tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-358698842024-03-13T14:12:01.568-04:00Eric Shafer's blogReflections on life and ministry by the Rev. Eric C. Shafer, Senior Vice President, Philanthropy and Faith Community Relations, Odyssey Networks, New York, New York USA, www.odysseynetworks.orgEric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-82900720392494119292011-10-21T13:36:00.003-04:002011-10-21T13:37:46.418-04:00October 2011 "From Time to Time" e-mail newsletterMy October 2011 e-mail newsletter for Odyssey Networks members and friends, "From Time to Time," now called "ON the inside," is now online at <a href="https://mail.odysseynetworks.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=69f0c35509b345898b56347c4f44311b&URL=http%3a%2f%2fbit.ly%2frfBbJl" target="_blank">https://mail.odysseynetworks.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=69f0c35509b345898b56347c4f44311b&URL=http%3a%2f%2fbit.ly%2frfBbJl</a> .Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-22264053857545151382011-09-15T14:07:00.002-04:002011-09-15T14:10:05.220-04:00September 2011 "ON Time to Time"My September, 2011, <em>ON Time to Time </em>e-newsletter is available online at <a href="https://mail.odysseynetworks.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=a53482ec0d3f4895a07fd0616ffa6c78&URL=http%3a%2f%2fbit.ly%2fpf2xmz" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/pf2xmz</a>Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-75241606430367135922011-08-21T19:11:00.002-04:002011-09-06T14:16:53.909-04:00"Stormy Outside, Mostly Sunny Inside"<div>My column, "Stormy Outside, Mostly Sunny Inside," on the August Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly appeared in the August 20 <em>Reading Eagle/Times</em> newspaper. Here's the link - <a href="http://readingeagle.com/Article.aspx?id=327155">http://readingeagle.com/Article.aspx?id=327155</a>.</div>Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-80601044207850909412011-08-05T14:29:00.004-04:002011-08-05T14:41:27.091-04:00At the White House with the Hindu American Seva Charities, July 29 & 30, 2011<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; mso-themecolor:hyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">My work with Odyssey Networks has given me two opportunities to attend conferences at the White House.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some months ago I attended the first of these with the Interfaith Youth Core, <a href="http://www.ifyc.org/">http://www.ifyc.org/</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Last weekend, I was privileged to attend and speak at the first-ever Hindu conference at the White House, sponsored by the Hindu American Seva Charities – <a href="http://www.hinduamericanseva.org/">http://www.hinduamericanseva.org/</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Both the Interfaith Youth Core and the Hindu American Seva Charities are members of Odyssey Networks.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Meeting under the theme “Impacting Change in America and Abroad,” the Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) event was a "family gathering" for Hindu Americans.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was a great privilege to be one of the few non-Hindus in attendance.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The first day of the event, Friday, July 29, 2011, was held at the White House in the auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The theme for this day was “The Whole World is One Family” and it really felt like a Hindu American family gathering!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">A major part of the morning was spent with Hindu American military leaders, American heroes really, from several branches of the US military.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The US flag was waved proudly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Our National Anthem was sung.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>US Hindu pride abounded.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The first Hindu US military chaplain, a young woman named Pratim Dharm, was introduced.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was all very sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then the winners of HASC’s essay contest were announced and honored – high school and college aged youth and even older adults were brought on stage to accept their awards.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The contest theme was the role the Hindu faith plays in service in their communities and we heard many examples of the work Hindu temples and other local groups are playing in their communities, serving the needs of the poor and much more.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Faith, family, service, America – I could have been anywhere in the USA but I was at the White House with Hindus, Indian Americans – a rare privilege for me.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But a rarer privilege came to me the next morning when the conference continued at nearby George Washington University on Saturday, July 30, 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This day’s theme was “Strengthening Local Communities, Impacting Poverty and Advancing Global Development.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I helped open the day on a panel with three others speaking to the theme of the “Pluralistic Landscape of America.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The other three panelists were Hindus – I was the only non-Hindu and, as far as I could see, one of only three non- Hindus in the auditorium this day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I asked to speak last.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The others gave eloquent talks on this theme, outlining the history of interfaith relations in the USA and the Hindu contribution to these relationships.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Two of the speakers before me referenced documents that their relatives had received in years past from the time when the United Kingdom ruled India.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Both of these documents stated something like “Despite being a Hindu, so-and-so is a good person.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This example was stated without rancor, just part of life for Hindus in India in those days.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I wanted to share some basic information on faith in the USA in 2011, statistics that I love to share from the recent book, <u>American Grace</u> by Putnam and Campbell.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But, I felt it best to begin by saying something like this:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">“With the poor history of Christian treatment of Hindus and other American religious minorities, I feel I should begin by saying something like I hope someone would say to you of me, “Despite being a Christian, Eric is a good person.”"</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">That statement drew the first of several moments of sustained applause from the group.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have never had this sort of experience, having my remarks so wonderfully received with applause interruptions!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When I shared Putnam and Campbell’s statistic that 89% of all Americans now believe that more than Christians can go the heaven, including 81% of evangelical Christians, I was again interrupted by applause as I was when I said that I recently shared in a sermon that I could not believe that Jesus Christ would deny the afterlife to 2/3 of the world’s population!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(They also loved it when I noted that I was once criticized by name by Jerry Falwell, but that’s for another blog post!)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">During the brief question and answer time, one young woman asked how to respond to Christians who feel obligated to try to change her from her Hindu faith to Christianity.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Other panelists suggested that she remember that this was a basic tenant of their evangelical faith and that they should not be offended by these efforts, but use them as a teaching time to tell them about the Hindu faith.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I asked for their understanding and prayer for these people.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">By this time we were far over our time slot (we had begun nearly an hour late – "India time" I was told) and I had to leave to catch my train back to Manhattan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As I tried to leave I was followed by a crowd – people who wanted my business card and a copy of Odyssey’s new brochure, people who wanted to share their faith story and even the sad treatment they had received from Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was all very moving and sobering.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I left honored to have had a small chance to say that most Christians would honor their Hindu faith and celebrate that they/we were all people of faith.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">What a privilege it is to work for Odyssey Networks and have the chance as a Christian to witness to the commonalities among people of faith – Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, AND Hindus!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Note – my dear friend, Josh Stanton, another of the non-Hindus at this event, wrote a wonderful blog on the Huffington Post about this event, “Hindu Community Makes Its White House Debut.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I recommend it to you – see <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-stanton/hindu-community-white-house_b_910474.html?view=screen">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-stanton/hindu-community-white-house_b_910474.html?view=screen</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More details of the conference are online on the Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) website at <a href="http://www.hinduamericanseva.org/events/seva-conference">http://www.hinduamericanseva.org/events/seva-conference</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-35627690632042689422011-07-07T15:35:00.002-04:002011-07-07T15:39:02.670-04:00From "Time to Time" (T2T) for June 29, 2011<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Courier New"; panose-1:2 7 3 9 2 2 5 2 4 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; 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mso-level-text:; mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:Wingdings;} @list l1:level7 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:; mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:Symbol;} @list l1:level8 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:o; mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:"Courier New";} @list l1:level9 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:; mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:Wingdings;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --></style>Here is my latest from "Time to Time" (T2T) e-mail to members and friends of Odyssey Networks:<br /><br />+++++<br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">I like to write to you from “Time to Time” (T2T):</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Will you be in the New York City area on Thursday, July 28<sup>th</sup>?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If so, you are invited to a 7:00 pm private screening of Odyssey’s new documentary for the Oprah channel, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Serving Life</i></b>, which debuts on the channel later that evening.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>RSVP to Jocelyn – <a href="mailto:jdupre@odysseynetworks.org">jdupre@odysseynetworks.org</a> .</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Serving Life,</i></b> our new Oprah channel documentary, debuts on that cable channel (OWN) on Thursday, July 28<sup>th</sup> at 9:00 pm eastern and pacific times.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There has been some confusion about this air date – it definitely is July 28<sup>th</sup>!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More at <a href="http://bit.ly/k2HY8U">http://bit.ly/k2HY8U</a> .<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Please spread the word!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thank you.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">100 Strong! </b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When the Odyssey Board of Trustees meets in July they will consider membership applications from six new members, five faith-related organizations and one individual.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Assuming these applications are accepted,<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Odyssey will then have 100 members an increase of nearly 100% since January of 2010 (when we had 52 members)!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thus, we are focusing our Monday, September 26<sup>th</sup> member gathering here in New York City on the theme “100 Strong!”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In celebration of members, we will offer several occasions to network, find out collaboration opportunities, and hear short presentations from all members. Many of you have already heard from Deb Mathews about our gathering which precedes the NCC Communication Commission meetings also here in New York City that week.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Many more details coming but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">please hold the date – Monday, September 26</b>, with activities beginning here at the InterChurch Center at 2:00 pm.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Recently, thanks to member Josh Stanton, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Odyssey was featured in the newsletter of the Parliament of the World Religions.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You can see that article online at <a href="http://bit.ly/k1oSFK">http://bit.ly/k1oSFK</a> .</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Odyssey’s video, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">No Future for Terrorism</i>,</b> available at <a href="http://bit.ly/kp8A4o">http://bit.ly/kp8A4o</a>, was featured in the June 26<sup>th</sup> broadcast of the Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries program “Sanctuary” on ABC channel 7 in Chicago.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More at <a href="http://www.gcbm.org/">http://www.gcbm.org</a>. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Odyssey has won six awards for our video productions from 2010</b>:</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The Scroll of Esther</i>, a video for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Call on Faith</i> won two awards –</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.5in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level3 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Award of Excellence, the Communicator Awards</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.5in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level3 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Silver Award, the Telly Awards</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Beyond Mumbai:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hope and Healing</i> won three awards –</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.5in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level3 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Award of Excellence, Videographer Awards</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.5in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level3 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Official Honoree, the Webby Awards</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.5in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level3 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>“Forgiveness” Award, the Interfaith Film Festival</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Dialogue over Threatened Quran Burning</i> won an Award of Excellence from the DeRose Hinkhouse Awards, presented by the Religion Communicators Council.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space: auto"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Many of you know <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Odyssey’s Bill Reilly</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After many years, Bill is leaving us on June 30<sup>th</sup>, and is excited about the upcoming challenges and opportunities<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>facing him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span>Bill would love to hear from his Odyssey friends – you can write him at <a href="mailto:Wm.SpencerReilly@gmail.com">Wm.SpencerReilly@gmail.com</a> .</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>I am pleased to report that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">100% of Odyssey’s Board of Trustees has made a financial contribution to support our work!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></b>This is a first for us and compliments the strong staff giving this year.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Foundations support is crucial for us now, and they look for support from within first – from trustees, staff and members. So, we count on you, our members to help us, too.