The beginning of our organization.
ESTHER held its Covenanting Event on November 7th, 2004 with six congregations. Prior to our covenanting, gatherings of interested religious and lay leaders were held since May, 2002.
ESTHER is an interfaith, faith-based justice organizing group in Wisconsin's Fox Valley.
Working through congregation core teams, issues committees, and the religious leaders caucus, we seek to:
- Take the call as a community of faith to identify and address root causes of poverty and injustice
- Bring about a greater measure of justice through relationships with community leaders and one another
- Be agents of change linked to empower people within our community
- Work at local, state, and national levels to promote justice
- Respond to the social-justice concerns of people in the communities of the Fox Valley
ESTHER is an affiliate of WISDOM, the Wisconsin affiliate of GAMALIEL. GAMALIEL is the parent of an international network of organizations that work through faith communities to pursue social justice.
What is faith-based community organizing?
The purpose of faith-based community organizing is to act collectively as a community of faith on issues of injustice. Our faith communities are united based on the shared values within our faith traditions. This is done throughout ESTHER with member congregations and individuals in collaboration with community partners and public officials to have a powerful role in the community that will evoke positive and lasting systemic change.
Executive Officers of ESTHER
Maynard Beemer, President
Sara Companik, Vice President
David Lewis, Treasurer
Penny Robinson, Secretary
Religious Leaders Caucus of ESTHER
Our faiths tell us to seek peace and justice for all God’s children. We build community as we join together to support each other, to encourage each other, and to walk with each other in seeking justice for all.
We are comprised of clergy and professional staff of faith communities that belong to ESTHER. We bring together diverse histories of faith traditions seeking to demonstrate unity and build on those values that unite us in community. The Religious Leaders Caucus is the vision bearer for the organization and works to shape and forward the vision of ESTHER. It does so by reflecting on injustices and community needs and makes recommendations to the ESTHER Board for new issues and injustices that call for action.
New leaders are welcome to attend our monthly meetings. The Religious Leaders Caucus of ESTHER meets the second Wednesday of each month at Noon over lunch. Meeting location roatates with a different host congregation each month.
Click here for location of our next meeting.
Member Congregations
Casa ESTHER Catholic Worker House, Omro
Fox Valley Islamic Society, Neenah
Gloria Dei Lutheran, New Holstein
Winnebago Worship Group - Oshkosh Religious Society of Friends
Participating Oshkosh ESTHER Congregations:
Christ Lutheran, Oshkosh
Emmaus Ecumenical Catholic Community, Oshkosh
First Congregational UCC, Oshkosh
St. Jude Catholic, Oshkosh
Trinity Episcopal, Oshkosh
