We live in a world in which fully half of all people live on less than $2.00/day.  Nearly one billion people live on less than $1.00/day.  Living on less than $1.00/day is defined as extreme poverty by the United Nations.

The United Nations' eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) are designed to cut in half by 2015 the number of people living in "extreme poverty."  Specific MDG's include the eradiction of hunger, universal primary education, eliminating discrimination against girls and women, reducing infant mortality, providing for maternal health, and promoting development in an environmentally-sustainable way.

For the first time in history we have the resources and technological wherewithal to achieve these goals.  The only thing that can prevent us from achieving the MDG's is apathy.  Apathy, in the face of the extreme poverty and suffering of most of God's chidren on this earth is a serious moral malady.

A mere 7/10ths of one percent (0.7%) of the GDP's of the 24 richest nations, plus lesser amounts from less wealthy nations, is enough to achieve these goals.  At the UN Millennium Summit in 2000 the United States signed on to this commitment.  However, instead of giving 0.7% of our GDP for the MDG's, we give less than 0.2% (0.165%, to be exact).  In light of this moral failure on the part of our government, it is all the more urgent for people of faith to (1) call on our President and Congress to honor the commitment made and (2) try to fill the void ourselves with our personal resources and the resources of our Churches.

Here at the Chapel we have periodic U2charists (Eucharists with the music of U2) to raise awareness of and funds for the MDG's.   [Bono, lead singer of U2, is one of the world's leading proponents of the MDG's, through the ONE Campaign to Make Poverty History.  U2 has authorized the free use of their music at any religious service promoting the MDG's.]  Phi Mu Alpha, a music fraternity on campus, provides the music for our U2charists at the Chapel.

   Phi Mu Alpha musicians at our first U2charist.

 We also hold holiday sales of Fair Trade goods promoting awareness of fair trade issues and providing a just return to Third World artisans and farmers for their products.  Also, among our local congregation, when Chapel members make pledges to the Chapel we ask them to also pledge to give at least 0.7% of their incomes toward MDG-related organizations.  About 45% of  our members have pledged to do so.

At the national level the Episcopal Church, under the leadership of our Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts-Schori,  has made the MDG's the focus of our mission.  People often ask why the Churches are involved in this "non-religious" work.  In the Old Testament, the topic most frequently discussed                       Our first Fair Trade Christmas sale.             

is idolatry.  The topic mentioned second most frequently is economic injustice.  In fact, some of the Prophets went nuts in denouncing false, ritualistic religion that ignored the injustices of society.  In the New Testament, in the Gospels, the topic that Jesus discusses most frequently is the Kingdom of God.  The topic he discusses second most frequently is money and our relationship to money and our possessions.  In other words, the issue of global poverty goes right to the heart of biblical religion, even if most of the time the Churches ignore this.  We are taking baby steps to right this at least in our own religious life.  Won't you join us in this adventure?