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You can send your donation, checks payable to “Odyssey Networks,” to me at our offices or use the “Support Us” link on our website, <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org"></a><a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org">http://www.odysseynetworks.org</a>, for a credit card donation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thank you!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>We recently produced three video news stories for the web on the issue of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">gay and lesbian clergy</b> that have had strong viewership and wide distribution – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Huffington Post</i>, CNN and more.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Here are the links:</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">My Journey as a Lesbian Pastor </i>– <a href="http://bit.ly/kKBbRv">http://bit.ly/kKBbRv</a> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Living with Differences:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Two Congregations, Two Viewpoints on Gay Clergy</i> – <a href="http://bit.ly/iVB5Kb">http://bit.ly/iVB5Kb</a></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Living with Differences:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>PC(USA)’s Struggle Over Gay Clergy</i> – <a href="http://bit.ly/jAStsb">http://bit.ly/jAStsb</a> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Intersections International’s CEO (and Odyssey Board of Trustee’s member) Bob Chase wrote about these videos:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Just wanted you to know that I believe this video, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Living With Differences…</i>, is one of the most helpful videos I have ever seen on the subject of LGBT inclusion …<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It portrays both sides of the equation without bias – GREAT journalism, so rare in this world … And GREAT job by your producers, editors, etc. to create this piece.” </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>I recently celebrated the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">35<sup>th</sup> anniversary of my ordination as a Lutheran pastor</b> and reflected upon this journey on my blog.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You can read it in my previous blog post here.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Eric</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-72901554376513161032011-06-26T12:02:00.004-04:002011-06-27T09:09:59.939-04:0035 Years of Ordained Lutheran Ministry - June 23, 2011This past Thursday, June 23, was the 35th anniversary of my ordination as a Lutheran pastor! Appropriately for my ministry, I spent the next day with Roman Catholics since Odyssey Networks was sponsoring the interfaith awards for radio and television in the 2011 (Roman Catholic) Gabriel Awards which were presented Friday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />I was ordained with a group of others, including the first woman ordained by the LCA NE PA Synod, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Boyertown, Pennsylvania on the evening of June 23, 1976. Bishop Wilson Touhsaent, my "spiritual father" who had baptized and confirmed me as pastor of Atonement Lutheran Church in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, ordained me, assisted by his assistant, the Rev. Harold Weiss. (Weiss became the next synod bishop and I later served for nine years as his assistant). The preacher for the ordination service, the Rev. Elton Richards, then one of the best-known Lutheran preachers, told us about an elderly pastor friend who loved playing cards with his friends, but would only do so with all the shades of his or their home drawn so that no one would see that he was playing cards. Richards challenged us to live our lives as pastors "with the shades up," not hiding our personal and professional lives lives, but sharing them with others.<br /><br />In my 35 years of ordained ministry, I have tried to live my life in ministry "with the shades up!"<br /><br />I have served as pastor of congregations quite small and very large. I have been on a Lutheran synod (regional) staff and the churchwide (national) staff. Ecumenical and interfaith communication work has been a cornerstone of my professional and volunteer ministry and currently is my full time ministry at Odyssey Networks for which I am pleased to have a call from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Working for justice and feeding the hungry have been central to my life and ministry, all part of sharing God's love for this world and all of its (God's) people.<br /><br />My ministry has taken me across the USA and around the world (Europe, Africa, Central and South America and the Middle East). I have met Popes, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Kings. I have led workshops across the USA and in Europe and taught in South Africa and Madagascar. I have produced weekly television and radio programs and shared in bringing back a children's television stop-motion animation icon through which I have met some of the best (and worst) people in Hollywood. (I even was once criticized by name by Jerry Falwell, something of which I am very proud!)<br /><br />I have been privileged to have been supervised by some of the finest men and women - bishops, presiding bishops, communication directors, journalists, CEO's, COO's and many others.<br /><br />Through it all I have been loved and supported by my wife, Kris, and blessed by wonderful friends and staff colleagues.<br /><br />At worship this morning we sang the wonderful old hymn, "Blessed Assurance," which has the chorus, "This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior, all the day long."<br /><br />That continues to be my hope and prayer for my ordained ministry! With the shades open!<br /><br />Only for the Glory of God,<br /><br />EricEric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-35310640132106100662011-06-16T09:06:00.002-04:002011-06-16T09:08:53.400-04:00From "Time to Time" for June 1, 2011<style>@font-face { font-family: "Courier New"; }@font-face { font-family: "Wingdings"; }@font-face { font-family: "MS 明朝"; }@font-face { font-family: "MS 明朝"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }.MsoChpDefault { font-family: Cambria; }div.WordSection1 { page: WordSection1; }ol { margin-bottom: 0in; }ul { margin-bottom: 0in; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">Here is my most recent (June 1, 2011) From "Time to Time" e-mail to Odyssey members and friends:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I like to write to you from “Time to Time:”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It was so good to see many of you at our <b style="">May 9 – 11 annual member gathering</b> which included the special event, “9/11, the Conversation We Never Had.”<span style=""> </span>More than 135 members and friends attended at least part of this gathering.<span style=""> </span>Thanks to all who participated, especially to those who were willing to take part in the leadership of these days together!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Speaking of member gatherings, <b style="">we next gather on Monday, September 26<sup>th</sup></b> for an evening to “celebrate our members” here at the InterChurch Center in Manhattan.<span style=""> </span>We chose this time and date to hook onto Pat Pattillo’s NCC Communication Commission annual meetings which begins the next morning.<span style=""> </span>Mark your calendars and plan to join us if you can!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The afternoon before our September 26<sup>th</sup> member dinner, we will have a <b style="">face-to-face meeting of all <i style="">Call on Faith</i> channel heads</b> beginning at 2:00 pm.<span style=""> </span>More details later, but please plan your travel accordingly.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Actually, <b style=""><i style="">Call on Faith</i> channel heads now plan to meet regularly via telephone and the web</b> – the first of these regular meetings will happen later this month.<span style=""> </span>More details coming.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style=""><i style="">Serving Life</i></b>, our new documentary for the new Oprah television channel (OWN) debuts on Thursday evening, July 28<sup>th</sup>, at 9:00 pm, eastern and pacific times.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>We’ve begun to plan <b style="">a series of gatherings across the country to raise funds and friends for Odyssey</b>!<span style=""> </span>The first of these will be held on Tuesday, June 28<sup>th</sup> in Fort Washington (Montgomery County), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia suburbs).<span style=""> </span>Want more details?<span style=""> </span>Contact my assistant, Jocelyn Dupre, here at Odyssey, <a href="mailto:jdupre@odysseynetworks.org">jdupre@odysseynetworks.org</a> .</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Mary Dickey, <b style=""><i style="">Call on Faith</i></b> executive editor, notes that two new channels will begin later this month, one for “Mediation” and one new member channel for <i style="">Day1</i>.<span style=""> </span>Later this summer a new 9/11 related channel will be added.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Another date for your futures calendar – <b style="">Odyssey’s 2012 Member Town Hall Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 24, 2012</b> beginning at 2:00 pm eastern time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Odyssey underwrote <b style="">four new awards for the Gabriel Awards for 2011</b>.<span style=""> </span>You can see all of their 2011 winners online at <a href="http://home.catholicweb.com/GabrielAwards/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=314220&From=Home">http://home.catholicweb.com/GabrielAwards/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=314220&From=Home</a>.<span style=""> </span>If you plan to attend the Gabriels in Pittsburgh in June, look for Nick Stuart, Mat Tombers and me there!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Did you read our new monthly member update – <b style="">ON members</b>?<span style=""> </span>Do you like the new format?<span style=""> </span>This is Deb Mathews’ and Jocelyn Dupre’s fine work and they are eager to hear your comments.<span style=""> </span>Take a look – <a href="http://bit.ly/lBBgUl">http://bit.ly/lBBgUl</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Speaking of new resources, I hope you are subscribing to our newly revised weekday e-mail newsletter, now called <b style="">ON today</b>.<span style=""> </span>If not, please check it out at <a href="http://bit.ly/iA29yn">http://bit.ly/iA29yn</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">It is already summer-like in temperature here in New York City!<span style=""> </span>Hope YOUR summer is full of like!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Eric</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-90210299993500221522011-04-21T12:20:00.003-04:002011-04-21T12:36:10.524-04:00T2T e-mail for April 21, 2011Here's my latest T2T (from "Time to Time") e-mail for Odyssey Networks' members and friends:<br /><br />++++++++++<br /><br />I like to write you from “Time to Time” (T2T):<br /><br />Warmest greetings in this holiest of weeks for Christians and Jews.<br /><br />With the addition of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">eleven new members</span> approved by our Board of Trustees earlier this month, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Odyssey now has 94 members</span>: 27 faith groups, 53 faith related organizations and 14 individuals, up from 52 members in January of last year. Our eleven news members include these faith-related organizations: Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries – <a href="http://www.gcbm.org">www.gcbm.org</a>; Jewish Theological Seminary – <a href="http://www.jtsa.edu">www.jtsa.edu</a>; Journal for Inter-Religious Dialogue – <a href="http://www.irdialogue.org">www.irdialogue.org</a>; National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (Clal) – <a href="http://www.clal.org">www.clal.org</a>; Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta – <a href="http://www.rccatl.org">www.rccatl.org</a>; Women of Spirit and Faith – <a href="http://www.womenofspiritandfaith.org">www.womenofspiritandfaith.org</a> ; and these individuals: Norris Chumley (film producer), Rebecca Larson (<a href="http://www.actalliance.org">www.actalliance.org</a>), Ava Martin (television producer), Claudia McGeary (Faith in Africa email newsletter), and Susan Williams (communication professional). Welcome to all!<br /><br />It is still possible to register for our <span style="font-weight: bold;">May 9 – 11 Annual Member Gathering</span> – registration materials are online at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/may-2011-member-gathering">www.odysseynetworks.org/may-2011-member-gathering</a>. Whether or not you can attend, <span style="font-weight: bold;">please help us by publicizing the special May 10th event, “9/11, the Conversation We Never Had,” </span>which is part of the member gathering but open to everyone. Please send the online link to this event - <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/may-10-invitation">www.odysseynetworks.org/may-10-invitation</a> - to your e-mail list and link it to your website. We’d love to fill every seat of the Scholastic Event Center auditorium that day! There is no cost to attend, but preregistration is necessary.<br /><br />Rabbi David Saperstein is one of our three keynote speakers for the May 10th event. Saperstein was just named one of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">50 most influential rabbis in the USA</span> by Newsweek and the Daily Beast (he is #3). Others on the list include Rabbi Irwin Kula (#20), from our new member the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership – Clal, and Rabbi Burton Visotzky (#23), from our new member the Jewish Theological Seminary. You can see the complete listing online at <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-04-16/50-most-influential-rabbis-in-america/full/full/">www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-04-16/50-most-influential-rabbis-in-america/full/full/</a>. There are individual pages online for each rabbi at <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2809/1">www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2809/1</a>.<br /><br />This is awards season for many of our members – congratulations to all! <span style="font-weight: bold;">Odyssey has also received a number of awards</span>:<br />* <span style="font-style: italic;">Beyond Mumbai: Hope and Healing</span> has won the Interfaith Film Festival 2011 “Forgiveness” Award and is an “official honoree” for documentary series for this year’s Webby Awards – see <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/faith/beyond-mumbai-hope-and-healing">www.odysseynetworks.org/faith/beyond-mumbai-hope-and-healing</a><br />* <span style="font-style: italic;">The Scroll of Esther: Remarkable Artistry</span>, a piece we produced for Coexist to use on their Call in Faith channel, has won a Telly Silver Award for Religion & Spirituality – see <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/call/three-faiths-exhibition-sacred-texts">www.odysseynetworks.org/call/three-faiths-exhibition-sacred-texts</a>.<br />* <span style="font-style: italic;">Dialogue over Threatened Quran Burning</span> received an Award of Excellence from the Religion Communicators Council’s 2011 DeRose Hinkhouse awards – see <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/video/odyssey/dialogue-over-threatened-quran-burning">www.odysseynetworks.org/video/odyssey/dialogue-over-threatened-quran-burning</a>. (We did a follow up piece just last week – see <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/video/odyssey-networks/quran-burning-how-media-inflames-extremism">www.odysseynetworks.org/video/odyssey-networks/quran-burning-how-media-inflames-extremism</a>).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Beverly Lewis’ The Shunning</span>, our new television film for the Hallmark Channel, premiered last weekend and was the #1 cable movie of the day and the #2 movie of the week! Did you miss it? Hallmark is repeating <span style="font-style: italic;">The Shunning</span> tomorrow, Friday, April 22, at 9:00 pm and Sunday,April 24, at 5:00 pm (both Eastern & Pacific times).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Baha’i Faith</span> continues to promote its <span style="font-weight: bold;">new </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Call on Faith</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> channel</span> in very creative ways. Check out their new <span style="font-style: italic;">Call on Faith</span> promotional video - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urXQvAoUfeY">www.youtube.com/watch?v=urXQvAoUfeY</a>.<br /><br />Our current web series, <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Politics of Hunger</span>, follows key faith leaders who are fasting to protest federal government cut backs in programs for the poor and hungry. Check them out at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/faith/the-politics-of-hunger">www.odysseynetworks.org/faith/the-politics-of-hunger</a>.<br /><br />In addition to approving eleven new members, Odyssey’s Board of Trustees approved a four-year strategic plan at their meeting earlier this month. The plan includes aggressive goals for fund raising – $300,000 this year alone! <span style="font-weight: bold;">Your tax-deductible gift can help</span> – you can give online at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org">www.odysseynetworks.org</a> or send your check, payable to "Odyssey Networks," to me in the mail. Thank you!<br /><br />I look forward to seeing many of you in May here in New York!