VeNews July 2007

Welcome to VeNews, the newsletter for Vesper Society friends!

Working for a Better World: Reflections on the 2007 Kirchentag

by Mary Baich, President of Vesper Society

It’s not often that one gets to join a gathering of 140,000 people who are excited about making the world a better place. The experience is amazing, to say the least. I’m still processing the week I spent in early June in Cologne, Germany, for the biennial gathering of the German Protestant Church, an event known as the Kirchentag. Here are two things that struck me.

First, the Power of Dignity.

This was the theme of a Kirchentag-related forum called the Global Network Congress. Church leaders, NGO leaders, and scholars spent three days rethinking globalization in light of the conviction that dignity is a gift of God bestowed upon every human being. Dr. Reinhard Höppner, president of the Kirchentag, challenged us to bring the concept of dignity into the debate about globalization and its consequences.

Anyone wanting to shape globalization must ask not about quantities but about quality of life, Dr. Höppner argued. Progress is not the growth of the GNP. “It is about human dignity being able to flourish in all areas of life,” he said.

This was not an esoteric discussion. It has practical import. Every one of the participants at this forum is engaged in some work where human dignity is at stake. And our efforts to preserve dignity, no matter how small the particular work, reshape globalization.

I was reminded of our vision at Vesper Society – a compassionate world that protects human dignity and enhances human potential. In each of our projects, we are living into this vision. Every day, whether working with at-risk youth in California or people with HIV/AIDS in South Africa, we see the impact of starting with the assumption that people are gifted by God: they come alive when they come into their power.

“The fact that God endowed everyone with equal dignity means that no one is powerless,” Dr. Höppner said. “The weak develop a special power. That also means that the world changes from within as people are transformed and recall their dignity, and from below as they take many thousands of little steps to change the face of the world.”

Second, the Power of Conversation.

Something happens when people of goodwill come together. As I walked along the streets of Cologne, watched the crowds meandering down the Rhine, witnessed the art-making and music, listened in on impassioned discussions, and heard the inspiring speakers of the Kirchentag – including two addresses by Bishop Desmond Tutu – there was no mistaking the energy. There was constant motion. A movement is underway.

Vesper Society has attended previous Kirchentags, which were first organized following World War II to engage lay people in conversation about the future of Germany and the role of the church in helping to create just institutions after the horror of the Third Reich. Like the organizers of the Kirchentag, Vesper Society has always believed in the power of conversation. Convening is one thing we do very well because we know that conversation is generative.

We met in Cologne as the G8 Summit was underway in Heiligendamm, Germany. Our discussions at the Global Network Congress were amplified in the Bible studies and the worship services of the Kirchentag, and our message to each other and to our leaders in Heiligendamm was clear: we can do better.  

Where does it go? Of course, we don’t know. For me, I feel better just knowing this conversation is happening. I will continue to reflect on the power of dignity and the power of conversation in the days ahead. For now I am simply grateful for this gathering. I give thanks that others share our vision, and I am energized by the reality that so many of us are working together for a better world.

For more information contact .

VeNews informs readers of Vesper Society programs and activities. We welcome your feedback at . If you would like to add your name to our email list, please click here.

Vesper Society, a private operating foundation, promotes social justice locally and globally by addressing critical social issues including the provision of health services for the underserved.