The 13th Month Campaign http://13thmonth.org sharing 10% of one month’s income Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:39:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 The Value of Gathering http://13thmonth.org/2010/01/14/the-value-of-gathering/ http://13thmonth.org/2010/01/14/the-value-of-gathering/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:36:53 +0000 Dave http://13thmonth.org/?p=116 After many conference calls, emails, reading groups and personal reflecting about Relational Tithe, a group of us from around the country recently met in Northern California for the first time.

What brought us together?  Relational Tithe.

Each of us has our own story and therefore our own exposure to, and thoughts on, the concept of relational redistribution.  This is not a whimsical idea that is being put forward, but an ancient idea, God’s Jubilee idea, only we are wrestling with what it means to live it out in our own contexts, cultures and communities to varying degrees.

Meeting together was quite helpful.  We were able to get to know one another over meals, recreation, time on the road and fairly  informal conversations.  We were able to learn about our individual contexts, our struggles with living out our ideals as well as the feelings of uncertainty, joy and anticipation we are experiencing around the idea of relational redistribution.

I’m sure there are many people out there who have done some reflecting and reading about this idea, inspired by Relational Tithe or otherwise, that would like to get together as a group to talk more, face to face.  If this describes you, send me an email and I’ll see what I can do to help get some people together.

]]> http://13thmonth.org/2010/01/14/the-value-of-gathering/feed/ 0 An Economic Conspiracy http://13thmonth.org/2010/01/06/an-economic-conspiracy/ http://13thmonth.org/2010/01/06/an-economic-conspiracy/#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:25:40 +0000 Dustin http://13thmonth.org/?p=118 For many of us in the United States, who have been inundated with economic reports, assessments of financial well-being, and talks of fiduciary responsibility, hearing about a new “economic conspiracy” may seem a bit trivial, or even unnecessary.  Yet, what’s exciting about this new endeavor is its breadth and depth.

The Economic Conspiracy Project is an outgrowth of Relational Tithe and has brought together scholars, theologians, pastors and laypeople to engage in the task of putting words to something beautiful that many of us have experienced in person:  relational redistribution.  Far from being an attempt to thwart popular understandings of giving, tithing, and, some might say, church in general, The Economic Conspiracy Project is a collaboration of individuals seeking to give meaning to the economic realities we all live and re-imagine what giving, sharing, tithing, and, yes, church could truly be.

As part of this project, we’re engaging various topics, including discussions of giving/tithing from a biblical perspective, new understandings of relationality and interdependence, reclaiming the term “redistribution” as a holy and God-given concept, and beginning to understand how relational redistribution can be implemented in various contexts.

If you’re new to the concept of relational redistribution, a first step might be to explore the Relational Tithe website, where you will have opportunities to engage others and ask questions through our Discussion Room.  Or, having already become familiar with the concept, you may want to explore its implementation in your own context.  In the very near future, look for the publication of various aspects of The Economic Conspiracy Project, as we all work together to understand how our faith and our economics coincide.

Grace and peace.

]]> http://13thmonth.org/2010/01/06/an-economic-conspiracy/feed/ 0 It’s the Freshmen! – From Yes! And… http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/30/its-the-freshmen-from-yes-and/ http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/30/its-the-freshmen-from-yes-and/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:06:49 +0000 Brian http://13thmonth.org/?p=111

It’s the Freshmen! from Yes! And… CAMP on Vimeo.

Rehearsal for the year’s Winter Sort of Thing, “It’s About Time!” This clip is from an early rehearsal. We have scripts in hand and are working on objectives and actions. The actors are Eastern University students, a Yes! And… employee and a camper at one of our programs. They are playing the part of some very nervous high school freshmen. Learn more about Yes! And…’s Winter Sort of Thing at wintersortofthing.com or about Yes! And… at yesandcamp.org

]]> http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/30/its-the-freshmen-from-yes-and/feed/ 0 What Is Proverty by Claudio Oliver http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/21/what-is-proverty-by-claudio-oliver/ http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/21/what-is-proverty-by-claudio-oliver/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:25:38 +0000 admin http://13thmonth.org/?p=7 One of the things that we’ve been working on over the past few months at Relational Tithe is a project entitled “The Economic Conspiracy Project”, a series of writings around relational redistribution. One of the pieces was written by Claudio Oliver and shares with us an understanding of poverty and human relationships which has been forged in the fire of many years working alongside the poor and marginalized in Brazil.  His unique insight, which seeks to couple theories with praxis, begins by “writing” a new narrative for all people.  By acknowledging how the idealized, Western understanding of individualism has made us all “dis-membered”[1] cogs in a machine which drives modern conceptions of life, Claudio seeks to help us “re-member” our lives as part of a larger narrative rooted and established in the meta-narrative of God’s redemptive story of history.  In doing so, Claudio’s own unique context informs this new paradigm of relational approaches to poverty alleviation, both from the rich to the poor and vice versa, and helps us name how our story is intricately bound to the story of all others.

If you’re interested in this project or other resources that Relational Tithe is working on don’t hesitate to contact us. We you are hoping to launch the series in 2010 and are needing some financial resources to finish the project.  If you’re able to give financially, consider giving to the 13th month campaign which will help us in completing this project.

The below video is of Claudio and was produced by “The Work Of The People”.

[1] This term, along with the one following it in the sentence (i.e., “re-member”) will be addressed by Claudio in the article to follow.

]]> http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/21/what-is-proverty-by-claudio-oliver/feed/ 0 Relational Tithe: We Are Not Alone by Shane Claiborne http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/20/relational-tithe-we-are-not-alone-by-shane-claiborne/ http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/20/relational-tithe-we-are-not-alone-by-shane-claiborne/#comments Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:13:16 +0000 admin http://13thmonth.org/?p=35 Earlier this year Relational Tithe invited Travis Reed from The Work Of The People to come to Philadelphia and help create a few short films around the ideas (Relational Redistribution) behind Relational Tithe. TWOTP has done the alot of great films that shed light on what others are doing around the world. Take a look at some of the other films here.

If you like this film in desire to see more like it, please let us know.

]]> http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/20/relational-tithe-we-are-not-alone-by-shane-claiborne/feed/ 0 13th Month http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/19/13th-month/ http://13thmonth.org/2009/12/19/13th-month/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:14:51 +0000 admin http://13thmonth.org/?p=3 We are about to enter the 13th month.  No, your calendar isn’t wrong. Coming Soon!

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