The Spirituality and the Arts Together in Ministry collegial covenant group from Minneapolis/St. Paul has been receiving grants since 2003. They are so pleased and happy to have that support for their meetings, prayer and study. Recently when the group gathered they realized that they have about $3,000 accumulated and so decided not to apply for next year so that other newer groups could have the money. BUT, they very much want to keep all the good connections with the Ministers Council. Just after they made that decision they decided to share some of their wealth with a woman entrepreneur in some far-flung country through a micro-loan. When that is repaid, they will reinvest. Their next meeting was in a WI-FI setting where they gathered around a laptop to compare and contrast the different possibilities for giving the loan. They thought this project will be great fun and might well be an idea for other ABC groups across the land.
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Four of the TIM group members connected with women in the Third World through kiva.com to arrange for a micro-loan. The women in the photo from left to right are: The Rev. Dr. Nadean Bishop, retired pastor of University Baptist Church, Minneapolis; The Rev. Diane Ehr, former regional minister with Mid-America; The Rev. Joern, prize-winning novelist and playwright; and The |
| Rev. Karla McGray, chaplain at North Memorial Hospital, Minneapolis. | |