EPF participates in Diocese of Minnesota MDG Summit

by Rex McKee

The Diocese of Minnesota Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Task Force hosted the first ever training summit on Saturday the 15th of September attended by over 200 adults, children and youth. Participating in this summit were Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD), Episcopalians for Global Relief (EGR), Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN), Bonnie Anderson President of the House of Deputies, and the Episcopal Peace Fellowship (EPF).

The day was organized into several fast paced presentations: a powerful keynote address by Bonnie, organizational training by ERD, EGR, and EPPN, an open forum aptly named the Three legged stool of the MDG’s, and 8 workshops including From Violence to Wholeness provided by the Reverend’s Jackie Lynn and Rex McKee of the EPF, An introduction to the MDG’s by the Reverend Mike Kinman, Thinking Globally organizing locally by Dr. Michael McNally, The MDG’s and Worship by the Reverend Leeanne Watkins, The Willing Heart by the Reverend Barbara Mraz, Organizing a Mission Project by Laurie Beckman Yetzer and Reading the Times: Using everyday life to inspire MDG commitment by Dr Lisa Kimball.

The Reverend Devon Anderson, chair of the MDG task force, shared that the success of the day ‘could only be explained by the Spirit in our midst’ adding ‘we provided a forum for people to network and join forces and we offered practical, utilitarian workshops that were armed with new ideas and strategies to take back to congregations and be God’s agents of reconciliation in the world.’

Rex McKee is a deacon serving in the Diocese of Minnesota at St Mary’s Episcopal Church, St Paul MN, and at the St Paul Area Council of Churches. Rex also serves on the MDG task-force for the Diocese of Minnesota and preaches and leads educational events on the MDGs. He has been a member of EPF since the late 60’s and currently serves on the Executive Committee.