<br /><br />EricEric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-48266202144931880242011-03-24T14:57:00.002-04:002011-03-24T15:07:12.848-04:00"From Time to Time" (T2T) for March 24, 2011Here's my latest from “Time to Time” (T2T) e-mail that I send to Odyssey Networks' members and friends:<br /><br />· I hope you all noticed in Deb Mathews’ most recent monthly update the housing discount offer for our May 9 – 11 Odyssey Member Gathering – the first 20 people who register will receive their room at the Desmond Tutu Center at a $100/night discount (Odyssey will pay this for you) so your room rate becomes $179/night instead of $279. And the rooms at the Tutu center are very nice! If you need a registration form, Deb can send it to you again.<br /><br />· We’ve received lots of attention for our recent <span style="font-style: italic;">Faith Under Fire</span> series with pickup from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Huffington Post, Democracy Now, Beliefnet, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, NY Net</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">CNN iReports</span>, among others. You can catch up with this material at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/faith/faith-under-fire">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/faith/faith-under-fire</a>.<br /><br />· Looked at <span style="font-style: italic;">Call on Faith</span> lately? There’s a new channel from the Baha’i beginning this month. Check out their wonderful <span style="font-style: italic;">Call on Faith</span> promotion – “The Baha’i Faith? There’s an App for that!” - <a href="http://ht.ly/4kKbX">http://ht.ly/4kKbX</a>.<br /><br />· Odyssey is proud to be one of the founding members of “Prepare New York” - <a href="http://www.prepareny.com/">www.prepareny.com</a>, a coalition of New York based interfaith organizations also including Odyssey members Auburn Seminary, the Interfaith Center of New York, and Intersections International, who are committed to preparing New York City (and the nation) for the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 by promoting civil dialogue, education about religious pluralism, support for the Muslim community, and coordinating events on the day of the anniversary. Bill Reilly, Esslie Hughes and I have part of the coalition’s work thus far.<br /><br />· What’s the latest in the “digital universe?” Odyssey sent staffers Mat Tombers and Greg Nelson to the recent “South By Southwest” (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas to find out. Read all about their findings at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/blogs/category/odyssey-sxsw-2011">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/blogs/category/odyssey-sxsw-2011</a>.<br /><br />· Odyssey’s newest film for the Hallmark Channel, “The Shunning,” based on Beverly Lewis’ best-selling novel, will premiere on Hallmark on Saturday, April 16 at 9:00 pm eastern time. Watch Hallmark’s promo piece at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCvrlYUmXYQ&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCvrlYUmXYQ&feature=related</a>.<br /><br />· The NICC Board of Trustees Member Relations Committee met again this week and will recommend to the full board at their April meeting that five additional new members be approved, three faith-related organizations and two individuals. They are:<br />o The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, New York, New York – <a href="http://www.irdialogue.org/">www.irdialogue.org</a><br />o The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Georgia – <a href="http://www.rccatl.org/">www.rccatl.org</a><br />o Women of Spirit and Faith, Long Beach, California – <a href="http://www.womenofspiritandfaith.org/">www.womenofspiritandfaith.org</a><br />o Norris J Chumley, New York, New York – <a href="http://www.jesusprayermovie.com/">www.jesusprayermovie.com</a> (his latest project)<br />o Rebecca Larson, Geneva, Switzerland – <a href="http://www.actalliance.org/">www.actalliance.org</a><br /><br />These are in addition to the six I previously reported to you in my last (January 31) T2T e-mail.<br /><br />· Since I last wrote to you I have traveled to Atlanta where, with Peter Wallace’s help, Esslie Hughes and I gathered twelve members for a luncheon meeting. We also visited several other Atlanta area prospective members. My travel picks up over these next weeks: I’ll be at the Religion Communicators Council’s Convention in Little Rock, Arkansas next week and the Episcopal Communicators gathering in Memphis the following week. Not long after that I am with the Salvation Army in Orlando. And, of course, I am looking forward to seeing many of you at our May 9 – 11 Odyssey Member Gathering here in Manhattan!<br /><br />Warmest wishes on this snowy Spring Thursday!<br /><br />EricEric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-89348980342773137002011-01-31T16:09:00.008-05:002011-01-31T16:47:01.831-05:00From "Time to Time" for January 31, 2011<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> 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mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I write to Odyssey Networks' members and friends from "Time to Time," calling my words "T2T." Here's my January 31, 2011 "T2T:"<br /></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> <span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Thanks to so many of you who “tuned in” to Odyssey’s first ever <b>Town Hall Meeting</b> on January 11<sup>th</sup>. We had around 25 members in our studio audience and more than 100 viewing online, making this certainly the largest gathering of Odyssey members in our history! If you missed the meeting you can view it <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/channel/about-odyssey-networks-members">here</a> . Did you like the black <i>Call on Faith</i> tee shirts Odyssey staff were wearing during the Town Hall Meeting? If you would like one, send me your men’s tee shirt size (S,M,L,XL) and the address where you would like it mailed!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>At the Town Hall Meeting we announced the 17 recipients of <b>Odyssey’s 2011 Member Production Grants</b>. You can see the list of grant recipients <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/2011-grant-recipients">here</a> . Here’s one pick up of our Odyssey news release on these grants - read it <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/01/14/prweb8066703.DTL&type=pr">here</a> . 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href="http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/80263_126761_ENG_HTM.htm"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here </span></span></a>and I suspect we’ll see others. Our 2011 grants were a record amount ($325,000) to a record number of members.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Also at the Town Hall Meeting, another grant opportunity was announced, <b><i>Let’s Do Launch</i></b>, a marketing plan to help you promote <b><i>Call on Faith</i></b> with your constituencies. Two $7,500 grants will be given to the best conceived and executed marketing plans. The funds will help your organization produce short video for <i>Call on Faith</i> – globally pushing out your message and brand! Details are online <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/lets-do-launch"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></a> .</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>And also at the Town Hall Meeting, more details were announced about our <b>2011 Odyssey Member Gathering </b>which will be held May 9 – 11 at the Desmond Tutu Center here in New York City. This gathering will include a special May 10<sup>th</sup> event, “9/11, the Conversation We Never Had,” which will feature keynote addresses by Eboo Patel, David Saperstein, and Bishop Yvette Flunder. Please hold these dates and watch for more details. You’ll want to plan to arrive around noon on the 9<sup>th</sup> and leave in the afternoon of the 11<sup>th</sup>.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b>Can you help us spread the news about <i>Call on Faith</i></b>? Our focus groups have told us that the #1 way folks learn about new apps to buy is on their app store. So, those of you with smart phones, please go to your app store (iTunes, Blackberry World, Droid Marketplace), and rate <i>Call on Faith</i>. If you have time, a few words about why you like it so much would be welcome as well. These ratings help not only to inform browsers about the value of the app, but can push <i>Call on Faith</i> into a featured more prominent position in the store.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><b> </b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>We are starting to see <b>nice words written by app reviewers about <i>Call on Faith</i></b>! <a href="http://gadgets.tmcnet.com/topics/gadgets/articles/139304-first-all-video-inspirational-mobile-app-launched-odyssey.htm">Here’s one</a> . And, Barnes & Noble has chosen to demo <i>Call on Faith</i> for their new NOOK eReader!</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The <i>Huffington Post</i> recently picked up our video of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf launching his multi-city interfaith tour - watch it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/25/feisal-abdul-rauf_n_813303.html">here</a> . Imam Rauf is the subject for our <b>first World Interfaith Harmony Week</b> website video on Wednesday, February 2, <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/">will be available <span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></a> . Watch for more videos about World Interfaith Harmony Week on our site later this week and next.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b>Nick Stuart continues to blog</b> for the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good. His January blog, “Prophets of Peace Inspire Us as Hatred Rages,” can be found <a href="http://www.newevangelicalpartnership.org/?q=node/99"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></a> . Other public bloggers among our members include Chris Herlinger of Church World Service who blogs regularly for Huffington Post - <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-herlinger"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span> </a>. I always appreciate Bob Chase’s blogs, too (Intersections International). Chase’s latest, “Thank you, Mr. President,” is <a href="http://www.intersectionsinternational.org/blog/2011/01/14/thank-you-mr-president"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></a>.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The NICC Board of Trustees <b>Member Relations Committee</b> met last week and will recommend to the full board at their April meeting that six new members be approved, three faith-related organization and three individuals. They are:<span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=""><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style=";font-family:";" >Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries</span></b><span style=";font-family:";" >, Chicago, Illinois –<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.gcbm.org/"><span><span style=";font-family:";" >http://www.gcbm.org</span></span></a></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style=";font-family:";" >Jewish Theological Seminary</span></b><span style=";font-family:";" >, New York, New York –<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.jtsa.edu/"><span style=";font-family:";" >http://www.jtsa.edu</span></a></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style=";font-family:";" >National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership</span></b><span style=";font-family:";" >, New York, New York –<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.clal.org/"><span style=";font-family:";" >http://www.clal.org</span></a></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style=";font-family:";" >Ava Martin</span></b><span style=";font-family:";" >, Chicago, Illinois (Ava is the former ELCA public media director)</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style=";font-family:";" >Claudia McGeary</span></b><span style=";font-family:";" >, Founder & director of <i>Faith in Africa</i></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style=";font-family:";" >Susan L. Williams</span></b><span style=";font-family:";" >, Allentown, Pennsylvania </span><a href="http://www.susanwilliamsassociates.com/"><span style=";font-family:";" >http://www.susanwilliamsassociates.com</span></a><span style=";font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >Warmest wishes in these cold days in the east!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br />Eric</span></p>Eric C. 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mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Through Odyssey member the National Council of Churches (<a href="www.ncccusa.org">www.ncccusa.org</a>) and the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission (<a href="www.interfaithbroadcasting.com">www.interfaithbroadcasting.com</a>), Odyssey members have Christmas worship services on all three major US television networks on Christmas Eve/Day this year. Here’s the schedule:</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> <span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>A Christmas for Everybody</i> from St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church in New York City will be broadcast on CBS television stations across the country on Christmas Eve in the normal <i>David Letterman</i> hour. In New York City, it can be seen on WCBS TV 2 at 11:35 p.m. on 12/24. Of the three programs, this is the only one broadcast across the USA at the same time (a “must carry”). This broadcast will include presentations by a local Rabbi and Imam. More details are online at <a href="http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com/program.aspx?PID=328">http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com/program.aspx?PID=324</a>.<br /></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> <span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>A Service of Lessons and Carols from Historic Trinity Church on Wall Street</i>, New York City will be broadcast on ABC television stations across the country on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Local stations have the choice to broadcast or not and to schedule this program whenever they wish. In New York City, it will be seen on WABC TV7 at 1:08 a.m. on 12/25 (for most of us that’s still Christmas Eve!) More details are online at <a href="http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com/program.aspx?PID=332">http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com/program.aspx?PID=332</a>.<br /></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>Christmas Angels </i>(ecumenical segments from UCC, ELCA, Episcopal congregations) will be broadcast on NBC television stations across the country on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Local stations have the choice to broadcast or not and to schedule this program whenever they wish. In New York City, it will be seen on WNBC TV4 at 3:00 p.m. on 12/25. Our members are heavily involved in this one: Jean Robinson (UCC) is the program producer and Peter Panagore (First Radio Parish of America) produced the segment from Boothbay Harbor UCC in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. (I produced the segment from St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Chicago - in my former life – Christmas video “lives” forever!) More details are online at <a href="http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com/program.aspx?PID=328">http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com/program.aspx?PID=328</a>.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Interfaith Broadcasting Commission’s website (<a href="http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com/">www.interfaithbroadcasting.com</a>) has links for each program to the local affiliates which are broadcasting each program with the date and time.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><i> </i></p>Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-36176643088143790292010-12-16T15:10:00.005-05:002010-12-21T14:03:17.580-05:00From "Time to Time" (T2T) for December 16, 2010I write from “Time to Time” (T2T) to members and friends of Odyssey Networks. Here is my December 16, 2010 e-mail to them:<br /><br />• We want to <span style="font-weight: bold;">welcome new members</span> to Odyssey Networks! Five faith-related organizations and one individual were officially received when Odyssey’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved their membership on December 3. They are:<br />o Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, San Jose, California – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.csecenter.org">www.csecenter.org</a><br />o Common Good Radio, Grand Island, New York – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.commongoodradio.org">www.commongoodradio.org</a><br />o Hindu American Seva Charities, Livingston, New Jersey – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.hinduamericanseva.org">www.hinduamericanseva.org</a><br />o The Interfaith Center of New York, New York City – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.interfaithcenter.org">www.interfaithcenter.org</a><br />o Union Theological Seminary, New York, New York – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.utsnyc.edu">www.utsnyc.edu</a><br />o Leo Brunnick, Englewood Colorado – Leo is CEO of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.patheos.com">www.patheos.com<br /></a><br />• This brings <span style="font-weight: bold;">our membership</span> to 27 faith groups, 47 faith related organizations, and 9 individuals. We began 2010 with 26 faith groups, 27 faith related organizations, and 0 individual members.