[sudo-discuss] Fwd: [omni-consensus] Newly Revised Proposal for Liberation Ministries - Please take back to your collectives
Jenny Ryan
tunabananas at gmail.com
Sun Sep 13 14:15:40 PDT 2015
Updated proposal from Liberation Ministries. Please read and comment.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stephen Novotny <novotny.stephen at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Sep 13, 2015 at 11:26 AM
Subject: [omni-consensus] Newly Revised Proposal for Liberation Ministries
- Please take back to your collectives
To: "consensus at lists.omnicommons.org" <consensus at lists.omnicommons.org>
To enter the consensus process at this weeks delegates meeting, Sept. 17th.
Please take back to your collectives so that we're prepared to engage in
this process with representation from all groups.
Please respond here with any further questions or feedbacks so we can
further this process with due diligence. Thanks.
---------
Liberation Ministries (LM) has requested that we move forward with a
consensus process this Thursday, Sept. 17th. They feel that it’s essential
for them to have a space to begin their work and so they must begin
investing their time elsewhere if the Omni cannot come to at least a
preliminary consensus to move forward with their request for space on
Sunday mornings and Friday evenings. They feel that while there may be many
questions and concerns, it will be most productive for us to get to know
them through the concrete work they’ll begin doing once they have a
commitment from us to let them use the space. In short, they feel like
their hands are tied, having spent considerable time already in our process
without any commitments, while they need to move forward immediately with
concrete results if they’re to live up to what their work promises: working
in the community, providing for the needs of others.
Summary
The purpose of this proposal is to create a formal relationship between LM
and the Omni Commons. Cheryl Ward is the pastor of LM, which has a small
existent following seeking to start a new congregation and grow into a
larger ministry. They’ve yet to hold their own Sunday services, which is
essential to their growth, because they don’t have a building. They intend
to begin their services in the Omni and grow from here.
LM at this time is content with being considered a tenant or some other
form of relationship that provides them with a level of commitment from the
Omni for their use of the requested space. They’re confident that their
ability to collaborate and contribute to the space will manifest, whether
they become a collective member now, later or never. As they’ve stated in
their application, they’re not interested in creating a “social club,”
they’re interested in expanding their involvement in the community by
meeting the needs of those in the community. Their use of space in the Omni
is meant to provide a safe space for their congregation to welcome
newcomers, to develop their vision and to gather the basic necessities
required to provide for the community outside the building.
To find out more about Cheryl Ward, who is the leading pastor of Liberation
Ministries, check here: http://cherylwardministries.com/about_us
Terms of Agreement
Open to being a collective member, a tenant or reserving their use of space
and access through the Commons wg. It’s up to Omni delegates to decide on
how to move forward with processing these Terms of Agreement
-
Seeking commitment of 1+ years
-
Use of space
-
Host a congregation / religious service on Sunday mornings from
9am-11am
-
Open to meeting in rooms that suit the size of the congregation,
especially as the congregation is still forming.
-
Ideally in ballroom with use of piano and other instruments, but
can be occasionally flexible to shift to other locations in
the building
(such as Disco Room or Basement).
-
Host youth activities and discussion nights on Friday evenings,
including collaborations with Peralta College students and Material Print
Machine
-
Access to a private space or office for conversations / consultation
/ administerial work
-
24/7 access to the building to conduct the above
Concerns Expressed by Delegates in Previous Meetings
1. Their use of the space on Sunday would limit our ability to provide this
space for others
-
We followed up regarding this concern with the Commons WG and learned
that Sunday morning during the time from 9-11ish (am) when Liberation
Ministries would have service has seen only six events since last November
2014 when the Omni Global calendar started being used
-
Two of these were all day events--Capoeira and a "Fundraiser for Legal
Fees".
-
Of the other four, three were short two-hour rehearsals and one was
something called "Love Chapel"
-
Three of the six events started at 11am
-
There were a few more events that were in the Ballroom starting at noon
on Sundays, but not many
-
And Sudo Room hosted in the ballroom:
-
Bay Area Consortium of Hackerspaces (BACH) Unconference Sept 25-26,
2014 that started at 10am on Sunday
-
https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/Bay_Area_Consortium_of_Hackerspaces/September_26_2014#Sun_Oct_12
2. They’re religious values will conflict with Omni’s Statement of
Solidarity and Safer Space Policy
-
Cheryl has continually stated that *LM is aligned with our SOS and SSP*
-
Cheryl has made it clear that LM would not seek space in the Omni if
they didn’t recognize the potential for collaboration between LM and the
other groups in the Omni. She wants to make clear that it would not be in
the best interest of LM to begin building ministry in a place that they
didn’t feel would foster the growth they’re seeking
-
There’s been many lengthy emails posted on the LM Omni email discuss
thread in defense of liberation-based Christian congregations and pastoral
practice. Liberation Ministries is a black-led organization coming to Omni
with need for space, so that they can begin to work in the surrounding
community
-
Our SOS calls for us to prioritize the needs of such an organization,
even if they conflict with some of our personal views on religion, etc.
