Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori addressed a crowd of parish and diocesan leadership June 15, offering what it means to be beloved of God. "If we're to begin the change the world, an important place to begin is with ourselves," she said.

Jefferts Schori invited participants to say to themselves, "I am God's beloved," and then to turn to a neighbor and offer the statement to them. She then asked the group to reflect in silence on the words, "You are my beloved; with you I am well pleased."

A question-and-answer session focused on topics ranging from hunger, poverty, public policy advocacy and global climate change to evangelism, youth, stewardship and making space to talk about tough issues together. Jefferts Schori said that participation in God's mission is to "help build the realm of God." She cautioned that individual truths should be held "lightly."

On Saturday, June 16, hundreds packed the ballroom of an Indianapolis hotel for a plenary with Jefferts Schori that kicked off a daylong, community-wide conference titled, "One Voice, One Hope: Acting on the Millennium Development Goals."

During the plenary session, Jefferts Schori said, "The MDGs are a contemporary illustration of how Jesus served and how we are called to serve today."

She challenged the group to "get lost in the work for which you have passion" and to broaden their vision of who is their neighbor to include a global perspective, saying that all are interconnected.

During the afternoon, participants divided into small groups around the first seven MDGs, convened by local leaders with expertise in each issue. Strategies were developed to create an action agenda around each goal, with reflection on where to go from here, first as an individual, then as a congregation, a community, a nation and a world.   

A panel discussion on the eighth MDG, developing a global partnership for development, wrapped up the day. The panel included Bishop Catherine M. Waynick of Indianapolis and other local religious and community leaders, as well as Abagail Nelson, vice president for programs, Episcopal Relief and Development, and Martha Gardner, consultant in environmental ministries in the Episcopal Church's Office of Peace and Justice Ministries. Also on the panel was James Morris, retired executive director of the United Nations' World Food Programme, who decried the lack of progress in eradicating extreme global poverty and hunger.

Participants were asked to sum up their thoughts and feelings in one word, with the most common responses being "possibility" and "hope." Conference organizers have collected information from participants and will offer follow-up suggestions on where to go from here to build on the energy of what was an extraordinary and thoughtful gathering.