<br /><br />• We continue to receive <span style="font-weight: bold;">applications from new members</span>. These applications will be acted on when the Board Member Relations Committee next meets and, if approved by the committee, will come before the April 6 meeting of Odyssey’s Board of Trustees:<br />o Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries, Chicago, Illinois – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.gcbm.org">www.gcbm.org </a><br />o Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, New York – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.jtsa.edu">www.jtsa.edu</a><br />o Member Mission Network, Plattsburgh, New York – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.membermission.org">www.membermission.org</a><br />o National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, New York, New York – <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.clal.org">www.clal.org</a><br />o Ava Martin, Chicago, Illinois<br /><br />• All members and friends, new and “old” alike, are invited to attend the<span style="font-weight: bold;"> first Odyssey Member “Town Hall Meeting” to be held on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 beginning at 2:00 p.m. eastern standard time</span>. If you can, you are invited to join us in person at the site for this live broadcast at the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, 44 Charlton Street at Varick, New York, New York - <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/thegreenespace/about/">http://www.wnyc.org/thegreenespace/about/</a> . Those participating in person will receive a free Call on Faith tee shirt! We know that most of you cannot join us in person and will be joining us online at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.odysseynetworks.org">www.odysseynetworks.org</a> . CEO Nick Stuart will present an update on Odyssey’s work and respond to in person and e-mailed questions. Nick will also announce the 2011 Odyssey Networks Member Program Grants and an additional opportunity for a 2011 grant for which all members are eligible. Please plan to attend or tune in on January 11th! And, please share this information with others from your faith group or organization so that they might join us also!<br /><br />• <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Call on Faith</span>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.callonfaith.com">www.callonfaith.com</a>, our new app for smart phones, officially debuts on January 18th. Among the many members now or soon appearing on <span style="font-style: italic;">Call on Faith</span> are:<br />o The Rev. Barry Black, US Senate Chaplain (Seventh-day Adventist Church)<br />o The Rev. Richard Cizik (New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good)<br />o Glen Fullmer (Baha’i)<br />o Imam Johari Abdul-Malik (Inner-Attainment Television)<br />o The Rev. Dr. Serene Jones (Union Theological Seminary)<br />o The Rev. Peter Panagore (First Radio Parish Church of America)<br />o Angela Rice (Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters)<br /><br />• I hope you have already had a chance to explore <span style="font-weight: bold;">Odyssey’s new website</span> which debuted earlier this month. We were pleased to present a five part web-only video series, <span style="font-style: italic;">Beyond Mumbai: Hope and Healing</span>, on our site to mark its relaunch. You can still view this series online at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/faith/beyond-mumbai-hope-and-healing">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/faith/beyond-mumbai-hope-and-healing</a> .<br /><br />• On our website, you will see <span style="font-weight: bold;">new material on each of our 74 members</span>. You will want to take a look at what is there for your faith group or organization. The listing begins at http://www.odysseynetworks.org/member-channels .<br /><br />• There have been a number of <span style="font-weight: bold;">staff changes </span>at Odyssey over these last few months. We now have a complete listing, with photos and bios, of Odyssey’s staff online at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/staff">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/staff</a> . Among the new staff you will see there are Esslie Hughes, new Director for Philanthropy, Jocelyn Dupre, now assisting Mary Dickey and me, and Jennifer Kachler, new Senior Web Editor.<br /><br />• CEO <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nick Stuart continues his monthly blogs</span> for the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good. His latest, “Home Is Where the Midnight Mass Is,” is online at <a href="http://www.newevangelicalpartnership.org/?q=node/94">http://www.newevangelicalpartnership.org/?q=node/94</a> . I continue to try to track others among our members who blog regularly. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bob Chase’s latest blog</span>, “Please, Mr. President,” is online at <a href="http://intersectionsinternational.org/blog/2010/12/13/please-mr-president">http://intersectionsinternational.org/blog/2010/12/13/please-mr-president</a> . <span style="font-weight: bold;">Peter Wallace’s blogs</span> regularly appear on the Huffington Post and one of his recent reflections appeared both there and on Patheos - <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-peter-m-wallace/shining-the-light-on-the-_b_793715.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-peter-m-wallace/shining-the-light-on-the-_b_793715.html</a> . I’d be very interested in seeing the work of others who blog regularly.<br /><br />• <span style="font-weight: bold;">Debra Gonsher Vinik’s latest documentary</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">I BELIEVE YOU: Faiths’ Response to Intimate Partner Violence</span>, produced with a 2009 Odyssey Production Grant, will be broadcast on ABC television affiliates across the USA beginning in January. You can read more, and see a trailer, online at <a href="http://www.divacommunications.com/programs/i-believe-you-2/">http://www.divacommunications.com/programs/i-believe-you-2/</a> .<br /><br />• <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tim Frakes</span> (<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.frakesproductions.com">www.frakesproductions.com</a>) writes that he will be in Haiti in early January working for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Church World Service</span> (<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.churchworldservice.org">www.churchworldservice.org</a>) – <span style="font-weight: bold;">January 12th is the one year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake</span>.<br /><br />• Many of you are aware of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">It Gets Better Project</span>, an effort to support gay and lesbian youth and others who have been bullied. I recorded a video for this effort which you can view (and share with others) at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMqndB20r2k">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMqndB20r2k</a> .<br /><br />• Mark your calendars – <span style="font-weight: bold;">the 2011 Odyssey Member Gathering will be held here in New York City on May 9 – 11</span>. A major part of this gathering will be a May 10 symposium on “9/11, the Conversation We Never Had” with these three keynote speakers – Yvette Flunder, Eboo Patel, and David Saperstein. Hold these dates and watch for more details soon!<br /><br />• Since I last wrote to you I have traveled to Washington, D.C. (Seventh-day Adventist Church), Baltimore (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) and Phoenix (Episcopal Church USA).<br /><br />Our Christian members will be celebrating the Christmas religious holidays over the next several weeks. And then we all celebrate the calendar’s new year! Warmest wishes to all.<br /><br />EricEric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-67843450235357395262010-11-03T15:10:00.004-04:002010-11-04T14:10:04.985-04:00Here is my latest “From Time to Time” (T2T) e-mail to members and friends of Odyssey Networks - I like to write from time to time with updates on the work of Odyssey Networks:<br /><br />It was good to see so many of you (95 in all!) at our <span style="font-weight:bold;">first annual Odyssey Member Gathering in Silver Spring in September</span>. Evaluations were very positive – thank you! New Christian Science representative Brian Talcott blogged about this event. You can read his words at <a href="http://christianscience.com/questions/2010/god-in-america-is-coming-to-america/">http://christianscience.com/questions/2010/god-in-america-is-coming-to-america/</a>. I hope you have seen the photos from this event – they are still online on the bottom on the Odyssey website main “member” page at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Members/MemberNews/tabid/394/Default.aspx">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Members/MemberNews/tabid/394/Default.aspx</a> . Our video summary from this event is also online at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfUCCRdvLsQ ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfUCCRdvLsQ </a>. <br /><br />Speaking of blogs, once Odyssey’s new website is up and running later this month, <span style="font-weight:bold;">we plan to have a regular blog, BlogON, from Odyssey staff and members and friends</span>. I will be coordinating this effort and would welcome your posts. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Odyssey CEO Nick Stuart will blog monthly for Odyssey member, the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good</span>. You can read his first post at <a href="http://www.newevangelicalpartnership.org/?q=node/72">http://www.newevangelicalpartnership.org/?q=node/72</a> . <br /><br />In Nick’s blog-post he references the <span style="font-weight:bold;">“Three Faiths – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam” exhibit at the New York Public Library</span> for which Odyssey produced videos of key pieces in the exhibit for Coexist, one of the sponsors. You can see samples of these videos online at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/ThreeFaithsJudaismChristianityIslam/tabid/532/Default.aspx">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/ThreeFaithsJudaismChristianityIslam/tabid/532/Default.aspx</a> . They are also available on their own channel on <span style="font-style:italic;">Call on Faith</span>, Odyssey’s new app for smartphones - visit <a href="www.odysseynetworks.org">www.odysseynetworks.org</a> for more information. Nick’s blog-post also references Auburn Media’s recent “Take the Bully Out of the Pulpit” event. We have a wonderful segment from that event on our website member page also - <a href="http://vimeo.com/15779908">http://vimeo.com/15779908</a> .<br /><br />And, speaking of our Member Gatherings, we already have <span style="font-weight:bold;">dates for three Member Gatherings in 2011</span>, one via the internet and two in person: <br /> * January 11, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. eastern time – “Town Hall Meeting” for members. <br /> * May 9 – 11 – Odyssey Member Gathering, New York City (the NCC Communication Commission may attach a one day meeting to our gathering). <br /> * September 26 – 28 or 29 (tentative) – NCC Communication Commission meeting, location TBA (Odyssey may attach a one day meeting to this gathering). <br />More details on the “Town Hall Meeting” coming to you soon!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Call on Faith</span><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span>, our new app for iPhone, Blackberry and Android products, now also offered on the Sprint network, has launched its second “flight” of content and a number of new member channels. Here is the new line up: In addition to the special Coexist (“Three Faiths” exhibit) channel noted above, the Odyssey main channels are Wise Words, Compassionate Acts, My Story, Prayer and Spirit Boost. And, member channels now include: Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters, Daily Devotions (First Radio Parish Church of America), The Episcopal Church, Mad About Marriage (Seventh-day Adventist Church), Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, 30 Good Minutes (Chicago Sunday Evening Club), the United Church of Christ, and the Voice of Prophecy (Adventists). You can expect contact from us in the near future about Call on Faith. We want to give you, our key members, this app for free! <br /><br />On the November 1 deadline we had received <span style="font-weight:bold;">27 member grant proposals for Odyssey’s 2011 Member Productions Grants</span>. Thanks to all those who applied. We are still hoping to notify everyone on or soon after December 1. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Beliefnet</span> is now featuring a number of Odyssey’s “Faith in Action” videos. You can view them on their site at <a href="http://www.beliefnet.com/Video/Odyssey-Networks/Faith-In-Action-An-Interview-With-Imam-Muhammad-Musri.aspx">http://www.beliefnet.com/Video/Odyssey-Networks/Faith-In-Action-An-Interview-With-Imam-Muhammad-Musri.aspx</a> . <br /><br />We were all <span style="font-weight:bold;">saddened to read the news of the recent major layoffs at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA’s) churchwide offices in Chicago</span>. A number of Odyssey’s good friends lost their jobs, Ava Martin and Kristi Bangert among them. We send our best wishes to Ava and Kristi and so many others at the ELCA churchwide offices and other denominational offices who have been laid off in recent months. Godspeed to you all! <br /><br />Please take a look at this recent <span style="font-weight:bold;">NY1 cable news piece</span> on the “We Are Family” Foundation’s October 27th gala. Odyssey produced two videos for this event and excerpts from one of them, of Nigerian peacemakers and gala honorees Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye, appear in this television report - <a href="http://www.ny1.com/content/127877/feel-good-rock-benefit-drives-home-how--we-are-family-">http://www.ny1.com/content/127877/feel-good-rock-benefit-drives-home-how--we-are-family-</a> . <br /><br />Thank you,<br /><br />EricEric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-42742182257563907662010-09-16T14:46:00.002-04:002010-09-16T14:51:52.673-04:00"From Time to Time" ("T2T" for September 16, 2010<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ceshafer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ceshafer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ceshafer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> 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{mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} @list l0:level7 {mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} @list l0:level8 {mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} @list l0:level9 {mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Here's my latest "From Time to Time" e-mail which I send to Odyssey Networks' members:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I like to write to you from “Time to Time” (T2T). Here is update from Odyssey Networks -<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">National Interfaith Cable Coalition (NICC) Board of Trustees meeting on September 15<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Odyssey’s Board of Trustees met yesterday and made history! The first non-Abrahamic faith group members were received into membership along with a number of faith-related organizations and individuals. Here is the list of the 17 new members unanimously approved for Odyssey membership:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">
