Millennium Development Goals Ministry

What are the Millennium Development Goals about?
In the Millennium Year – 2000 – 190 nations of the world came together to promise:

We will spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected.

This was the Millennium Declaration, and this and other promises contained in this declaration formed the basis of the Millennium Development Goals.

As Christians, we see the MDGs as fulfilling Jesus’ declarations from the beginning of His ministry:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19

And we see the MDGs as fulfilling Jesus' declarations until the end of His ministry, when He tells us that as we do feed and clothe and give clean water to “the least of these” we have done it to Him. Matthew 25.

Left, members of the MDG Task Force meet with ERD representatives and staff to discuss the Nets for Life Campaign.

What are the goals? How can I find out more?

The general goal of reducing extreme poverty was transformed in to eight specific goals, each with objectives and targets. The high level goals are:

What is the progress toward the MDGs?
Progress is mixed – in some areas of the world, there has been considerable progress. In others, countries are falling behind. The recent food crisis and the world-wide recession threaten to slow progress further.
A Web site called MDG Monitor shows how countries are progressing through interactive maps and country-specific profiles.

What can I do?
Learn, Pray, Give, Advocate.
Visit the Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation Web site to see what other individuals are doing.

What are congregations doing?
A number of representatives of parishes from the Diocese of Virginia met this last summer and shared what they are doing for the Millennium Development Goals. Read about it here.

What is the Diocese of Virginia doing?
A MDG task force headed up by Commission on World Mission members Cindi Bartol and Eleanor Braun is working to increase activity to learn, pray, give and advocate for the MDGs.
Contact them at:
Cindi Bartol: cindibartol(at)comcast(dot)net
Eleanor Braun: eleanor(dot)braun(at)gmail(dot)com

History of Anglican Communion / Episcopal Church / Diocese of Virginia endorsement of the MDGs

Lambeth Conference 1998 adopted resolution 1.15 to encourage providing debt relief to highly indebted countries.
General Convention 2000 adopted a resolution endorsing the Lambeth resolution, and encouraging diocese to engage in advocacy and learning about development issues.
General Convention 2003 adopted a resolution endorsing MDGs; and another resolution encouraging churches to partner with Anglican churches in Africa to implement the MDGs.
General Convention 2006 adopts resolution establishing the Millennium Development Goals as a mission priority; designates funding for it; and endorses the "ONE Episcopalian" campaign in support of the MDGs; and adopts another resolution affirming the "Call to Partnership" as presented to the United Nations Summit, and urges the ecumenical and interfaith partners to also affirm it and to pursue the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, through governmental and other action.
The 212th Council of the Diocese of Virginia, in 2007, adopts Resolution R-3, endorsing the MDGs, encouraging individuals and congregations to pray, give and work for the achievement of the MDGs.

More resources:
Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation
Episcopal Church: Global Good
Why should we as Christians care about the Millennium Development Goals?
Micah Challenge