Welcome to Street Prophets Coffee Hour! Thermal for the warmth of a good cup of coffee or your preferred beverage, as well as the warmth of a more progressive religion and community. Feel free to share what you’re drinking (or eating) in the Comments, if you’re so inclined. This is also an Open Thread for you to connect.
I recently ran across an article for the New Year recommending giving up caffeine and sugar. Bwah-ha-ha-hah! Not going to happen. Who am I to argue with the Nutrition Experts at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine?? Of course there can be too much of a good thing. But according to them, with the right amount of coffee you can live longer; resist diabetes, heart failure, Parkinson’s, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s, and stroke; and improve liver and DNA health. Take that, would-be abstention gurus!
Today’s Topic: I received an email from Repairers of the Breach, forwarding the following message from Bishop Barber to all his supporters, to be shared widely (bolding mine):
Dear Poor People’s Campaign Family,
I am so glad to share this news with you today. As many of you know, I have been a pastor engaged in movement work for three decades. While I will remain co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign and President of Repairers of the Breach, I’m transitioning my pastoral work from the congregation to the classroom. I want to walk with the next generation of moral leaders and share with them what was passed down to me.
This coming year, I will retire as pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where I have served as senior pastor since 1993. I will join the faculty at Yale Divinity School as a Professor in the Practice of Public Theology and Public Policy and Founding Director of the new Center for Public Theology and Public Policy. The Center will focus its work on the intersection of theology, social justice, and public policy. This endeavor is a continuation and institutionalization of decades-long moral movement-building work that grows out of a deep understanding of theology and practice of public ministry.
The Center will teach and train students to examine the relationship between conventional religious study and practice and their theologically-based moral requirement to care for “the least of these” who face poverty, injustices, and oppression in their everyday lives. Through the Center, students will have the opportunity to participate in social justice movements and to study and learn directly from clergy and pastors who do social justice work as an integral part of their pastoral obligations.
The Center will also be a collaborative space for scholars, advocates, researchers, economists, and activists to come together to engage in critical research seeking policy solutions to respond to the injustices that plague our nation, and to examine the moral framework and underpinning for the country's most significant civil and human rights movements. I believe the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy is a new and important addition to the movement’s collective work. It is not a replacement for the work we will continue to do together as we build this Campaign across the nation.
After this incredible year of mobilizing for the Mass Poor People's and Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls and surpassing our goal of reaching over 5 million poor and low-wealth voters in this past mid-term election, I am looking forward to the intensification of our efforts towards ending the interlocking injustices of systemic racism, systemic poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism.
We must continue our work to shift the narrative, build power, and implement a Third Reconstruction Agenda that fully addresses the needs of poor and low-wealth people in this nation.
Forward Together, Not One Step Back!
Bishop William J. Barber, II DMin.
No doubt the people of Greenleaf will miss their pastor. Otherwise, I think this is extremely good news! Much has been written on this site regarding the necessity of passing the baton to future generations. Bishop Barber will be doing so, in the elite atmosphere of Yale University no less! Long may he intensify his reach.
If you are not familiar with Bishop Barber, I was not either until I read about him here at DKos! Here are some of the diaries about him here, www.dailykos.com/… and here, www.dailykos.com/..., if you’d like to catch up.
I hope you will continue to support all Bishop Barber’s efforts, and take additional hope from this latest announcement, as I do. His results will almost certainly be fascinating!
Finally as always, let’s elevate our Community Cred and repost The Needs List! From Aashirs nani (with permission) on Helping Humpday:
PLEASE NOTE:
When sending via PayPal, be sure to select “Send to family/friend” to avoid fees on either end. Be aware, both donor and recipient, that GFM not only charges fees, but also money received through that platform is treated as taxable income. If you are requesting help through GFM, also be aware that there can be delays in accessing the money.
COMMUNITY NEEDS LIST AS OF 12/21/22:
Fundraisers who want a diary to be or stay on the list: PLEASE kosmail requests and donations received to njm5000 by Tuesday evening to be included on the Wednesday morning updated list.
Living on the financial edge—need help? Check out the Helping Directories before your next emergency.
