This summer and fall ONE and Relevant Media Group will join together to carry out the Reject Apathy tour. It’s not our own music tour though, just sounds like it.

Through Reject Apathy, ONE and Relevant will be at six of the best summer Christian music festivals, signing up new ONE members, motivating bands to speak out and recognizing people who already are part of ONE. Then in September through early November, we’ll blast off to 25 to 50 college and university campuses across the U.S.

By wrap up, we aim to recruit 35,000 new ONE members among Relevant’s audience and raise awareness to hundreds of thousands of individuals. And, most importantly, we hope to gain a lot more people taking action for smart aid and the efforts we know work for people in Africa and around the world.

Relevant is a leading voice amongst 18 – 34 year old, faith motivated individuals. The Reject Apathy effort gives Relevant’s audience opportunities to “change the world” and connect them to organizations that are doing that work. ONE is the featured partner in Reject Apathy, and joining ONE is the first step in being involved.

We’ll keep you posted on how it all goes and how you can be involved.

Relevant sat down for a conversation with Switchfoot at the Alive Festival in Ohio. ONE leads things off. Take a look and listen.

For upcoming Reject Apathy dates and locations, click the link below.

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This week at Shaw University nearly 500 students are gathering for the 55th annual Lott Carey Youth Seminar applying their faith for “missional serving and learning” and acting with ONE. Reflecting on the theme “Called to Be a Blessing,” I had the privilege of joining the gathering yesterday in Raleigh, NC where I spoke to the role of advocacy in fighting global poverty and treatable, preventable disease.

Many of the students, aged 14-21 and from the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Midwest, had just come back from a service-learning project where they were “gleaning” a local harvest of crops while others were in breakout sessions examining the intersection of their faith and global concerns.

Nurturing a new generation of leaders to be prepared to tackle the challenges and opportunities of the day is something that Lott Carey has been doing for some time. This year, however, the role of advocacy is being elevated alongside direct service and ministry as integral to the fight against senseless and extreme poverty. It was exciting to be on campus, where the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was birthed during the Civil Rights movement, to see a new generation of students organized and acting with ONE.

The Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention, founded in 1897, is on the ground today in over 20 countries. Focusing on health, education and ministry projects, Lott Carey is particularly engaged in addressing and alleviating the HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa. Watch this clip of Rev. Dr. David Goatley, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of Lott Carey, to learn more:

-Adam Phillips

In President Barack Obama’s major address today in Cairo, he spoke about his vision for cooperation between America and Muslim-majority countries on important projects to fight poverty by expanding economic opportunity and – in cooperation with the Islamic Conference – to eradicate polio.

From President Obama’s speech  “On A New Beginning” given June 4, 2009 at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt:

On science and technology, we will launch a new fund to support technological development in Muslim-majority countries, and to help transfer ideas to the marketplace so they can create more jobs. We’ll open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and appoint new science envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, grow new crops. Today I’m announcing a new global effort with the Organization of the Islamic Conference to eradicate polio. And we will also expand partnerships with Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health.

-Aaron Banks

Recently, Hope Presbyterian Church in Richfield, MN held 3 ONE Sabbath services. The services were attended by more than 800 people and it was an exciting morning of worship. Pastor Bruce Hillyer challenged the congregation to help those in need and bring compassion to those who are hurting.

During the service we focused on three ministry organizations in Africa. The first ministry was Daystar University, a Christian university located in Kenya. We were joined by Frank Msambya, a Daystar graduate who now works in Daystar’s U.S. office. Frank shared with the congregation about the great work happening at Daystar and how they could become involved. Specifically Frank talked about a new mentorship program that is training Daystar students to go into the Kibra slums and work with children. One of Daystar’s goals is to educate students so that they may disperse throughout Africa with an education that can make a difference.

The second ministry that we highlighted was the Kenya Children’s Fund. This is another education based ministry. Since 1987 Kenya Children’s Fund (KCF) has sought to transform the lives of Kenya’s impoverished children by providing life’s basic necessities, principally education, nutrition, and medical care. KCF’s biggest project is in Kinyago-Dandora, one of the poorest areas of Nairobi, Kenya. KCF’s mission is to lift children from a place of hopelessness to personal achievement. Armed with an education, these young men and women will return to their communities to serve as change agents in every sector of society.