<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">New Faith Groups: Baha’i Faith (</span><a href="http://www.bahai.us/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.bahai.us</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">) and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) (</span><a href="http://news.iskcon.org/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://news.iskcon.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">New Faith-Related Organizations - America’s Quilt of Faith(</span><a href="http://www.americasquiltoffaith.org/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.americasquiltoffaith.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), College of Saint Elizabeth(</span><a href="http://www.cse.edu/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.cse.edu</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), Fellowship in Prayer (</span><a href="http://www.fellowshipinprayer.org/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.fellowshipinprayer.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">),<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Global Peace Initiative of Women (</span><a href="http://www.gpiw.org/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.gpiw.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), Life Focus Communications (</span><a href="http://www.lifefocus.tv/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.lifefocus.tv</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (</span><a href="http://www.ltsg.edu/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.ltsg.edu</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), Mercy Street (</span><a href="http://www.mercystreet.org/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.mercystreet.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), National Board of Mothers (</span><a href="http://www.nationalboardofmothers.com/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.nationalboardofmothers.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), North America Association for the Catechumenate (</span><a href="http://www.catechumenate.org/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.catechumenate.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), and Unity Productions Foundation (</span><a href="http://www.upf.tv/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://www.upf.tv/</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">New Individuals - Brian Finnerty, Tim Frakes, Ann Hafften, Ralph Singh and Debra Gonsher Vinik.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Added to the nine new members received at the April board meeting, Odyssey has now welcomed 26 new members in 2010, an increase in faith groups and faith related organizations of 33%.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The board also added a number of member representatives to board committees. This is part of our new membership structure, where we have increased the role of members in board committees. Non-board members added to the Member Relations Committee were Robert Black, Ava Martin and Debra Gonsher Vinik. Non-board members added to the New Media Committee were Mike Collins, Jeff Malmad, Elizabeth Sams and Casey Tom. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The board also elected new Salvation Army National Commander Commissioner William Roberts as a board member. Roberts will replace current Army National Commander Commissioner Israel Gaither on our board when Gaither retires on October 31.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Three Dot Dash Global Teen Leaders<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Odyssey’s CEO Nick Stuart has been invited to nominate teens ages 13 – 19 from around the world to become 2011 Three Dot Dash Global Teen Leaders. Check out </span><a href="http://www.threedotdash.org/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.threedotdash.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> and the specific information on their 2010 Global Team Leaders at </span><a href="http://threedotdash.org/legacy/Summit_NomProcess_HowItWorks.aspx"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://threedotdash.org/legacy/Summit_NomProcess_HowItWorks.aspx</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> . Unfortunately, Nick just received this information and their application deadline is October 4<sup>th</sup>! I have the application information. So, check out their website, and if you then have someone in mind, send me an e-mail and I will forward you the application details. Hopefully we will receive this information earlier in future years!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Odyssey Member Gathering in Silver Spring<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We now have 87 registrants for our NCC Communication Commission/Odyssey Member Gathering to be held September 27 – 30 at the Hilton Hotel in Silver Spring, Maryland! This will be the largest member gathering in Odyssey’s history. While the reduced price hotel rooms are certainly no longer available, it may still be possible for you to register for all or part of this event (and there are nearby hotels). More details online at </span><a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Members/MemberNews/tabid/394/Default.aspx"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Members/MemberNews/tabid/394/Default.aspx</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> .<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">There are so many highlights of our coming Silver Spring gathering. Here are just two: <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Our Monday, September 27, producers’ workshop features these guest presenters: filmmakers Martin Doblmeier (“The Adventists” - </span><a href="http://www.theadventiststhefilm.com/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://www.theadventiststhefilm.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), Martin Ostrow (“Renewal” - </span><a href="http://www.renewalproject.net/film"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://www.renewalproject.net/film</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), and Karen Lennon, an expert on user generated content.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Those interested in applying for a 2011 Odyssey Production Grant will receive grant application information during our Grant Writing Workshop on Wednesday, September 29.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Call on Faith</span></u></i></b><b><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> now on all three platforms<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">With its debut last week for iPhones, <i>Call on Faith</i>, Odyssey’s new app for smartphones, is now available for iPhones, Blackberries and Android products. Sprint is also about to replace their “Faith TV” smart phone channel with <i>Call on Faith</i>. A new widget for easy sign up on these platforms is online at </span><a href="http://www.callonfaith.com/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">www.callonfaith.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> . (Note – to get <i>Call on Faith</i> on your iPhone, search “COF” in the app store).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">More September…..<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">During September we are also marking Recovery From Addiction Month with a PSA you can use – please consider linking it to your website. See </span><a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/RecoveryFromAddiction/tabid/510/Default.aspx"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/RecoveryFromAddiction/tabid/510/Default.aspx</span></a> . And, September 21<sup>st</sup> brings <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“A Million Minutes for Peace” (</span><a href="http://amillionminutesforpeace.org/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://amillionminutesforpeace.org/</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">), but you already knew that! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Do check out all of the materials on our website under “Religious Freedom Under Fire” at </span><a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/ReligiousFreedomUnderFire/tabid/511/Default.aspx"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/ReligiousFreedomUnderFire/tabid/511/Default.aspx</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> and our “Faith in Action – Haiti” videos at </span><a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/DisasterRelief/HaitiDisasterRelief/tabid/350/Default.aspx"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: windowtext;">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/DisasterRelief/HaitiDisasterRelief/tabid/350/Default.aspx</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> .<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
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<br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Looking forward to seeing many of you in a couple of weeks in Silver Spring!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
<br />Eric</span></p>Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-74835262343136424522010-08-06T10:36:00.002-04:002010-08-06T10:43:57.767-04:00"T2T" for August 6, 2010I write to Odyssey's members and friends "From Time to Time," and call these my "T2T" e-mails. Here is my latest T2T, for August 6, 2010:<br /><br />++++++++<br /><br />Hopefully, August brings you some time for “holiday” and refreshment!<br /><br />Here at Odyssey Networks, we have had a full summer:<br /><br />• Earlier this week “Call on Faith,” our new “app” for smart phones, become available for Android (Droid) products and should be available for iPhone and Blackberry products within the next week or so. Keep checking at your app store.<br /><br />• We produced two series of videos for the Odyssey website this summer: The first (three parts), “Prayer in the 21st Century,” was taped at the 60th anniversary conference of “Fellowship in Prayer,” an Odyssey new member. The second (five parts), “Faith at the Gulf,” focused on people of faith in Biloxi, Mississippi, responding to the Gulf oil spill. Part 4 of this series is on our website as I write this and Part 5 should be there next week. This second series has been featured on the “Huffington Post” online religion page. You can find most of these videos on You-Tube.<br /><br />• Next week, our videographer, Torrey Townsend, who shot these first two video packages, heads to Haiti to cover the visit of Roman Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York to this stricken country. While he is there he plans also to make contact with other people of faith involved in the Haiti earthquake response efforts – Episcopalians, Lutherans and Roman Catholics are already scheduled and other contacts are in process.<br /><br />• OWN, the new Oprah Winfrey Network, has announced the purchase of “One Last Shot,” a documentary that Odyssey is producing. There is a nice piece on Oprah’s press page – our documentary is in good company with ones produced by Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn and Mariel Hemingway, among others. See <span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.oprah.com/pressroom/Julia-Roberts-Forest-Whitaker-Join-OWNs-Documentary-Film-Club</span>.<br /><br />• Speaking of material online, take a look at the ABC television 2010 “Vision & Values” series online at <span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com/vv.aspx</span> . The final production on this schedule, “I Believe You: Faiths’ Response to Intimate Partner Violence,” is being produced by DIVA Communications (Debra Gonsher Vinik) for the New York Board of Rabbis with the help of a 2009 Odyssey production grant. A number of other members are also providing financial support for this important documentary.<br /><br />• And, of course, we have recently sent you information on our first annual member gathering, this year offered in cooperation with the annual meeting of the National Council of Churches Communication Commission at the Hilton Hotel in Silver Spring, Maryland, September 27 – 30, 2010. Information and registration forms are available online at <span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Members/MemberNews/tabid/394/Default.aspx</span> . Please register soon and please, if you are coming, stay at the Hilton since the number of room nights that are sold affects our meeting room rates (more sleeping rooms – less cost for meeting rooms). Your attendance at the Monday and Wednesday banquet meals, provided for you by Odyssey, also helps control other costs (more folks at meals, less cost for meeting rooms).<br /><br />• Our “A Million Minutes for Peace” website - <span style="font-style: italic;">http://amillionminutesforpeace.org/</span> - is up and running and taking pledges. Have you signed up yet? Also, check out the “Prayer Wall” on that site - <span style="font-style: italic;">http://amillionminutesforpeace.org/prayerwall/prayer-wall.shtml</span> - nearly 20 video prayers are already online. It’s very early in the campaign, but, we have already surpassed our 2009 pledge numbers. And, more than 20 Odyssey members have become partners – thank you.<br /><br />My recent member visits have included members and prospective members in New York City and Washington, D.C. Next week I head to Chicago for the biennial gathering of ELCA Communicators, “Follow Me: Sharing the Gospel in a 2.0 World” - <span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.elca.org/ELCA/Events/Follow-Me.aspx</span>.<br /><br />I look forward to seeing you in September in Silver Spring!<br /><br />Eric<br /><br />The Rev. Eric C. Shafer<br />Senior Vice President<br />Philanthropy, Faith Community Relations & Human Resources<br />Odyssey Networks<br />475 Riverside Drive, #530<br />New York, New York 10115<br />eshafer@odysseynetworks.org<br />Voice - 212-870-1035<br />Fax - 212-870-1040<br />Cell - 267-222-0964<br />www.odysseynetworks.orgEric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-71080180864072752662010-07-08T12:45:00.002-04:002010-07-08T13:08:48.817-04:00T2T e-mail for July 8, 2010<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ceshafer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ceshafer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ceshafer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> 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9]><xml> <o:shapelayout ext="edit"> <o:idmap ext="edit" data="1"> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I send occasional e-mails to Odyssey members and friends and call them from "Time to Time" or "T2T" for short. Here is one I sent today:</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">+++++
<br /></p>
<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It is HOT in New York city this week and we have lots of "hot" news for you!
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">If you go to Odyssey’s website (<a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/">www.odysseynetworks.org</a>) today, you will see the first of our three video news pieces on “Faith at the Gulf,” shot at the recent 60<sup>th</sup> anniversary conference of “Fellowship in Prayer” (<a href="http://www.fellowshipinprayer.org/">www.fellowshipinprayer.org</a>).<span style=""> </span>Today’s (Thursday’s) features Father Edward Beck (ABC News) and Fellowship in Prayer executive director Janet Haag.<span style=""> </span>The second segment will be up on our site late tomorrow (Friday).<span style=""> </span>It will feature Gustav Niebuhr (now a professor at Syracuse University, formerly at the <i style="">New York Times</i>) and Jan DePinto, a Sufi Muslim.<span style=""> </span>The third segment will be on our site sometime on Monday.<span style=""> </span>It includes “Faith at the Gulf” reflections by Sohaib Sultan (Muslim Chaplain, Princeton University) and Heena Reiter, a rabbinic student.<span style=""> </span>These are the fine work of our summer volunteer editor, Ester Villanueva, and our summer videographer staffer, Torrey Townsend.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Then, next Thursday, July 15, you will see the first of Torrey’s video segments from his work for us along the Gulf coast of Mississippi where he is taping this week.<span style=""> </span>Torrey is connecting with people of faith who are active in the Gulf oil spill cleanup and relief. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Torrey’s earlier piece for us on “Prayer in the 21<sup>st</sup> century,” is no longer on the front page of our website, but is still up on YouTube at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj80E4XiNYU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj80E4XiNYU</a> .</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">And, by July’s end, “Odyssey – Call on Faith,” our new app (mobile channel) for smart phones will be up and running for our “soft” launch.<span style=""> </span>You can view the “Call on Faith” promo PSA now online at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suG7UvXrAOg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suG7UvXrAOg</a> but the Call on Faith website mentioned at the end of that video is not yet active.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Thus, as you can see, our summer is busy and flying by here at Odyssey Networks!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">We are also getting ready for September:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-weight: bold;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-weight: normal;">“A Million Minutes for Peace-a multi-faith movement… mobilizing the power of prayer,” in collaboration with the United Nations, is our initiative aiming to obtain 1 million people to pledge one minute of prayer for peace on September 21</span><sup style="font-weight: normal;">st</sup><span style="font-weight: normal;">, the International Day of Peace. Check out the special “micro site” for this effort at </span><a style="font-weight: normal;" href="http://www.amillionminutesforpeace.org/">http://www.amillionminutesforpeace.org/</a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> . There you will find our updated PSAs (English & Spanish versions) and the first of our “Prayer Wall” prayer videos.</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-weight: bold;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-weight: normal;">September also brings Odyssey’s cause work on Addiction. We’ve partnered with SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) to promote National Drug & Alcohol Addiction Recovery Month – September, 2010. Our PSA promotes Recovery Month’s 1000+ events nationwide. Also beginning in September, we’ll be promoting eight free one-day interfaith workshops for clergy to be held across the country. Stay tuned for more information.</span><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-weight: bold;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-weight: normal;">And, of course, September is the month for our Odyssey annual member gathering, September 27 – 30.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">We now have a location for this gathering, the Hilton Hotel in Silver Springs, Maryland (3 blocks from the DC Metro red line Silver Springs’ stop) and a good price (for Washington) of $189/night.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Please plan to attend.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">You will want to arrive no later than Monday afternoon, September 27, and plan your return home for anytime on Thursday, September 30.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">A pre-event producer’s retreat will take place at the hotel on Monday afternoon, September 27, beginning at 1:00 p.m.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">We are pleased to be hosting this event with the National Council of Churches Communication Commission. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Many more details coming soon.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Nick Stuart and I are traveling to Chicago next week to meet with a new Odyssey Board of Trustees nominee, Bishop Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl.<span> </span>While we are there we are hosting a luncheon meeting with ten Odyssey members in the Chicago area.