-
Furthermore, stated in our SSP, Omni is dedicated to being “inclusive
of the largest number of contributors, with the most
varied and diverse backgrounds possible,” which includes being a
welcoming environment for all especially with regard to religion (or lack
thereof), among other inclusions
-
LM welcomes the involvement of other religious or nonreligious groups or
individuals in their ministry
-
For LM, ministry is social justice work
3. What is the governance structure of LM?
-
As Cheryle stated in the 8/27 delegates meeting, “we share governance.
not a hierarchy. it's about input from everybody and we collectively make a
decision. majority votes on the directions we go in, what we do, how we do”
4. What work will LM be doing and who will they be working with?
-
Welcomes our neighbors in the surrounding area of Temescal and North
Oakland to the Omni
-
Very much in line with our founding vision and Statement of Solidarity
to support low- to middle-income black families, working with youth,
working with those most marginalized
-
Tangible anti-gentrification work, providing an inviting space for
organizing those most affected
-
They have offered to help with specific elements of building maintenance
and upgrades in the Omni
-
Liberation Ministry’s Original Proposal for Collective Membership (this
included here for reference, see Terms of Agreement above for revised
proposal/request for use of space at Omni)
Liberation Ministries is a new church led by Pastor Cheryl Ward. We are
seeking a space to have our Sunday services and where we can participate in
a community working for social justice.
1. Mission statement
We endeavor to be change agents in our local community and globally, and
turn whatever space we are in into a change agency. Our commitment is to
transforming lives. We do ministry but it's not a ministry unless we are
transforming lives. We are not a traditional church. We welcome EVERYBODY.
The core of it is love. Our goal is to be loving and non-judgmental. We
have trans, same sex loving, black, white, asian, Latino, Native American
members etc.
2. Origin and group history
Cheryl has 36 years in ministry, community organizing, and activism, and
has pastored 3 churches. This is a brand new congregation in formation,
looking for a place to hold Sunday worship services and committing
ourselves to social justice activism in the city. There is a board of
directors of five members, who operate under a shared governance policy. As
a general rule, Cheryl and at least one of the board representatives will
meet regarding building issues.
3. Participation in the Omni
We see the richness of the collective and the opportunity to really
transform this neighborhood, as well as to bring the community into the
things that are going on here.
How does your group intend to use the space? What are your needs?
9-12 on Sundays for services (in the ballroom); an office space if
available (potentially the room next to Phat Beets; some private space for
counseling sessions (same room); use of a space every Friday nite for a
hangout for teens (any available space in Omni. We are willing to be
flexible about sharing the available spaces with others.
Offering big flat screen TV abt 46" and a floor model big screen t.v. for
shared use and use with teens for movies, videogames etc. Just brought a
Hammond B3 Organ to the Omni for shared use. Working on obtaining other
musical instruments. Brought 6 additional pews to the Omni. We will
actively conduct a door-to-door campaign to meet neighbors and inform them
of our presence and find out the needs of the community.
4. Group finances and paying rent
What does your group do to support itself financially?
Write grants, Sunday offerings, and contributions from supporters What is
your best plan for contributing your potential share of rent to the Omni?
Rent $250 - $300 a month to start but we can negotiate an increase once
revenue generation of the above begins.
5. Dedicated space
Office desk and filing cabinet.
6. Other contributions to the Omni
-
Help with cosmetic maintenance like painting.
-
We can use our relationship with the Conservation Corps to invite them
to come in to help on building work.
-
Help make vending machines now in CCL happen with snacks for the teens
who come to our Friday night event Work with MPM and BAPS.
-
Cheryl has a collaboration with Peralta Colleges and would seek to have
a printing press class. Printing of items and books could serve as a source
of revenue generation. Young people could could learn and get credi.
-
Talk to paint store (Frazee) about using their parking lot on Sundays or
other times.
7. Additional
We would be here to be a contributor, not to subtract anything from the
Omni. If we're not contributing we don't need to exist.
_______________________________________________
consensus mailing list
consensus at lists.omnicommons.org
https://omnicommons.org/lists/listinfo/consensus
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