Housing and Living Expenses Fundraisers and Other Links
morgansmom—needs help towards major car repairs and moving to a better environment. $8000 7950 7900 7850 7750 7725 7615 7605 7565 7465 7415 7375 7275 7175 7025 6920 6820 6570 6470 6360 635061505650 Turns out the car needs a front end rebuild, so repairs are on hold, til more $ is raised. :-) • Visit the KoFipage to see some cool artwork & donate! • PayPal: wingednag at gmail dot com.
DHfromKY—is looking to raise $2450 1950 1830 1720 1685 1585 1385 1285 1180 1170 960 860 750 735 725 690 490 for rent and other necessities. Against the wall, again...• PayPal is dharden40219 at yahoo dot com—select “Send to a friend”, and PayPal doesn’t charge a fee.
J Graham—"Your child has mental health issues." But you're a fighter. "It's cancer." But you're a fighter... • She’s sleeping in a tent! (Cats, music, and a chance to help a deserving Daily Kos member). The goal is $14,000 9944 9534 8884 8859 8709 8684 4448 4348 4323 4223 4213 3913 to cover first and last month rent, security deposit, some medical expenses, utility bills, and moving costs. She has a Mighty Cause fundraiser, and PayPal at: jgraham4healthcare at gmail dot com
Falcon Hawke—could use some help right now and has a goal of $10,000 8300. Here’s the diary. • PayPal—celtichart1 at aol dot com • Venmo—celtichart1 at aol dot com • www.gofundme.com/...
Wired Wolf—needs about $3000 2960 2800 2600 2200. Helping support Mom “…on one full time retail wage…and living on credit cards through Covid have suddenly caught up with us bigtime--I'm in way over my head right now…we're still waiting for our utility-assistance appeal and my student loan servicer never paused IBR payments. Paypal is paypal dot me/WiredWolf
anotherdemocrat—has a diary up: Anyone know where I can find a 2nd job? She’s in Austin and is suddenly $24000 in debt, mainly due to an HOA assessment! From the diary: “So, $24,000 is more money than I can ask even a big community like Daily Kos to donate. I have a venmo: at Becky-Helton, Cashapp: $B3ckyHelt0n, and GoFundMe, if anyone wants to help with next month’s payments but for a big total like that, I need a 2nd job. My day job is M-F from 8-5, so it would have to be evenings & weekends.” and “Skills: writing, 20+ years of customer service work, super reliable…” anotherdemocrat has payments covered for a couple of months (thanks, donors <3) and wants to pause donations. She does ask for help updating her resume. “There are part-time remote jobs that look good. Just need an updated resume to upload.” Kosmail, if you can help.
gtghawaii—Needs $550 315 65 to get the car out of the shop. Diary The work has been done and it still has problems. The bill needs to be paid so it can be taken for further diagnosis. venmo.com/… • paypal @SCarpio
Kos Katalogue 2022 is here—please Kosmail CathyM or BeadLady if you have corrections or additions.
I’m in for a mickle each week toward a variety of DKos members on the Needs List. I hope you’ll join me. Always glad to see the needed amounts gradually decreasing!
If helping financially isn’t the right choice for you at this time, you can still help. Tip and rec the diary so it stays visible. Share on social media: Twitter, Facebook, whatever platform you use, to bring the attention of others outside our daily readers. And offer words of encouragement to people who are struggling. It can be scary to be struggling, and it can feel lonely. Let them know we understand and are here to help.
If you have time, please visit the diaries above and leave comments for their authors. Those words of encouragement are vital!
If you don’t like fundraisers, please just move along. They are a longstanding tradition at DKos — Until we vote in enough progressives to create a much stronger social safety net! (Maybe in 2 years.)
Please note: I take care of my 90ish-year-old Mom, so something could come up. In addition, it is 50+ degrees! And sunny! In upstate NY! Today! So I am going outside for a walk, and scheduling this to auto-publish. If possible, I’ll be here shortly to engage in Comments. However, if I’m not here, please chat amongst yourselves, take a coffee break, post aminal photos, food/drink and tunes, spread the word and invite your friends, etc.! Thanks to all!