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I hope your summer includes some time for rest and relaxation.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Eric</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">PS: Back in May I preached at my home congregation, Atonement Lutheran Church in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, on "Tolerance" and my sermon became the topic of a column in the Reading, Pennsylvania newspaper, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Reading Eagle/Times</span>. 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<br /></b></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><a href="http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=230675"><b>
<br /></b></a></span></p> <h1><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></h1> Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-69794498546484319472010-05-03T15:53:00.002-04:002010-05-03T16:07:03.354-04:00"From Time to Time" or "T2T" for May 3, 2010Every so often I send an e-mail message to the members of Odyssey Networks, updating them on Odyssey's work and alerting them to coming opportunities for participation. I have not had a chance to write one of these since the National Interfaith Cable Coalition (NICC - our corporate "parent") Board of Trustees meeting in April. Here is the e-mail (I call them "From Time to Time" or "T2T") I sent out earlier today:<br /><br />+++++++++<br /><br />It has been some time since I last wrote to you all and I have much news to share.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">NICC Board of Trustees meeting actions:</span><br /><br />The most important news from Odyssey is the actions of the National Interfaith Cable Coalition (NICC) Board of Trustees from their April 13, 2010 meeting. At that meeting, the Board unanimously approved:<br /><br />• Changing Odyssey from an interfaith organization representing the three Abraham faiths to a “multi-faith organization representing various institutional faith traditions …. including Christian, Jewish, Islamic and other faith traditions, with the goal of representing the religious diversity present in the United States….”<br />• Membership for six new faith-related organizations and three new individual members – see <a href="www.odysseynetworks.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=zDv8LqI5n9g%3d&tabid=97&mid=408">www.odysseynetworks.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=zDv8LqI5n9g%3d&tabid=97&mid=408</a> .<br />• The new membership structure we have been discussing for the past year as presented to the members at our April 7 meeting in Chicago.<br /><br />In addition, the Board dropped the historic requirement for automatic NICC Board of Trustees membership from several named faith groups with the goal of continuing to have wide faith representation on the Board. Board membership can now increase beyond a minimum of 16 members. These changes give the Board a better opportunity to reflect the wide variety of US faith traditions.<br /><br />This means that faith groups and faith-related organizations beyond Christian, Jewish and Muslim can now apply for Odyssey membership. Revised membership applications are already online at <a href="www.odysseynetworks.org/Members/MembershipApplication/tabid/88/Default.aspx%20.">www.odysseynetworks.org/Members/MembershipApplication/tabid/88/Default.aspx .</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Odyssey membership structure:</span><br /><br />It also means that our new, more informal membership structure is now in place. That structure includes the possibility of additional, non-Board of Trustees members being added to the Board of Trustees’ Member Relations Committee, as well as other Board committees.<br /><br />The four current board members on the Board Member Relations Committee are Robert Chase, Sheri Hartzler, Billy Wilson and James Wind. If you would like to be considered by the Member Relations Committee as a possible additional member for that committee or another Board committee, you should send me an e-mail and attach your resume. Already, three member representatives have submitted their resumes (or had them submitted by someone else with their permission) for possible service. They are: Robert Black, Ava Martin and Debra Vinik. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else, please e-mail me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Areas where we’d like your involvement:</span><br /><br />There are at least two other areas where we would value your help and participation:<br /><br />• These folks have agreed to serve on the committee to plan Odyssey’s fall member gathering: Robert Black, Cheryl Leanza, Ava Martin, Pat Pattillo, Hassanah Tauhidi, and Linda Walter. Two others have not yet responded to my invitation. You may remember that this event is scheduled for September 27 – 30 in the Washington, D.C. area and will be held in cooperation with the fall meeting of the NCC Communication Commission. If there are others who are interested in helping to plan this event, please let me know.<br />• We will soon start the planning for Odyssey’s 2011observance of the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. I’ve asked Robert Chase to chair our member advisory committee for this planning. Larry Rich has already volunteered to help. Others who are interested should contact me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">More from April in Chicago:</span><br /><br />I hope, if you were not present, you have heard about the fine member gathering we had on April 7th in Chicago. The 37 people in attendance made this among the largest ever Odyssey member gatherings. At that event I announced the first 2010 member production grants. You can read our news release about those grants at <a href="www.odysseynetworks.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=rPuyDN%2bZl%2b0%3d&tabid=97&mid=408">www.odysseynetworks.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=rPuyDN%2bZl%2b0%3d&tabid=97&mid=408</a> . Mary Dickey and Desiree Frieson also wrote a news release about Odyssey members who won awards during the RCC2010 event in Chicago. That release is also online at <a href="www.odysseynetworks.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=9ElBdd5kzGE%3d&tabid=97&mid=408">www.odysseynetworks.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=9ElBdd5kzGE%3d&tabid=97&mid=408</a> . Congratulations and thank you to all!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Goodbye and Godspeed to Lynn Harden:</span><br /><br />One other important piece of Odyssey news that you may not yet have heard is that Lynn Harden, Odyssey’s Director of Philanthropy, has resigned to take the position of Executive Director of the Regence Foundation in Portland, Oregon. Regence is the largest health insurance company in the northwest. Now Lynn will get to give out money rather than try to raise it! She begins her new job in June. I know you join me in wishing Lynn the best in her new endeavor! If you know of someone who might be a candidate for Odyssey’s Director for Philanthropy position, please send me their contact information.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A personal note:</span><br /><br />This coming Friday, May 7, my synod bishop, the Rev. Claire S. Burkat, will install me into my new Odyssey position during the opening worship service at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly (<a href="www.sepa.org">www.sepa.org</a>). These first five months at Odyssey have been full and full of wonderful contacts with members, staff, board, and other colleagues in this ministry we share, to “build bridges of understanding among people of faith through media.” There is no other time, I believe, when the building of such bridges has been more important. It is a privilege to share this time with you all.<br /><br />EricEric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-51566539233726410432010-02-23T17:02:00.004-05:002010-03-07T17:16:36.626-05:00Lutherans in Diaspora gathering<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Thanks to an invitation from the Rev. Dr. Barbara Lundblad, I had the privilege to speak to a gathering which of "Lutherans in Diaspora," ELCA seminary students (and several faculty) who attend these non-ELCA seminaries - Harvard, Princeton, Union and Yale. There were about 40 folks in attendance at Union Seminary on Saturday, February 13, 2010.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">In her introduction, Dr. Lundblad noted my volunteer work as chair of the Wilbur Awards which are presented annually by the Religion Communicators Council (www.religioncommunciators.org) to recognize "excellence int he presentation of religious issues, themes and values." That is significant to note here only because I reference these awards in my presentation.
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Here is the text of what I planned to say that morning:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">For a moment, I want to take you back with me to the fall of 1997, some 12 ½ years ago.<?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The fall of 1997 may be remembered in US television history as the year when television prime time commercial network programming “found” religion.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Following the continued success of “Touched By An Angel” on CBS, the six commercial broadcast television networks tried “pastor shows” in a big way with “Seventh Heaven” on the WB Network, “Soul Man” on ABC, “Good News” on UPN and “Nothing Sacred” on ABC.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">This was a strange and, sometimes, wonderful television season!<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>“Soul Man” featured Dan Ackroyd as a motorcycle driving Episcopal priest, “Good News” focused on a black gospel congregation and its pastor, and “Seventh Heaven” highlighted a pastor’s large family in a community congregation.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>All three of these were overtly Christian and two were renewed for another season.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>“Seventh Heaven” went on to many years of broadcast on the WB and then CW networks.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>For a time it was the most-watched show on the WB network.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">“Nothing Sacred” attracted the most media attention, partly because it had attracted early and vocal opposition from the Catholic League, a small, very conservative Roman Catholic advocacy group, and partly because it dealt so well, in my opinion, with many controversial topics.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Lutherans had a vested interest in “Nothing Sacred” because its exteriors were taped outside of Angelica Lutheran Church in Los Angeles and the $3,000 the congregation received each time the program taped there made an important difference for the budget of this struggling Latino congregation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Although “Nothing Sacred” was quickly canceled and never attracted huge audiences, especially when it was scheduled opposite “Friends” on Thursday evening, it won several awards including a Peabody Award, the Humanitas Prize and a Wilbur Award.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>I thought their Wilbur Award winning Halloween episode, “Spirit and Substance,” which included the “St. Patrick’s breastplate” prayer prayed in its entirety, was amazing television and a very public witness for Jesus Christ for millions of viewers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">And, the 1990’s were also good times for religion in pop and public media in other areas:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">+ </span>The late Peter Jennings, then the most popular evening news anchor, hired Peggy Wehmeyer as a full time religion reporter for ABC television’s “World News Tonight.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ <i>The Dallas Morning News</i></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> set a new standard for newspaper religion reporting with a large staff and a weekly eight page religion section plus regular news and features in the rest of the paper.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">+ F</span>ueled by the expansion in newspaper religion reporting, the Religion Newswriters’ Association membership topped 500.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ In addition to the network television programs I already mentioned, <i>The West Wing</i>, one of my all-time favorite television programs, won awards for its sensitive portrayal of Christian and Jewish themes and included a US President who attended church regularly and even talked with his wife about the sermon afterwards.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ Singer Joan Osbourne’s 1995 song, <i>What If God Was One of Us, </i>reached the Billboard top ten for pop music.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>(Osbourne’s song later became the theme song for the short-lived, and often outstanding, television drama, <i>Joan of Arcadia, </i>in 2003).</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ Issues of magazine newsweeklies <i>Newsweek, Time </i>and<i> US News </i>with cover feature stories on faith and religion regularly sold out on newsstands.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ Films with faith-related themes like <i>Dead Man Walking</i> and <i>The Apostle</i> drew well at the box office and made money for film studios.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>DreamWorks film studios first production was an animated film about Moses, <i>The Prince of Egypt,</i> a film one of its founders, Steven Spielberg, called the “greatest story ever told.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">There’s more, but you get the idea.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>The 1990’s were, in my opinion, the best of times for religion and pop or public media, perhaps since the 1950’s.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Well, now it is 2010, 12 ½ years later and what do we see?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">+ </span>I see nothing on commercial television that is even close not just to the overtly religion-themed programming of the 1990’s but not even close to programs like <i>The West Wing</i> which occasionally did religion-themed programs.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>For example, the television drama category for the Wilbur Awards, which I chair and in the past has included winners like <i>The West Wing, ER, the X Files, Third Watch, Without a Trace,</i> has had no entries for the past two years!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ The newspaper industry is in free-fall and religion reporting has been hit hard.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Just within the last month, religion reporters for the <i>Boston Globe</i> and <i>Chicago Sun Times</i> lost their jobs or were reassigned.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Not long ago the <i>Dallas Morning News</i> gave up their religion section and laid off all but one of their staff.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Folks at the Religion News Service tell me that, while their website continues to have record-setting traffic, even large newspapers no longer appear willing to pay a minimal monthly fee for their news feed.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>I remember reading that several of the major award winners for the annual Religion Newswriters’ Association last year had all lost their positions since their award-winning work was written.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>And that organization has seen its membership shrink.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ Peter Jennings is now in heaven, but before he died, he laid off Peggy Wehmeyer who was not replaced.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>No major television network has a religion reporter.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ The music industry is also in free-fall and so-called Christian music is no exception.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ US news magazines are also in subscription free-fall.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>I hear continued rumors about the soon demise of both <i>US News </i>and <i>Newsweek</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Now, those of you who know me know that I am a half-full, not a half-empty kind of person.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>There is still some good news in the field of faith and media and pop culture:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">+ </span>The film, <i>The Blind Side</i>, with a visible Christian theme, was the sleeper hit of 2009 and continues to attract record audiences in 2010.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ Tyler Perry’s faith and family focused films, plays, books and television programs draw large, mostly African American, audiences and readers.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ William P. Young’s novel, <i>The Shack</i>, continues to be a pop-culture phenomenon with millions of copies sold.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ <i>Saving Grace</i></span><span style="font-size:100%;">, Holly Hunter’s TNT cable network drama in which she plays a police detective with a priest brother and guardian angel, has been a moderate hit for TNT and will have its final run of new programs this summer.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">+ </span>PBS’ <i>Religion & Ethics Newsweekly</i> continues its many year run.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ This year’s Wilbur Awards have a record number of faith-themed entries from television network news.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">+ Faith themed websites and virtual materials of all kinds abound.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">And that leads us to this morning’s discussion on social media and the virtual world.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Let’s look at a piece call “The Social Media Revolution” from YouTube - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> .</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">By this time, since we had started a bit late, we had just a short time for questions and answers and small group discussion. I was able to share a fine piece, "New Tips for Social Media Use," prepared by the ELCA's Len Mason - see <a href="http://blogs.elca.org/webdev/post/new-tips-for-social-media-use-02022010/">http://blogs.elca.org/webdev/post/new-tips-for-social-media-use-02022010/</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I had planned to make some additional comments which follow. I was able to add most of these in response to questions and discussion:
