Fellowship of Reconciliation USA “Persevering for Peace”
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Fellowship of Reconciliation USA “Persevering FOR Peace” 2016 Annual Report ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP FOR USA National Council Shaina Adams El-Guabli Irving Allen As an interfaith organization, FOR’s mission is Sahar Alsahlani Laurie Childers to organize, train, and grow a diverse movement Kate Fields Max Hess that welcomes all people of conscience to end Reverend Jeff Hood Ciprian Ianculovic structures of violence and war, and create peace La Trina P. Jackson Steve Jacobsen through the transformative power of nonviolence. Patty Lyman Lily Tinker Fortel Ariel Vegosen Tom Zolot FOR is the U.S. branch of a global network working for peace and justice through the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR). FOR USA Staff The Rev. Kristin Gill Stoneking Executive Director The Rev. Anthony Grimes Director of Campaigns and Strategy Ethan Vesely-Flad Director of National Organizing Linda Kelly Director of Communications Jonette O’Kelley Miller Director of Development 1 REFLECTIONS from the Executive Director In Fiscal Year 2016 we celebrated 100 years of the Fellowship of Reconciliation! The year included centennial events designed to honor and celebrate the perseverance for peace that FOR has demonstrated for a century, including a retrospective exhibit staged at the Union Theological Seminary, an art installation and FOR documentary in-progress screening at Shadowcliff, a Multifaith service followed by an awards dinner and program at Riverside Church, and a national convergence at the Seabeck Conference Center in Washington State. As we move out of our first century of existence and into the next, our goal of ending structures of violence and war through the transformative power of nonviolence is needed as much now as ever. Thanks to your support, during the last year we were able to offer voice, advocacy and leadership to movements and urgencies where violence and militarization steal lives and perpetuate cycles of loss. We also launched a new website, and prioritized a number of initiatives to engage youth and young adult activists. Our current priorities include the Movement for Black Lives, the Syrian Crisis with particular attention to refugees and Islamophobia, and the occupation in Israel-Palestine. All of this was accomplished thanks to your partnership and faithfulness. You’ll see in the following pages not only more details on the year’s initiatives, campaigns and actions, but also details of our financial stewardship. For the second fiscal year in a row, FOR has ended the year in the black, ending many years of expenses outrunning income. A significant portion of our revenue comes from bequests for which we are deeply grateful. If you are interested in discussing a legacy gift, please contact our Development Director, Jonette O’Kelley Miller. With you, we will persevere for peace into the next century. With deep gratitude, Rev. Kristin Gill Stoneking Executive Director 2 REFLECTIONS from the Chair of the National Council This year marks the momentous celebration of FOR's Centennial. We celebrate the growth, in body and spirit, of the dream of the founders a century ago, expanding to the inclusion of people from all religions and people of conscience recognizing the imperative and power of nonviolence to bring about justice and peace. We celebrate FOR's many creative acts in the last 100 years to counter the oppressive forces of racism, militarism, and materialism. We celebrate the multitude of profound relationships established in the shared efforts to awaken humanity from the nightmare of war and injustice. We celebrate the hope, joy, and love that is fostered in these relationships. In 2015-16, the National Council continued to actively bring in greater diversity of (especially) age, gender, race, and faith tradition and incorporate the wisdom brought by these perspectives. The focus on living within our means and creatively responding to the needs of the moment make for careful and creative decision-making. Nationwide, we supported as policy efforts related to mass incarceration and the Black Lives Matter movement. One example was NC support of the Pardon Petition Initiative. We took action in support for the BDS (Boycott/Divestment/Sanctions) movement to assist Palestinian self-determination, and facilitated long conversations on this issue with FOR members. As the end of this fiscal year marks the end of my term as Chair of the NC, I express my personal gratitude for the many opportunities and inspirations this volunteer work has afforded me. I was profoundly blessed to grow into this position. I am particularly grateful for the wise counsel and leadership of Rev. Kristin Stoneking as our Executive Director in “turning the [financial] ship away from the rocks,” in treating all FOR members with respect and care no matter the issue at hand, and in her consistent capacity to lead and to communicate from a position of