What were the PJN tasks undertaken since 2015 to prepare for GC. 2018?
- 2016 Organizational Retreat in Albuquerque: set goals for G.C. 2018; established PJN Leadership Team (coordinating Activities, Operations and Communication) and set up Working Groups, (S.Berndt staff)
- Leadership Team: monthly conference calls, with reports from Working Groups
- Education Group: monthly conference calls; creation of electronic Educational Tool Kit
- Grass-roots Organizing Group: working in dioceses to identify and organize advocates
- Communications: PJNontheGo, PJN Facebook page; work with EPF Communications Comm. for coordination; special thematic Facebook/Twitter campaign designed and broadcast by interns during the several months leading up to & during G.C.
- Fund-raising: Promote PJN Campaign, with graphics designed by Palestinian artist
- PJN-allied legislative leaders visit with Presiding Bishop Curry (2016) to discuss outcomes at G.C.2015 for PJN resolutions & plans for fair process in future; P.B.’s Task Force on Process establishes G.C. ground rules in Spring 2018, with support of HOD President
- Advocacy Group established: periodic conference calls for strategic advice for PJN from experienced TEC legislators
- Legislative Caucus established: paid positions for organizer and 2 interns, to oversee creation of caucus for committee testimony and floor testimony in HOD/B
- Drafting of strategic Resolutions by PJN and Legislative Caucus
- Invitation to Palestinians (with funding), FOSNA, ecumenical partners (AFSC, ELCA, others), interfaith partners (JVP, AMP), and non-denominational (USCPR) allies to testify at G.C.
- Collaboration with Consultation on booth planning, “Issues,” Speakers’ Corner
- Inaugurated new PJN award in honor of Cotton Fite, first PJN convener, to be presented at EPF Reception
- New Bishop visitations in Spring 2018
What worked well?
- Monthly conference calls by L.T. and working groups; regularly scheduled calls for Advocacy Group & Legislative Caucus >> avoiding silos, sharing ideas
- Fund raising: successful campaigns
- Excellent writing/editing process for resolutions; scramble to find sponsors successful
- Bringing in Palestinian voices and other allies, which began during the triennium, bore fruit >> energizing presence, powerful testimony, organizational skills and ideas
What did not work well?
- Unable to find many supportive bishops to build an active caucus; efforts at education in dioceses need to be strengthened, to build stronger caucus in HOD/B
What did PJN do during G.C. 2018?
- Provided clear path for TEC to accept that things must change on the ground, in Palestine, and with respect to church policy
- Booth shared with wider EPF and Canaan Fair Trade Products; Staff (Shannon) organized volunteer staffing, including Young Adult Delegation members; distributed EPF, PJN and FOSNA materials
- Daily Communications:
- PJNontheGo presented updates on Convention activities from PJN’s perspective; editor Donna also coordinated PJN articles in “Issues”;
- Peace on the Go reported to wider EPF on the Reception and our Resolutions
- EPF Reception: inaugural Cotton Fite Award presented to Maureen and Bob Tobin, with a special memorial presented to Diane Fite, in honor of Cotton’s dedication
- Leafleting deputies and bishops w/materials supporting Resolutions, etc.
- Legislative Caucus and allies conducted strategy sessions and trainings in prep for testimony at Joint Hearings and on floor of Convention; strong, moving and strategic testimony was delivered in a carefully-orchestrated manner
- Group.Me facilitated group communications via texts during testimony and voting, facilitated by Legislative Caucus leader and interns
What worked well?
- PJN was strategic & organized, as shown in testimony & hearings
- Booth was well-located near food court tables; “a homey & energetic operation;” Canaan Fair Trade helped draw people to Booth; staffing was adequate, with lots of PJN volunteers available Thurs – Sunday; being proactive in initiating conversations drew people; materials were popular … need more buttons!
- Speakers Corner offered interesting speakers, augmented by live-streaming > 3104 views of Naim Ateek’s stump speech; Tarek Abuata’s speech reached over 12K and had 6.1k views; a larger live audience than G.C. 2015, also.
- Leafleting: 150 – 175 flyers listing our resolutions were handed out before the vote; many Steadfast Hope were also handed out with buttons at leaflet stations: “If 8 – 10 % of those who took SH use them in parishes, awareness will soar”
- Daily updates in PJNontheGo were very helpful
- Presiding Bishop’s Task Force ground rules helped greatly: resolutions sent to HOD first; care taken to make sure Bp. Suheil would be well-advised; time-certain debate in HOD allowing for open discussion strategically guided by PJN
- Organizational meetings for testimony were extremely helpful; Condo was a good meeting place; the input of allies in planning & training was “amazing”
- Gary and interns’ work as floor-leaders for HOD testimony was, again, “amazing”
- Group.Me was very successful communications tool
- Great to have Young Adult Delegates speaking to Resolutions
- Testimony at Joint Committee was incredibly powerful; Palestinian voices were esp. important since they were absent in 2015
- We surpassed our goal set in Albuquerque: to have a fair hearing for our Resolutions on the floor of HOD … we had genuine legislative success!
What did not work well?
- Booth : couches not helpful; more benches & chairs? Did PJN’s presence with Canaan overshadow EPF table? Training of volunteers on materials would be helpful, as well as better display techniques; more volunteers needed; “I wish even more Steadfast Hope had been handed out”
- Speaker’s Corner : sound system inadequate; more chairs, please
- Leafleting: more coordination would help, with work shifts & assignments to events
- Allies need help with more accurate post-Convention reporting/assessment
- Testimony: is there a way for more bishops to be present? … it was so moving
What should PJN do after G.C. 2018?
- Consider a “planning summit” like 2016 in Albuquerque?
- Keep at it, educating TEC, pushing further, providing resolutions that will be supported
- Build on personal links/connections developed at G.C.; strategize with bishop allies for March 2019 HOB meeting
- Follow up on Resolutions:
- example>> developing human rights screen: establish a PJN working group devoted to designing an Is/Pal specific screen & identifying specific companies, using resources like Universal Declaration of Human Rights & “A Time of Outrage” by Stephen Hessel (a Declaration author) : cite particular rights, site Israeli violations, name companies who are complicit (e.g. collective punishment > home demolitions > Caterpillar)
- another example>> use D019’s call to parishes to get involved in positive investment to steer people to MECA, AFEDJ, FOSNA : to increase interest
- Develop tighter cooperation between PJN and local EPF Chapters and diocesan peace & justice committees; find local coordinators who understand the opportunities and liabilities in various dioceses; strategically raise PJN and Pal profile
- Engage in bishop visitations, accompanying Palestinians
- Lobby deputies in dioceses prior to next G.C.; work to get supportive deputies elected; use phone, postcards, visits; send our Resolutions list to supporters; arrange contacts from local allies like JVP where helpful
For next Convention:
- Design t-shirts for volunteers, with clear messaging – for booth & events
- FAQ sheet to educate on objections, like “antisemitism” or targeting Israel
- A hospitality room w/light refreshments: for conversations w/deputies & bishops, and for strategy sessions
- Some kind of presence at hotels where bishops/deputies stay
- Use of music: a session at Speakers Corner? Free concert? Song/chants?
- Volunteers Coordinator: staffing booth, preparing materials, leafleting, t-shirt planner, identifying local EPF and allied helpers/volunteers
Thanks to everyone who took the time to contribute to this evaluation.
Carpe diem!
