Sounding Board - Fig Tree Benefit 2014 Speakers
Link to Fig Tree Benefit Speakers 2013

2014 The Fig Tree celebrated 30 years of publication.

Watch the following video, "Empowering People." This video was presented at the March 2014 Benefits for The Fig Tree, Faith in Action News of the Inland Northwest. It celebrates the 30th anniversary of monthly publication with history of the name and mission.Link here.

The Fig Tree is motivated by a strong sense of God’s call to use gifts to fulfill unmet needs in the community. Its stories of people of all walks of life who are attempting to further God’s kingdom make Spokane a better place. The Fig Tree’s belief that individuals and institutions can make a difference in the lives of people have been an inspiration to me and to countless people.

The Pacific Northwest is known for being the least churched region of the United States, known for its secular character.  The religious voice is overlooked and diminished, but The Fig Tree offer a prophetic word in a secular culture.  It sheds light on causes and issues, and people who are motivated by their religious convictions to try to make a difference in the world.

The Fig Tree recently uplifted the Rev. C. W. Andrews and his wife Doris, who have served in Spokane for 40 years on behalf of their congregation Calvary Baptist. They have stood by countless individuals, black and white, as they have struggled to find food, shelter and clothing and as they encounter the in face of unfair justice system.

Give generously to support to this institution, which helps give people a voice in the community and offers a prophetic word.

Dale Soden, Whitworth University History Professor

 

Bishop Emeritus William Skylstad of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane

Mary Stamp is a person with courage and with vision, a person in the work for the long haul.  Her sensitivity, deep faith and great hope have served the region’s ecumenical community well.

Vatican II Council Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World says the joys and hopes, griefs and anguish of people in our times, especially the poor and vulnerable, are the joys and hopes griefs and anguish of every Christian.  The profound expression of the interconnectedness we all have with humanity. stories of people in every church interconnected with humanity with people around the country. The Fig Tree expresses our interconnectedness with humanity Stories of people in every church are connected with humanity and with people around the country. 

As I have traveled around the country and I have not seen any other ecumenical newspaper like The Fig Tree.

I love your theme, “Empowering People.” The subtheme are also very important: hope, action and justice. Hope is vision for the future and a dream of what can be.  The Fig Tree expresses that hope in the in ecumenical and interreligious endeavors as we come together and get to know one another.

Justice is the right ordering of relationships. Imagine how the culture and world would change if we could effect the right ordering of relationships. We have work to do for the dream and vision to come to be. We need to come to know each other better.  That deepens our relationships and our appreciation of one another in our different faith communities.

Bishop Emeritus William Skylstad of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane.

 

Bridget Cannon, VOA’s  Crosswalk teen shelter

Often people ask teens, “What’s wrong with you?”  At Crosswalk, we ask a different question. “What’s right with you?”  Crosswalk helps kids see their own strengths and capabilities.  This question is the starting point for teens’ lives.

This is how The Fig Tree and VOA are alike. The Fig Tree shines light on what is right in our neighborhoods, communities, our country and the world, emphasizing hope and illustrating the good.  

Like Crosswalk, the Fig Tree helps people understand each other, breaks through divisions, connect people, stirs compassion and opens dialogue that benefits everyone.  It not only backs up the work of local nonprofits like ours, but also it amplifies our efforts to transform Spokane and the people who live and work here.

Bridget Cannon, VOA’s  Crosswalk teen shelter

 

Jim McPherson, Whitworth journalism professor

Most of the 14 years I’ve taught media literacy at Whitworth, I’ve been on the board for the Northwest Alliance for Responsible Media  which recognized Mary Stamp and The Fig Tree for its effort in promoting media literacy and media responsibility.

The Fig Tree has been a consistent partner in promoting both media literacy and alternative voices throughout the region.  It does so without the acrimony most of our media, without trying to sell you something and without using fear to do it. 

If you go to the  NWARM website, you’ll see a quote:  Given media influence on our culture,  the NWARM believes this power requires the responsibility of stewardship.

As users of media, we also have a responsibility for stewardship, for maintaining and protecting alternative media and positive media that don’t go out and scare us, that show us we can make a difference.

Jim McPherson, Whitworth journalism professor

 

Janice Marich, United Way of Spokane County

What The Fig Tree does fits with what the United Way is doing

• United Way talks with people about their aspirations.  We hear that people want to live in a safe place where people care support and create opportunities for each other.  The Fig tree does that and fosters a sense of community.

•The Fig Tree is a connector. Connections the Fig Tree makes with all of us in our reading and meeting gives us a sense of belonging.  It sustains us as we reach out to others. If we want to change things in our community, we have to do it by working together.

• The Fig Tree is a platform for caring.

• The Fig Tree represents a commitment to strive to do better to help people improve their lives, embracing the past but having the foresight to say we have to do more, we have to change and we have to be relevant.

Janice Marich, United Way of Spokane County

 

Bishop Jim Waggoner, Episcopal Diocese of Spokane

When I began as bishop, someone in an open a forum asked what my detailed strategy and mission were. I said that at the heart of what we do is communication.

We need each other and need to be connected with each other and our interfaith communities.  What we do as community is about being connection, collaboration, cooperation and communication.

The Fig Tree is a great resource as a professional publication. It is about public participation in the community, to make things happen.   It links us to stories and to each other. It provides critical leadership and makes a difference.

It informs and inspires us. It builds our community.

When I traveled on weekends in my early years, I distributed Fig Trees to churches.  I’m a believer and I’m a supporter.  Join me in giving thanks for this unique, essential ministry, and give generously to serve the faith communities and the whole community. This ministry changes communities for the better.

Bishop Jim Waggoner, Episcopal Diocese of Spokane

 

Roberta Wilburn, president Spokane Ministers’ Fellowship

Over my seven years in Spokane, I have seen the tremendous impact of The Fig Tree in our community. Even before my ministry as an associate dean at Whitworth and my election as the first woman president of the Spokane Ministers Fellowship were featured in The Fig Tree, I still looked forward to getting it. There was always someone I knew featured.  There are always uplifting stories about ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things.

 I’ve lived in other places around the country, but I have never seen another community newspaper devoted to the faith community that is the quality of The Fig Tree, highlighting stories of people sharing their values, promoting justice and making a difference in the lives of others through their acts of service.

Stories are powerful.  The Fig Tree does a great job of gathering human-interest stories that exemplify faith in action, stories that empower, inspire and keep us informed of the great things our brothers and sisters are doing to make Spokane a better place to live.

Thank you for 30 years of hard work and writing stories of faith, justice and service in and around the Spokane a better place to live. 

Roberta Wilburn, president Spokane Ministers’ Fellowship

Copyright © May 2014 - The Fig Tree