spiritual centeredness. I am humbly grateful for the wonderful people I worked with, the FOR staff and the NC members who contribute their love, care, time, and wisdom to furthering the dream of “taking away all causes of war.” Peace and Grace, Laurie Childers Chair, FOR USA National Council 3 PERSEVERING FOR PEACE: FOR USA’s YEAR IN REVIEW MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES (M4BL): • Trained more than 5,000 people in nonviolent civil disobedience, direct action and jail support. • Coordinated events on the anniversary of Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, MO, culminating in an action at the Federal Court House in St, Louis calling on the Department of Justice to follow and enforce the recommendations of its own report. This action resulted more than a hundred arrests, including FOR staff. • Collaborated on two different ally solidarity actions in Minneapolis. • Provided leadership for two immersion courses for three groups of seminary students in St. Louis. • Produced a resource called “Coming to Ferguson” http://www.forusa.org/blog.php?i=69 which gives guidance to activists and those wanting to contribute to this movement for change. • Partnered with the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference to produce an interfaith resource on the drug war and disproportionate effect on persons of color in advance of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the global drug problem. Sponsored an interfaith, international FOR delegation at the Special Session. 4 PERSEVERING FOR PEACE: FOR USA’s YEAR IN REVIEW SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS: • Launched “Give Refugees Rest,” a grassroots advocacy action. • Collaborated with other faith based groups to respond to the crisis, culminating in Global Day of Prayer and Action for Syria. • Sent delegations to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan’s offices in Washington, DC and Wisconsin to advocate and educate. JUSTICE IN ISRAEL-PALESTINE: • Issued a statement from our National Council in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. • Engaged in a series of conversations with the Jewish Peace Fellowship about this topic. • Facilitated a training workshop for 100s at the annual Seabeck Conference. 5 PERSEVERING FOR PEACE: FOR USA 2016 FISCAL YEAR FINANCIALS FY 2016 Revenue FY 2016 Expenses 6 The Fellowship of Reconciliation, Inc. and Affiliates Consolidated Statements of Activities and Changes in net Assets Year Ending June 30, 2016 Year Ending June 30, 2015 Temporarily Permanently Temporarily Permanently Unrestricted Restricted Resctricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Resctricted Total SUPPORT and REVENUES Contributions and grants $ 514,155 $ 50 $ - $ 514,205 $ 551,501 $ - $ - $ 551,501 Bequests 541,421 - - 541,421 484,069 - - 484,069 Program and Special Projects 22,468 - - 22,468 11,586 - - 11,586 Bookstore Sales 9,744 - - 9,744 12,552 - - 12,552 Rental Income 45,697 - - 45,697 45,752 - - 45,752 Investment Income 5,926 (2,511) - 3,415 23,509 1,864 - 25,373 Miscellaneous Income 11,094 - - 11,094 9,033 - - 9,033 Change in value of Charitble Gift Annuities 5,215 (108,506) - (103,291) (195,500) 109,586 - (85,914) Change in value of Charitbale Remainder Trusts 79,591 (42,073) - 37,518 92,332 (90,577) - 1,755 1,235,311 (153,040) - 1,082,271 1,034,834 20,873 - 1,055,707 NET ASSETS RELEASED FROM RESTRICTION 15,221 (15,221) - - 15,049 (15,049) - - Total Support and Revenues 1,250,532 (168,261) - 1,082,271 1,049,883 5,824 - 1,055,707 EXPENSES Software and publications $ 25,861 - - $ 25,861 $ 25,549 - - $ 25,549 Program Expenses 52,342 - - 52,342 93,874 - - 93,874 Building Expenses 67,519 - - 67,519 68,413 - - 68,413 Payroll and related expense 573,301 - - 573,301 484,420 - - 484,420 Contributions 39,119 - - 39,119 43,492 - - 43,492 Office and administrative expenses 116,901 - - 116,901 120,584 - - 120,584 travel and entertainment 103,846 - - 103,846 56,269 - - 56,269 Proessional Fees 199,565 - - 199,565 154,754 - - 154,754 1,178,454 - - 1,178,454 1,047,355 - - 1,047,355 CHANGE IN NET ASSETS 72,078 (168,261) - (96,183) 2,528 5,824 - 8,352 NET ASSETS: BEGINNING OF YEAR 774,097 613,714 144,216 1,532,027 771,569 607,890 144,216 1,523,675 NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR $846,175 $445,453 $144,216 $1,435,844 $774,097 $613,714 $144,216 $1,532,027 PARTNERS FOR PEACE FOR is grateful for the friends and families who have chosen to remember FOR in their charitable giving. We know you have many choices and we are honored by your trust in us and the work that FOR has done for more than a century. Thank you for your partnership! Gifts and contributions received during FOR’s Fiscal Year 2016 (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016): Deborah Wong BEQUESTS In Memory Of R. D. Anderson Joan Day Beebe Frank Ostrowski Richard Cole Alison Mag Karlstad and Eamon Jane Beebe Sarah Lopez Karlstad Martha Farley Robert & Helen Lillibridge Maureen & John Karlstad Father Daniel Berrigan Rabbi Michael A.