By: Harley Emery

On May 3rd, CGO welcomed Rev. Dan Bryant from the First Christian Church in Eugene as the special guest of the week. Rev. Bryant shared his fascinating life story with CGO, telling of his time as an early adult working on reconciliation projects with a Christian ministry in Berlin in the late 1970s. ……..

One major topic that was discussed with Rev. Bryant was how religion (and particularly Christianity) can not only coexist with but can support progressive thought and inclusivity. Rev. Bryant told of how several decades ago, the church’s congregation gradually became more accepting of non-heterosexual orientations, and how today the congregation is very inclusive and open-minded in regards to this issue. More recently, Rev. Bryant has focused on ensuring that people who are transgender feel welcomed by his church, and it seems that this process has been largely successful so far. Rev. Bryant explained that this progress has been a result of connecting members of the congregation with people who are of non-heterosexual orientations and people who are transgender. When church-goers realized that several fellow members of the congregation – including a church musician – were not heterosexual, and that some had close family members who were transgender, a transformation of sorts occurred. Although there has been some backlash to Rev. Bryant’s progressive interpretations of Biblical passages and policies of inclusivity, the congregation has primarily stood behind these efforts.

Along with promoting values of inclusivity within the church, Rev. Bryant has spearheaded and participated in countless projects including several aimed to increase understanding among religions and many projects to address the problem of homelessness in the community. Among the many community-building initiatives Rev. Bryant has been a part of over the years is an interfaith service – the longest running (and possibly only) regular service in the country – which he began immediately following 9/11 as a response to the many religious hate crimes and violent acts that swept across the country after the attacks. The service was intended to be a one-time event, but the impact it had on attendees (who represent an estimated nearly 30 different faiths) was so powerful that it has continued as a monthly event to this day.

The church’s initiatives to aid homeless members of the community include free weekly breakfasts and a warming center open during cold winter nights, which can literally be life-saving for much of the homeless population when temperatures drop. Rev. Bryant also spoke of an ongoing project that he has been working on in collaboration with many local architects, the City of Eugene, and other local groups. The project – which is to be completed in the coming months – will provide a number of affordable houses to homeless community members who cannot afford the rising housing costs in the area. These single-bedroom one-bathroom homes with kitchens will cost an average of $250-$300 a month, and will act as a source of stability and security for many currently-homeless individuals who would otherwise be left on the streets.

Rev. Bryant’s visit to CGO was surely inspiring to all in attendance. He was an incredible example of a prominent religious leader who is also very open-minded, respectful of other faiths, and engaged in the community in a way that is not simply evangelical, but rather genuinely aims to assist those in need while allowing them to maintain their dignity and agency.

Dr. Gordon Lafer, is an Associate Professor in the Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) at the University of Oregon. This center on campus focuses on making the expertise of higher education available to workers, unions, policy-makers, and community partners around the Pacific Northwest.

Gordon Lafer works on strategic planning and research and on labor and employment policy issues and has been at LERC since 1997. From 2009 through 2010 he also served as a Senior Policy Advisor for the US House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor. His most recent work examines the democratic standards used for workplace elections under the National Labor Relations Board.

Dr. Lafer’s research should spark some very interesting dialogue about ethical dilemas that many of us have likely experienced, such as: What do you owe a boss? Is non-violent sabotage OK? Why is work inherently humiliating?

To read more about the Labor Education and Research Center, visit their website here.

To see our past guests and speakers, please click here.

Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) is the largest foundation in the state of Oregon, and gives over 100 million dollars in grants and scholarships to Oregon students and community organizations each year. OCF works with donors to match their gifts to the causes they care about. This leaves some space to discuss how OCF project managers navigate ethics, their own interest, their understanding of the motivations of their donors, and more. Tom and Maylian will be joining us to discuss the ethics of philanthropy.

Here is some background on our two guests:

Tom Bowerman, a fifth generation Oregonian, has practiced in the field of architecture, urban design and planning for three decades at the interface of development and environmental protection. He has supervised inner historic building rehabilitation, co-owns three companies and co-founded two land conservancy organizations. He holds a courtesy research position at the University of Oregon, School of Law and directs PolicyInteractive a non-profit research organization.

PolicyInteractive (PI) is dedicated to researching climate change behaviors and public policy. PI conducts public multi-faceted opinion research studies for insights into policy support.  Results are shared with the public, policymakers, and research peers.  PI has over 30 discrete studies since 2008. 

“We risk devastating our planet through our collective behaviors. Anthropogenic climate change is the challenge of our time although just symptom of the problem: the physical evidence is strong and the general public strongly agrees: we over-consume.  The moral and ethical implications of our actions are enormous.”

Maylian Pak’s academic research and professional interests both focus on community. Maylian completed degrees in International Affairs and Geography, studying at Mary Washington College and the University of Oregon where she researched environmental justice and community organizing in communities of color. Her professional career has been centered on building community through philanthropy. Prior to joining OCF, Maylian worked at the Eugene Symphony serving both as development director and interim executive director.

Maylian was named one of Eugene-Springfield’s 20 Under 40 rising business stars. She was also one of 48 nonprofit managers to participate in American Express’s Nonprofit Leadership Academy in New York City.  Maylian serves as a board member for the University of Oregon Alumni Association and was the 2015-16 president of the Eugene Round Table Club. In her free time, Maylian enjoys cooking, running and sewing.