Interfaith Organizing Initiative (IOI)
A Brief History
A Brief History of the Inter-religious Organizing Initiative (IOI)

  • September, 2002 – “What Does the Lord Require of Us?” event in Mundelein, IL, sponsored by the
    Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus (GNCC) for about sixty religious leaders, including Bishop Mark S.
    Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, and Dr. William Shaw, President of the National Baptist Convention,
    USA.  Bishop Hanson calls for Rev. Dennis Jacobsen to draft a proposal for the formation of a national table
    of judicatory leaders to work with congregation-based community organizing for a social justice agenda at
    the national level. Bishop Hanson expresses his interest in co-convening this table with Dr. Shaw.
  • November, 2002 – first draft proposal for the IOI table is completed by Jacobsen
  • February, 2003 – Bishop Hanson and Dr. Shaw issue a joint letter of invitation to religious leaders inviting
    them into a meeting to discuss the formation of the IOI.
  • November, 2003 – meeting in Washington, D.C., primarily of designated staff and practitioners, to discuss
    draft proposal of the IOI.  The meeting is facilitated by Rev. Terry Boggs, Director of Congregation-Based
    Community Organizing for the ELCA.  Rev. Charles Mock, Executive Secretary of the Home Mission Board,
    National Baptist Convention, USA, joins with Boggs and Jacobsen as the planning team of the IOI, which is
    later expanded to include Fr. Len Dubi of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Chris Doby of the Mott
    Foundation.  Boggs is de facto chair.
  • December, 2003 – drafting team from the November meeting shapes a refined proposal for the IOI,
    including a mission statement that calls for “increasing the capacity of and commitment to congregation-
    based community organizing, leading toward a national justice agenda.”
  • May, 2004 -         Dr. Shaw hosts a meeting to shape the IOI at White Rock Missionary Baptist Church in
    Philadelphia.  The heads of seven denominations are present as well as high ranking staff of other
    denominations and religious bodies.
  • July 11, 2005 – IOI meeting at the ELCA offices in Chicago led by Bishop Hanson and Dr. Shaw, with 35
    participants, including representatives of 11 denominations, 6 religious foundations, and organizing
    networks DART, Gamaliel, IAF, and PICO.  
  • Fall, 2005 -        In response to the July meeting, the planning team issues a proposal/clarification
    document, including the objectives of deepening the capacity of congregation- organizing and applying that
    capacity towards engagement of justice issues at the national level.
  • November, 2005 – IOI meeting in Chicago.  Joe Givens of PICO offers his first hand experience of the
    aftermath of hurricane Katrina.  Boggs consequently identifies funding from the ELCA Domestic Disaster
    Relief Fund to support organizing efforts of PICO and IAF with Katrina survivors.
  • January, 2006 – ELCA Bishops Academy Training in arts of leadership for public life
  • March, 2006 – IOI meeting in Chicago.  Discussion of processes for working on issues such as Katrina
    response and Voting Rights reauthorization
  • October, 2007 – IOI meeting in Chicago.  Interfaith Funders takes on the IOI Table as a project and
    provides minimal staffing.
  • December, 2007 - IOI Strategic Training Meeting at American Baptist College in Nashville, attended by sixty
    denominational leaders, CBCO practitioners and faith justice leaders, with trainings by three national
    networks.
  • February, 2008 – IOI meeting in Chicago.  Bishop Hanson presides, and agrees to send a letter and have
    conversations with his peers in active and new denominations encouraging their involvement (this is done
    throughout the spring).  A workplan of projects, including issue exploration, and events is brainstormed, and
    a discussion on structure and staffing initiated.
  • April, 2008 – Sub-committees met in Chicago to plan issue exploration and governance.
  • May, 2008 –  IOI meeting in Denver.  Table finalizes the plans on issue exploration and governance, and a
    contract through Jan, 2009 is approved with senior consultant Ronald White of Building Utopia Associates.
  • Summer, 2008 – IOI denominations and networks are surveyed about their involvement on health care, in
    order to surface strategy and role for the IOI Table.  Results are that there is little discussion between
    advocacy and organizing branches.
  • October, 2008 – Convening in Washington, DC at the Religious Action Center of the Union of Reform
    Judaism.  National faith advocacy offices, denomination staff working with CBO, and national staff of CBO’s
    share information and strategize together on the future of healthcare reform.
  • February, 2009 – IOI meeting at the ELCA offices thanks Ron White for his excellent service, and welcomes
    participation from new faith traditions.
  • October, 2009 -- Convening in Washington, DC at the United Methodist Center of denominational and
    secular advocates and organizers working on immigration reform.
  • Spring, 2010 - IOI Table designates Steering Committee: Rev. Susan Engh (ELCA), Ken Galston
    (InterValley Project), Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews (PICO National Network), Rev. Don Elmer (Center for
    Community Change) and Kathy Partridge (Interfaith Funders).
  • November, 18-19, 2010:  IOI Gathering of eight Faith Body Heads and over 60 congregation-based
    organizing leaders, organizers, and allies at the Lutheran Center in Chicago, hosted by Bishop Hanson.  
    New task forces launched:  Denominational Colleagues Table, Racial Justice, Money for Organizing,
    Seminary strategy.
  • May, 2011:  IOI meeting in Chicaog.  Steven Newcom added to Leadership Team to represent seminary
    task force.  Name changed to Interfaith Organizing Initiative.

(prepared by Dennis Jacobsen, February 26, 2008, updated by Kathy Partridge, 2010/11)