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<br />As I told the folks who planned today’s program, I do not claim to be an expert in social media.<span style="font-family:arial;"> </span>I am very active on Facebook and, as of yesterday, had 777 friends.<span style="font-family:arial;"> </span>I have recently begun putting material on my blog and then promoting it via Facebook.<span style="font-family:arial;"> </span>I have less activity on Twitter – maybe because 140 characters seem quite limiting!<o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">And I know from my recent pastorate in Lansdale that younger people are using Facebook and other social networking sites and texting via their mobile telephones as primary communication tools.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>I am sure many of you saw the recent news that the average teenager in the US now spends 7 ½ hours using or watching electronic media EVERY DAY.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Take away school and sleeping and it is safe to say that many, if not most, North American teens are watching television, texting, or on their computer or mobile telephone for nearly all of their other waking hours each day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br />And, this has all changed and is changing very rapidly.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>In my last pastorate we had teen age leaders who were no longer using e-mail – you had to text them or “Facebook” them to communicate electronically with them!<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Our new youth director has begun using Facebook as a primary tool for sharing information and dialogue with Trinity’s young people.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>A check of Facebook or Twitter will find thousands of faith-related “pages” and sites.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;">Even the Pope has weighed in on social networking, suggesting this past month that all priests have blogs!<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>The February issue of <i>The Lutheran</i> magazine has “Social media & faith:<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Jump in” as it cover story and includes Bishop Hanson’s column in which he concludes, talking about social and other new media – “We need not fear or become enslaved to them.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Used faithfully, these innovations can build and strengthen communities of faith as God’s ambassadors sing the song of God’s new creation.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;">Thus, if I have any advice to share with you as current and coming pastors and leaders in the church it is to pay attention to what is happening around you in pop culture and media.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>It always helps, I believe, to know at least a little about the most popular television and films and even to get for yourself basic knowledge of the professional sports teams popular in your community.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>And, especially in these and coming days, it will help your ministry greatly if you can find ways that the virtual world, and right now that would be social media, can assist you in your life and ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;">Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<br />Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-59663444638084622332010-02-15T18:03:00.002-05:002010-02-15T18:09:35.545-05:00Ash Wednesday Sermon on www.odysseynetworks.orgThis week Odyssey Networks - <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/</a> - is featuring my 2008 Ash Wednesday sermon on its website. This sermon was preached from Jerusalem and Bethlehem and sent via satelite back to Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale, Pennsylvania (<a href="http://www.trinitylansdale.com/">http://www.trinitylansdale.com/</a>) where I was then senior pastor. With a few minor edits, the sermon is still "evergreen." Video work on this project was done by Tim Frakes of Frakes Productions (<a href="http://www.frakesproductions.com/">http://www.frakesproductions.com/</a>) and public relations for this trip was handled for me by Susan Williams of Susan Williams and Associates (<a href="http://www.susanwilliamsassociates.com/">http://www.susanwilliamsassociates.com/</a>). Trinity communication director, Jane Jorgensen, handled the work on Trinity's end.Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-18110690461477441172010-02-03T12:03:00.005-05:002010-02-03T12:28:59.245-05:00Tu B'ShvatIn my new position with Odyssey Networks, I am learning about religious holidays and festivals that are new to me. Most recently I learned about Tu B'Shvat (pronounced too-bish-vat), the Jewish New Year of the Trees celebrated on the 15th of Sh'vat in the Hebrew calendar which this year was January 29th. The Union for Reform Judaism website calls Tu B'Shvat the "Jewish Arbor Day."<br /><br />Rabbi Michael Kagan has a wonderful piece on Tu B'Shvat on the Odyssey website at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/TuBShevat/TuBShvatbyMichaelKagan/tabid/354/Default.aspx"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/TuBShevat/TuBShvatbyMichaelKagan/tabid/354/Default.aspx</span></span></a> . I won't repeat his fine explanation here but it is accurate to say that Tu B'Shvat is an ancient holiday that has found new meaning with the modern State of Israel and their great agricultural success. Many celebrate Tu B'Shvat with a special Seder meal of fruits, nuts and red & white wines.<br /><br />With Odyssey's continued cause-emphasis on peace and the environment, it seemed natural for us to take an inter-faith look at this wonderful festival day. Thus, we have produced a short video featuring a Jewish rabbi (Marcus Burstein), a Buddhist priest (Kenjitsu Nakagaki) and a Christian pastor (that would be me!). We recorded this video outside in a park near Odyssey's offices in the InterChurch Center in New York City on January 29th (in 0 degree weather!) You can view it online at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/TuBShevat/tabid/349/Default.aspx"><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/TuBShevat/tabid/349/Default.aspx</span></a> .<br /><br />Also on our website Rabbi Arthur Waskow writes about the connections between Tu B'Shvat and the film "Avatar" at <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/TuBShevat/tabid/349/ctl/Details/mid/1586/ItemID/12/Default.aspx"><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/Causes/TuBShevat/tabid/349/ctl/Details/mid/1586/ItemID/12/Default.aspx</span></a> .<br /><br />All of this, once again, made me aware of how much people of faith, people of virtually any and all faiths, are more alike than we are different. We all wish for peace in our world and stand for the care of this earth. And for that, all I can do is thank God!Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-28131623991089539472010-01-26T05:42:00.002-05:002010-01-26T05:48:48.783-05:00E-mail to Odyssey members and friendsYesterday I sent my first e-mail letter to the members and friends of the Odyssey Networks in my new position as their Senior Vice President for Philanthropy & Faith Community Relations. Here is the text of that letter (the actual e-mail letter also included the Odyssey emblem, my photo and signature):<br /><br />+++++<br /><br />January, 2010<br /><br />Hello!<br /><br />For those of you who do not know me, I am the Rev. Eric C. Shafer, Odyssey’s new Senior Vice President for Philanthropy & Faith Community Relations. I began my ministry with Odyssey on the 4th of this month, so I am definitely the “new kid in town!” However, as many of you know, I have a long history with Odyssey Networks, stretching back to the beginning of our work together in 1987 and 1988. Most recently I served for four years on the Board of Trustees of our “parent,” the National Interfaith Cable Coalition (NICC), where I was the Finance Committee Chair and on the Executive Committee.<br /><br />It is a real pleasure to have now joined the staff team here in New York and to be working with our new President, Nick Stuart, and the others on this very fine staff. You can read more about me on Odyssey’s website at http://www.odysseynetworks.org/AboutUs/Staff/tabid/78/Default.aspx .<br /><br />I look forward to hearing from you and visiting with you at your office (and I do respond to invitations!) Let’s talk soon about how we might get together.<br /><br />I will be attending the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention in Nashville from February 26 – March 2 and hope to connect with those of you who will also be at that convention. Please let me know if you plan to be present so that we might get together in Nashville.<br /><br />More important is our gathering of Odyssey member representatives just prior to the Religion Communication Congress 2010 (www.rcc2010.org) in Chicago, April 7 – 10. An Odyssey member meeting will be held at the Chicago Marriott Hotel Downtown at 540 North Michigan Avenue, the location of the Congress, on Wednesday, April 7, beginning at 3:00 p.m. We will finish our time together in time for us all to get the Congress’ opening banquet that evening. At that meeting we will outline the new member structures which are being put in place to improve our member relationships and contacts and describe this year’s member production grants. I know that at least a dozen member representatives have already indicated to my assistant, Steve Tofte, that they plan to be present. I am pleased that, in addition to these folks and several Odyssey staff members, representatives of our newest member, Harran Productions Foundation (www.harranfoundation.org), will also be able to be with us that day as will the Rev. Dr. James Wind, President of the Alban Institute and chair of the new NICC Board of Trustees Membership Committee.<br /><br />I know that many of our members are presently heavily involved in numerous aspects of disaster response work following the Haiti earthquake. We would be happy to link to your video and print pieces from the Odyssey website – please let Mat Tombers know of your Haiti relief work and how we might connect to it – mtombers@odysseynetworks.org .<br /><br />Mat is also interested in knowing what sort of short form materials you might have for Odyssey’s new mobile network that will be launched later this year. Through our contract with GO TV, Odyssey will be the premium mobile “app” for religion and faith materials. In addition to your content, Mat is also interested in your thoughts about what else we should be providing for faith-seeking mobile users.<br /><br />In addition to our new Odyssey “channel” for mobile, we will be re-launching the Odyssey website, www.odysseynetworks.org, later this year. The new website will be an interfaith online network to share your short and long form video materials. Again, speak with Mat (who will be with us in Chicago in April) about your content and interest. Also later this year, Mat will begin an intranet site for staff and members only so that we can have easy ongoing contact and sharing.<br /><br />Part of our new member benefits will be an annual membership meeting. Members have already asked that this session at least include workshops, showcases and a producer’s retreat. This year this gathering will be held during/around the meetings of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Communication Commission. Their meeting is September 28 – 30 in Washington, D.C. How we will interface with their meetings (sessions during, before and/or after) is not yet clear, but I wanted to share these dates so that you might hold that week for member meetings. We are doing these sessions with the NCC for the obvious reason to save on travel expenses (and to reduce our “carbon footprint”) and the obvious common interests and staff who might attend both sessions. Thanks to the NCC’s Pat Pattillo for his willingness to hold our meetings cooperatively!<br /><br />Well, this is probably enough (even too much!) for my first communication with you all! I plan to communicate with you regularly and would welcome your response!<br /><br />Here is a summary of my many requests in this missive:<br /><br />· Your invitations for me to visit with you in your offices<br />· Contact if you are planning to be at the NRB meeting in Nashville<br />· Your presence at our April 7th Odyssey member meeting in Chicago<br />· Your Haiti relief materials for our website content/connection<br />· Your content for our new Odyssey mobile network and your ideas for other content that should be part of this network<br />· Your content for our renewed website, www.odysseynetworks.org and<br />· Your hold on September 27 – October 1 for possible member meetings and workshop sessions<br /><br />Thank you for staying with me through all of this! I look forward to our continued contact.<br /><br />The Rev. Eric C. Shafer<br />Senior Vice President<br />Philanthropy & Faith Community Relations<br />Odyssey Networks<br />475 Riverside Drive, #530<br />New York, New York 10115<br />eshafer@odysseynetworks.org<br />Voice – 212-870-1030<br />Fax – 212-870-1040<br />Cell – 267-222-0964Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-48771794088186437192010-01-15T12:30:00.003-05:002010-01-15T13:56:43.474-05:00Visionary Leaders for Children's TelevisionA week ago today Art Clokey, animator and one of the creators of <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> (www.daveyandgoliath.org), died at age 88. <br /><br />The New York Times ran a fine obituary (see www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/arts/television/11clokey.html?ref=obituaries) and the ELCA news service wrote a very fine remembrance also (see www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4385).<br /><br />Clokey was the last living member of the original team which put <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> together in the late 1950's and 1960's. These visionary men and women (Art & Ruth Clokey, Dick Sutcliff, Nancy Moore, Marshall Stross and Frank Klos) gave children a gift which, thanks to new communication formats and distribution, may be nearly eternal!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span>, a stop-motion animated television series for children, was first broadcast in 1960. The show focused on Davey Hansen and his talking dog Goliath, who acted as Davey's conscience. Storylines carried uplifting, moral lessons on topics such as responsibility, care for the environment, acceptance of all people, and other valuable lessons designed to affirm a child's faith in God in an entertaining way. <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey</span> was one of the first television programs to feature non-white characters and, while produced by the Lutheran Church, was non-sectarian in its approach to faith. A ground-breaking episode on racism ("The Polka Dot Tie," tame by today's standards) was even delayed by the television networks as too controversial! I'm told the animators changed the title and put it on anyway!<br /><br />Art & Ruth Clokey, creators of the well-known <span style="font-style: italic;">Gumby & Pokey</span> series, made the <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> programs using doll-like figures with animated faces. Eventually, the cast of the show grew to more than twenty characters.<br /><br />In all, 65 15-minute episodes and six half-hour specials were produced by the former Lutheran Church in America (one of three church bodies that merged to form the ELCA in 1988). For 20 years, as many as 183 television stations broadcast the episodes on Saturday and Sunday mornings by 1980. <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> won several Gabriel Awards and was featured in the International and American Film Festivals. Episodes continue to run on 15 - 20 cable stations across the country.<br /><br />The nostalgia craze (fueled by us Baby-Boomers who grew up with <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey) </span>helped <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> remain popular after production stopped in 1975. The pair has been referenced on such programs as <span style="font-style: italic;">The Daily Show, Will and Grace, Project Green Light, The Simpsons, Friends</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Mad TV</span>, as well as in films such as <span style="font-style: italic;">Dead Man Walking, Frailty </span>and<span style="font-style: italic;"> Dogma. </span><br /><br />Take a look at the testimonials from viewers on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey</span> website - www.daveyandgoliath.org/testimonials.html . There was (is) something about <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> which continues to connect with people of all ages!