The final ministry that we highlighted was Water for Life. Water for Life’s mission is to help communities in need develop safe and sustainable water sources. By combining formal instruction with hands-on training they teach people how to supply and maintain their own local water resources. Water for Life’s focus is not simply to provide safe drinking water to those in need. The ultimate goal is to help people gain the knowledge and experience they need to help themselves and their communities. We specifically focused on Water for Life’s project in Rwanda, a 4 year project that began in December of 2008. When complete all primary-school students in Kigali will have access to safe drinking water. By December of 2012 this project will improve the lives of over 80,000 children and their families in Kigali.

In between services all three of the ministries had tables set up for members of the congregation to come and visit with them and learn more. We also had a ONE table to get information out to the congregation about the campaign, many people stopped and signed up!

It was a great morning and many of the ministries and church members have already talked about doing another ONE Sabbath service next year.

-Ben Hayle, ONE Member

Today Super ONE Leader Pastor Dan Donmoyer and I attended “Lutheran Day” in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The agenda for the day included legislative visits at the Harrisburg Capitol, a legislative panel including PA Reps. Tina Pickett and Mike Sturla, and workshops relating to advocacy.

Dan and I had the opportunity to speak with many Pastors and leaders throughout Pennsylvania interested in the ONE-Lutheran program and ONE Sabbath. We also met with the keynote speaker of the day Andrew D. Genzler. Mr. Genzler is the Director for Advocacy and the Washington Office for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Dan and I spoke with Mr. Genzler and other Pastors about ways to re-engage Lutherans about ONE-Lutheran and ONE Sabbath. A ONE-Lutheran meeting will be held at the Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly this June in Gettysburg, PA. This was a great day to meet new ONE Leaders and it was exciting to leave the event with real, tangible plans for future ONE activity throughout all the Synods in Pennsylvania.

-Brian Sweeney

We’re inviting you to lift up your voice and inspire others to join and act with ONE in the fight against extreme poverty.

The ONE Sermon Challenge, part of ONE Sabbath, invites leaders and members of congregations across the country to create and submit sermons connecting their own faith to these vital issues and lift up the important role of advocacy as an act of faith.

Today we are faced with a global financial crisis in which the world’s poor are the first and most adversely affected. Yet we have proven solutions: Two million people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa receiving lifesaving medicines. Millions of families protected from malaria thanks to simple bed nets. Tens of millions of African children going to school for the first time. and YOU.

Continuing through May, the ONE Sermon Challenge will accept original and inspirational sermons, d’ivrei torah, and khutbas related to global poverty and collect them online at ONE.org. Through the ONE Sermon Challenge, pastors, rabbis, imams and other faith leaders have the chance to share their message to ONE’s millions of members and congregations nationwide, inspiring advocacy and action. At the ONE Sermon Challenge you’ll find inspirational preaching from many traditions, including original Christian, Jewish, and Muslim messages all lifting up a call for action against extreme poverty and treatable, preventable disease.

At the ONE Sermon Challenge you can read Rev. Abby King Kaiser’s inspiring word on the “Work to Do,” download and listen to Rabbi Eric Solomon’s reflections on the role of prophetic leaders like Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heschel, or watch Imam Johari Abdul-Malik’s inspiring Friday khutba on the vital role advocacy plays in fighting global poverty and treatable, preventable disease.

Participants that send us their inspired message will receive a ONE Sabbath Action Pack, resourcing them and their local congregations with next steps to act with ONE.

Last week I caught up with Pastor Eugene Cho, of Quest Church in Seattle, at the Sojourners Mobilization to End Poverty here in Washington DC – he shares his challenge to you to do your part and join the ONE Sermon Challenge:

-Adam Phillips

This week over 1,000 Christian pastors and lay leaders and activists will converge on Washington, DC to attend Sojourners’ “Mobilization to End Poverty.” ONE has joined with World Vision, the ELCA, and Oxfam America as the major cosponsors of this mobilization.

The 4-day event focuses on both domestic and global poverty, and ONE is the lead cosponsor on the international agenda. Arjun Mody from our Government Relations Team and Mikki Imai and Josh Lozman from our Policy Team have done great work in hammering out the global agenda.

The attendees are a natural audience for ONE. Many ONE members are already attending and we hope to make many others ONE members at the event.

ONE will participate in key ways during the event:

• ONE President & CEO David Lane will speak during a plenary session today at 1:30 EST in a session called “Half in 10 and the MDGs – Are these Goals Achievable?”
• Arjun will lead the training on international issues for the Lobby Day on the Hill.
• ONE will host an evening reception on Tuesday at 8:30. This is another chance to introduce those attending to ONE.
• During the only workshop on global poverty, I will moderate and Kenyan Professor Ndunge Kiiti will present. Prof. Kiiti is a leader from the partner organization Micah Challenge.
• ONE will keep a constant presence throughout the event at the ONE table. Thanks to the ONE intern crew for helping with tabling!

