it, we missed you!) Each voice is important to this movement, and we had a wonderful showing of Episcopalians (see pic by Edward Boches and more pics on our Facebook page @MAPPCEN). If you missed it, please see the links to the media coverage below.
We give thanks to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul and all who volunteered there throughout the day. The Cathedral was a warming center during the march and assembly, and people gathered there throughout the day to rest, stay warm, have a snack, get voter registration info and watch the livestream. It was a beautiful showing of who we are: people with open doors who provide a warm welcome for all.
If you're not already getting email updates from the Poor People's Campaign, we encourage you to "Join the Campaign!" HERE. Be sure to enter your zip code to receive news from both the national campaign and the Massachusetts Poor People's Campaign. And if you do not already receive the monthly e-newsletter of the MA Episcopal Network for the Poor People's campaign, please email this network at [email protected].
Next for the campaign is the "Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls" in Washington, DC, on June 15 and voter registration and mobilization efforts as we head into the November election.
We will send campaign updates about June as we learn more, as well as about voter registration efforts happening in Massachusetts.
For our Episcopal network, in the coming months, we will be:
- Continuing conversations about the Poor People's Campaign and how we can stand with and support the PPC;
- Hosting a book discussion on Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond;
- Planning for the DC assembly on June 15;
- Coordinating and supporting voter registration efforts;
- And more! Stay tuned ...
In solidarity,
The Steering Team for the
MA Episcopal Network for the Poor People's Campaign
ABOUT US
Welcome to the Massachusetts Episcopal Network for the Poor People’s Campaign (MAPPCEN) web page, and thanks to St. Dunstan’s for hosting us!
Drawing from the resolution passed at the 2022 Diocesan Convention, we acknowledge that issues of poverty and justice are interconnected and cannot be adequately addressed with siloed action. These injustices adversely affect us, our siblings, both locally and globally. We commit to ministries of active engagement, advocacy, and support.
We hope Episcopalians in Massachusetts will join in solidarity with the Massachusetts Poor People’s Campaign (MAPPC), whose goals overlap substantially with the justice ministries currently happening, and participate through education, formation, engagement, support, and/or actions, all providing avenues for us to live into our mission strategy.
The network offers Episcopalians in Massachusetts a Bible study based on We Cry Justice, public witness, and actions of solidarity with the campaign at the local, state, and national level.
The network also plans to highlight and support the related justice work already underway, to provide opportunities to build relationships and spread the good news of the work being done.
Mission - What is our purpose?
Our purpose is twofold:
- Connect local Episcopalians to the actions of the Poor People’s Campaign (PPC) movement for people at the local, state, and national levels
- Foster supportive relationships among those doing justice work in the Dioceses of Massachusetts
Goals - What will we do?
Support the PPC movement to build the political will to eliminate systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, militarism and the war economy, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism.
- Serve as a bridge to help Episcopalians in MA connect with PPC (via MAPPC), and channel them into action
- Enable Episcopalians to stand in solidarity with MAPPC/PPC - coalesce when there is an action
Support the constellation of related justice work being done in the Dioceses of MA.
- Collaborate and support justice organizations in our Diocese and connect with Western MA
- Connecting and highlighting social justice work done by Episcopalians in our state
- Build relationships among Episcopalians in Massachusetts doing justice work, giving them opportunities to share their experiences
Tactics - How will we do it?
- We Cry Justice Bible studies
- Newsletter to share MAPPC and DioMass Justice news
- Annual conference/gathering
- Mobilizing communications for action
- Others as we discern them
We began gathering as a network in 2022, working to connect people across our dioceses who are interested in learning more about the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival (PPC), how our faith calls us to learn about the five interlocking justices and fight against them, and how we can engage with and support the PPC. You can read about us in the DioMass News HERE.
Since our formation, we have:
- Participated in the Mass Poor People’s and Low Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 2022.
- In the fall of 2022, we began a book study for We Cry Justice: Reading the Bible With the Poor People’s Campaign. We meet Wednesdays at 9 am on zoom. Each week is self-contained, and we welcome folks to join us!
- Presented a resolution in support of the PPC at the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts 2022 Annual Convention (and it passed!). You can read the resolution and the full convention report for more information, and the resolution is a way to live into our Mission Strategy 2021.
- Created a monthly newsletter with info on justice work being done here in Massachusetts and at the national church level, as well as news on the PPC and related news articles. You can read all our newsletters here. If you would like to be on our email list and/or have info to add, please email us at [email protected].
- Built a MAPPC EN Google Calendar. This lists justice events going on across the state and online, with links to more info. A great way to see all the impressive work being done by churches and groups across the state and find ways to get involved. If you have events to add, please email us at [email protected].
If you'd like to be part of the steering team for our network and/or be a liaison between our network and one of the justice groups in our dioceses, please email us at [email protected].
Network Steering Team Members:
Phoebe Chatfield, Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Boston)
Rev. Jer Colvin, St. Luke's (Hudson)
Meredith Haider, Grace Church (Great Barrington)
Dan Fields, St. Paul's (Natick)
Martha Gardner, Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Boston)
Rev. Sean Leonard, St. Dunstan's (Dover)
Savina Martin, MAPPC (Boston)
The Very Rev. Amy McCreath, Dean, Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Boston)
Connie McGrane, Parish of the Epiphany (Winchester)
Amelia Slawsby, St. Dunstan's (Dover)
Rebecca Spangler, Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Boston)
Kris Wile, St. Andrews (Framingham)