<br /><br />I got involved with <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey</span> during my time as Communication Director for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) from 1992 - 2006. In the late 1990's, under the direction of Kristi Bangert, who now serves as ELCA Executive Director for Communication Services, and Ava Martin, ELCA Director for Public Media, we began activities to bring <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey </span>back into production. We licensed many products (most are now out of production but available on EBay and other places online) and reintroduced the past episodes on DVD (available on amazon.com and many other places).<br /><br />In 2002 we also licensed PepsiCo to use the <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey</span> characters in a commercial for the soft drink Mountain Dew. (This was a controversial move, but really introduced <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey</span> to a new generation of children and youth). You can find the commercial on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaDxcVPxB3g.<br /><br />In front of 40,000 high-school age and adult Lutherans, <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> appeared on stage at the 2003 ELCA Youth Gathering. A new 90-second <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath </span>video on baptism was part of the Youth Gathering appearances. We also produced several television "spot" ads, for evangelism and disaster response, using the <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey</span> characters. The ELCA's publishing house, Augsburg Fortress, used <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey</span> for their 2004 and 2005 Vacation Bible School curriculum.<br /><br />In 2003, ABC television affiliates across the USA and Canada showed, <span style="font-style: italic;">Oh Davey!...History of the 'Davey and Goliath' Television Series</span>. This one- hour documentary traced the history of <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> from its origins in 1958 to that time (see www.daveyandgoliath.org/documentary.html).<br /><br />And, in the first major new <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey</span> production in nearly 30 years, in 2004 the ELCA produced a one hour Christmas television special, <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath's Snowboard Christmas</span>, which was broadcast on the Hallmark Channel and featured Jewish and Muslim characters for the first time (see www.daveyandgoliath.org/snowboard/index.html). Clokey Productions, with both Art Clokey and his son Joe actively involved, produced this new program for us. (Art and Joe liked Ava Martin so much that they immortalized her as a character in this production, Ranger Ava!) Ava Martin, Kristi Bangert and I are listed as executive producers of this program. As you can imagine, I got to know Art and Joe well during these years. (Also their attorney, Bela Lugosi, Jr. - yes, the son of the actor who played Dracula!)<br /><br />At John L. Peterson's suggestion, the Luther Institute (www.lutherinst.org, now related to the ELCA's Gettysburg Seminary) honored the founders and creators of <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey and Goliath</span> with their Wittenberg Award in November of 2004. There are wonderful photos online at www.daveyandgoliath.org/wittenberg_award_photos.html . The last photo in that gallary includes Art & Joe Clokey, Marshall Stross and me. Ruth Clokey was too ill to attend and Dick Sutcliff also could not attend. Frank Klos' widow Sally, accepted on behalf of her late husband.<br /><br />There is much more online at www.daveyandgoliath.org, <span style="font-style: italic;">Davey's</span> official website.<br /><br />With Art's death, the last of this generation of visionary leaders and animators are gone. But, because their work lives on through the internet and DVD's, their contribution to children will continue.<br /><br />Thanks be to God!Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-73143279003443400122009-12-11T15:29:00.002-05:002009-12-11T15:37:02.977-05:00Two recent newspaper articles"The Reporter" newspaper had a front page story on Friday, December 11, 2009 about our congregation's new outreach effort, "New 'Code Blue' shelter sets up in Lansdale." On December 7 our congregation council okayed Trinity as a site for emergency overnight housing for the homeless in our county when the temperature drops below 20 degrees (called "Code Blue") as it did on December 10. The newspaper article can be read online at<br />http://www.thereporteronline.com/articles/2009/12/11/news/srv0000007051589.txt .<br /><br />Back on October 19, 2009, this same newspaper had a front page story of the news of my leaving Trinity, "Trinity Lutheran Senior Pastor stepping down," complete with a color photo. That article is still online at http://www.thereporteronline.com/articles/2009/10/19/news/srv0000006630678.txt .Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-37573622462323603012009-12-11T15:22:00.002-05:002009-12-11T15:27:52.090-05:00My last senior pastor report to Trinity's Congregation CouncilFor my final report to the Congregation Council at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, I tried to summarize both some of the accomplishments during my nearly four years at Trinity as well as some of the "unfinished business" that I leave. Here is that report:<br /><br />+++++<br /><br />Congregation Council Report, December, 2009, the Rev. Eric C. Shafer, Senior Pastor<br /><br />In April of 2006, shortly after I arrived here at Trinity as your senior pastor, I shared “A Vision for Trinity Lutheran Church” with an “All Committee Night” in April of 2006. In that vision I spoke of this congregation’s many strengths and my hope that during my tenure as your senior pastor we would focus on leadership and discipleship. I am pleased to say that I believe we have focused on these areas over the last 3 ½ years and have much of which to be proud. We also have much more left to do, but that is the way it is and should be in ministry.<br /><br />We have accomplished so much together. I am so proud of what we have done together for worship and education and service and outreach. Here are just some of those accomplishments:<br /><br />•Saturday evening worship and Holy Communion at all weekend worship services. Plus the videotaping of Sunday sermons for our website and Advent Wednesday worship services.<br />•Wednesday evening FEAST activities, part of our overall increased commitment to serving both our own children and families and the poor in Lansdale.<br />•Opening our facilities to more community groups, including regular worship services for the Calling Mission Evangelical (Korean) Church. (And, I am very excited and pleased that we have just opened our facilities to be an area "Code Blue" shelter for homeless men on the coldest of nights!) <br />•Increases in adult education opportunities including Wednesday evening classes, almost daily Bible studies, “Second Saturday,” and our weekly e-mail Bible study.<br />•Many facilities improvements including new sound systems for the church and chapel, new landscaping in the front of the church, the completion and dedication of the columbarium and addition of the columbarium fountain. Plus renaming the Trinity Center as Hyson Hall.<br />•The addition of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal and the Bibles in the pews along with a more user-friendly bulletin and increased differentiation among our worship services. Plus new choirs for children and adults.<br />•A successful 125th anniversary celebration and the annual “Blessing of Animals.”<br />•Increased outreach activities from as close Manna on Main Street and Community Housing Services in Lansdale and the Patterson School in Philadelphia to as far as the Lutheran schools in Palestine plus new missionaries in Jerusalem and annual global mission guests. Plus the annual Outreach Fair and this year's Job Fair.<br />•Improved financial stewardship response, part of an overall stewardship strategy.<br />•Increases in lay ministry with the addition of lay worship assistants and a large increase in the number of lay eucharistic ministers. Plus many new lay ministries including the Green Team and Garden Club and Wednesday FEAST volunteers.<br />•New ministry with young adults and renewed student ministry and communication and women’s ministries.<br /><br />Kris and I were delighted to welcome nearly 2,000 members and guests to our home, the parsonage, during these years.<br /> <br />However, for this, my final written council report as your senior pastor, I want to focus on some of the unfinished business of my ministry with you:<br /><br />•Sunday morning worship and education schedule – we did much good work in trying to find a good three service/two SCS schedule for Sunday morning at Trinity. Our worship service surveys showed good support for such a change. This remains a piece of our “unfinished business.”<br />•Commitment to Gettysburg and Philadelphia Seminaries – for more than ten years, Trinity’s leaders have discussed making a major capital gift to Philadelphia and Gettysburg Seminaries. In June of 2006 this council accepted a goal of raising $300,000 for each seminary. Our efforts were postponed by the recent global economic downturn, but must not be forgotten. (As of this date, $3,500 has been given to LTSP and $1,000 to LTSG toward these goals).<br />•Pastoral staffing – I agreed with staff and council that, after Pastor Tiemeyer’s resignation as our visitation pastor, we should hold off on filling that position and move ahead to fill our Director for Student Ministries position instead. Mark Ristine’s fine work has shown the wisdom of that decision. That said, not having the visitation pastor position filled has left a hole in our ministries, one which the others of us on the pastoral staff have found difficult, if not impossible, to fill because of other ministry needs.<br />•Financial stewardship – With the help of the TradeWinds stewardship plan we have made great strides in all of our stewardship efforts and emphases here at Trinity and, even in the face of the global economic meltdown, have done well in our financial stewardship response. That said, we still have a long way to go. Many of our members have not been hurt by the current economy issues and can still improve their financial stewardship response. There are no easy answers here, just continued hard work.<br />•Capital needs – in addition to our gifts for our two seminaries, there are unmet capital needs that should be addressed over the next five – ten years. Among these are a new roof for the sanctuary and remodeling of the “old” education wing. As many of you know, we were close to beginning a capital campaign for these and the seminary needs when the economy began to suffer. <br /><br />These are five major pieces of unfinished business from our time together in ministry. I list them not to suggest any specific action but to make sure they are not forgotten in the senior pastor transition.<br /><br />I leave this call with much gratitude to staff and council and other colleagues in the leadership ministries of this congregation. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in this time and place.<br /><br />You will remain in my prayers. I will remember you always.<br /><br />God bless and keep you – today and every day,<br /><br />The Rev. Eric C. Shafer<br />Senior Pastor<br />December 1, 2009Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35869884.post-81383145347374377942009-10-16T08:47:00.004-04:002009-10-28T18:52:12.985-04:00New CallHere is a copy of the letter mailed to all members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, October 14, 2009:<br /><br />+++++<br /><br />October, 2009<br /><br />Dear friends in Christ:<br /><br />On October 13, 2009, I submitted my resignation as Trinity’s Senior Pastor, effective December 31, 2009. I have received and accepted the position of Senior Vice President for Philanthropy and Faith Community Relations at Odyssey Networks in New York City effective January 1, 2010. Odyssey Networks (<a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/</a>) is the nation’s largest coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith groups dedicated to achieving interfaith understanding and promoting peace and social justice through media. I have long been both interested in the intersection of faith and media and committed to an interfaith approach to peace and justice in our world. This new position gives me the opportunity to work full time in these areas and also brings Kris and me closer to retirement at our Martha’s Vineyard home. My last worship services as your Senior Pastor will be Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.<br /><br />The nearly four years I have served as your Senior Pastor have been both challenging and rewarding. We began our ministry together in 2006 with a focus on congregational leadership and discipleship. I am justifiably proud of the progress we have made in these important areas. There are many examples of our success in worship and music, service, education and outreach over these years. These include but certainly are not limited to:<br />* Saturday evening worship<br />* Wednesday evening FEAST activities, part of our increased commitment to serving both our own children and families and the poor in Lansdale<br />* Opening our facilities to more community groups, including regular worship services for the Calling Mission Evangelical (Korean) Church<br />* Increases in adult education opportunities including Wednesday evening classes, almost daily Bible studies, and our weekly e-mail Bible study<br />* New choirs for children and adults<br />* Holy Communion at all weekend worship services<br />* The <em>Evangelical Lutheran Worship</em> hymnal and a more user-friendly bulletin<br />* A successful 125th anniversary celebration<br />* Increased outreach activities from as close as the Patterson School in Philadelphia to as far as the Lutheran schools in Palestine<br />* Improved financial stewardship response<br />* The addition of lay worship assistants<br />* Major increases in the number of lay eucharistic ministers<br />* Global mission growth (guests and new missionaries in Jerusalem)<br />* New ministry with young adults<br />* Renewed student ministry and communication.<br /><br />There is, of course, still much to be done, but so much to celebrate and for which we can be thankful. It has been a real pleasure to minister here with such a fine staff and dedicated lay leaders. You will all remain in our thoughts and hearts forever.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />The Rev. Eric C. Shafer<br />Senior Pastor<br /><br />**********************<br /><br />And, here is a copy of the news release that will be sent out by Odyssey Networks next week:<br /><br />+++++<br /><br />Odyssey Networks appoints The Rev. Eric C. Shafer as Senior Vice President of Odyssey Networks<br /><br />Odyssey Networks, the nation’s largest coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith groups dedicated to building bridges of understanding among people of faith through media, has appointed The Rev. Eric C. Shafer to the post of Senior Vice President. Shafer is expected to start his newly created position on January 1, 2010. As Odyssey’s Senior Vice President, Shafer will be responsible for fundraising activities and relationships with US faith groups.<br /><br />Shafer has recently resigned as the Senior Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale, Pennsylvania effective December 31, 2009. In his letter to the congregation announcing this new call, Shafer notes that he has “long been both interested in the intersection of faith and media and committed to an interfaith approach to peace and justice in our world. This new position gives me the opportunity to work full time in these areas.”<br /><br />Before coming to Trinity in March of 2006, Shafer served nearly 14 years as Director of Communication for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at its churchwide offices in Chicago. While at the ELCA, Shafer was responsible for a successful national advertising campaign and the return of the children’s stop-motion animation program <em>Davey and Goliath</em> to television. Shafer has also served as an assistant to the Bishop in the Northeastern Pennsylvania Lutheran Synod and as pastor of Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />Shafer presently serves on Odyssey Networks Board of Trustees representing the ELCA. He is also vice chair of the board of the Good Shepherd Home and Rehabilitation Hospital in Allentown and member of the Muhlenberg College Board of Observers. He serves as chair of the Religion Communicators Council's Wilbur Awards which recognize excellence in communicating religious issues, values and themes in the public media. He has previously served as an advisor to the Lutheran World Federation Council, on the board of directors and executive committee of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and on the Muhlenberg College Board of Trustees.<br /><br />"Working together with religious communities to create change is more crucial to this world's future than ever, and so to have on board someone with as much experience and energy and enthusiasm for this as Eric, makes this one of the most important signings Odyssey Networks has made," said Nick Stuart, President & CEO of Odyssey Networks. "It shows Odyssey's commitment to working with the faith communities of America through media to really make a difference, and to have someone spearheading this who is as widely respected and admired as Eric Shafer really opens up the horizons for what we can achieve together." <br /><br />About Odyssey Networks<br /><br />Odyssey Networks is the nation’s largest coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith groups dedicated to producing and distributing media that promotes peace and tolerance and addresses issues of social justice. Established in 1987, Odyssey Networks is a service of the National Interfaith Cable Coalition, Inc. For more information visit <a href="http://www.odysseynetworks.org/">http://www.odysseynetworks.org/</a>Eric C. Shaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316523789629531279noreply@blogger.com0