This promises to be a terrific event, and we’ll bring you more updates as they occur in the coming days.

To learn more, check out: www.sojo.net/mobilization.

-Adam Phillips

What do Quincy Jones, UN Ambassador Dr. Susan Rice, the Sultan of Sokoto, Nigeria, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, Rabbi David Saperstein, ExxonMobil, Tony Blair Faith Foundation, the First Ladies of Cape Verde and Mozambique, and 8-year old

They are all acting together in the fight against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

Friday, I attended the “One World Against Malaria Summit” and heard from each of these leaders who are acting together to end malaria deaths by 2015. Presented by the UN Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA), the event was the first of its kind, bringing together diverse actors from the worlds of faith, government, NGOs, the arts, and business. The event was led by UN Special Envoy Ray Chambers, and Ed Scott, Chairman of CIFA and one of the founders of DATA.

We can beat malaria. Bed nets to protect against malaria cost only $10 – and they provide “a night of sleeping in paradise,” as one attendee of the event described. Yet, it is estimated that 900,000 people around the world die each year from malaria – 85% of those are children under 5 in Africa. Yesterday’s event outlined the urgent, yet achievable goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015.

In a key-note address, Dr. Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, underscored the role of US leadership in ending malaria deaths, offering that it was in “American interests and American values.” She went on to highlighted President Barack Obama’s commitment to the fight through the President’s Malaria Initiative and its $1.2 billion dollar 5-year expansion.

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On the first sunny day in Seattle that we’ve seen in a while, close to 150 people gathered at the Islamic School of Seattle for the first annual “Seattle’s Hands – Muslims and the MDG’s” event.

The idea germinated last fall when a small group of leaders met in a coffee shop near Pike’s Place on the waterfront of Seattle. Mark Brinkmoeller from ONE met with a number of regional leaders in the Islamic community, heard their vision, and told them if an event was created, he would be glad to return and partake on a forum for ways for Muslims to put their faith in action globally for their brethren and families in their homelands. These are matters of not only charity but justice, and he shared ways they can advocate here on their behalf.

Mark was joined onstage by Munir Rizvi of the World Education Foundation. They have built and managed a school in Pakistan with plans to build one school per year and provide scholarships to needy students for college. This Boeing engineer also works with his country’s earthquake victims on tent, water, and heater projects. Tohir Abdul-Malik is a teacher at the Muslim Youth Academy in Seattle and a partner in Centric Ltd, which building 100% green homes in developing countries. Hafiz Lalji is a business trainer and an outreach coordinator for the Islamic community at Washington CASH, a domestic microfinance organization in our region.

But the children stole our hearts today. The primary students sang the 99 names of Allah, the middle school children spoke first-person-style of the MDG’s with artwork and Quran verses for each goal . . . high-schoolers sang and volunteered, and the Muslim Student Association at the University of Washington developed a video interviewing Islamic students on their knowledge and experience of the MDG’s. many thanks to the kids who have volunteered to make the event come off swimmingly.

Far eastern vendors and families donated food. Zuhr prayer (2nd of the 5 daily prayers) was joined or observed, a tender time, complete with a spiritual message by Dr. Karim Abdullah .
We are all exhorted to be our brother’s keeper, near and afar, and ONE is a prominent partner in helping people of faith, every faith, advocate for the voiceless of the world. My thanks for the generosity of ONE to share the day with the people of Seattle.

This was the first event held by the Islamic community of Seattle to introduce the goals and to hear how others in both our and the greater community are working towards these goals. The children brought the goals alive, the spiritual address speaks about our duty to help our neighbors. The riveting panel discussion informed and inspired others that it is possible to make a change. The interfaith ONE campaign presence at the event and powerful voice could further help such organizations further break any barriers to achieving their private mission and the overarching MDGs.

Narima Amin, Founder, RISE-UP from Poverty and Seattle’s Hand Event Coordinator
&
Sammi Fredenburg, Seattle ONE volunteer

The Rev. Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and President of the Lutheran World Federation, writes in a recent opinion piece of the “test of moral leadership” for President Barack Obama at this week’s G-20 Summit in London. Noting that people of faith and conscience have a particular interest in this topic, ONE supporter Rev. Hanson notes that this is “a critically important test of the President’s leadership for people living in poverty [that] will be determined by his ability to lead the group of 20 leaders from the world’s wealthiest nations, the G-20, to an effective, practical and immediate response to help people weather this financial storm.”

You can find the full text of Presiding Bishop Hanson’s piece here.

-Adam Phillips