MISSION
The mission of Jubilee Ministry is to make a direct and dynamic link between our theology and our ethics. We must take care of the poor but we must also attack the root causes of that poverty.
As Christians we fulfill our mission by remembering and being obedient to our Baptismal Covenant (promising to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves; striving for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being), by challenging our parishioners to “. . . do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God” (Micah 6:8) and by responding to the gospel’s call to “. . . feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned.”
WHY ‘JUBILEE’?
Leviticus 25:11 - on Mount Sinai God tells Moses that the fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for the Hebrews. In this context, according to the Renovaré Spiritual Formation Bible (NRSV), “the jubilee is associated with the sound of trumpets announcing liberty throughout the land. All people get a new start. This practice is a remarkable witness to hope and God’s justice.” In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1-2: “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.
JUBILEE MINISTRY FUNCTIONS
1.
To challenge and confront Episcopalians and others to understand the facts of poverty and injustice, encouraging them to take an active role in meeting the needs of the poor and in the struggles against the causes of such suffering.
2.To locate and affirm as Jubilee Centers those congregations or ecumenical clusters directly engaged in mission and ministry among and with poor people.
3.To train clergy and lay volunteers, including poor and oppressed people, in the work of Jubilee Ministry.
4.To identify persons with gifts and skills helpful in Jubilee Ministry.
5.To select particular Jubilee Ministries as models, and communicate their work and methods to the whole church.
6.To report on issues that affect the poor and on public policies and church policies related to those issues.
7.To cooperate with other organizations to develop an active network to respond quickly and significantly on public issues of peace and justice.
8.To promote evangelism, especially in the formation of minority-led congregations.
9.To issue grants as a concrete expression of the church’s commitment to this ministry.
Source: General Convention Resolution 1982-A080 (Enabling legislation that created Jubilee Ministries)
NINE FUNCTIONS OF JUBILEE MINISTRY:
1. Consciousness raising, to help people understand the facts of poverty and injustice.
2. Locating congregations and ecumenical clusters that are engaged in mission and ministry among the poor and designating them as Jubilee Centers.
3. Training clergy, seminarians, and lay volunteers in the work of Jubilee Ministry.
4. Identifying people with knowledge, skills and abilities, and matching these human resources with Jubilee Centers.
5. Researching and evaluating Jubilee Centers, selecting some as models and communicating their work and methods to others.
6. Publishing a quarterly journal and occasional papes and books touching on Jubilee Ministry-related topics.
7. Networking with other organizations to promote justice-oriented public policies.
8. Evangelism and congregational development, particularly formation of non-Caucasian congregations.
9. Making Jubilee Ministry grants.
CURRENT DIOCESE JUBILEE MINISTRIES:
St. James', Dillon - Wood Bank
St. Patrick's, Bigfork - Community Garden
