Update on Religious Institute, Inc. -- We Have Survived and Are Moving On!

I wanted to give you an update since my blog a few weeks ago.

I am now more confident than ever that the Religious Institute (now formally Religious Institute, Inc.) has survived a financial tsunami and that we are ready to move on.

I am pleased to report that the Religious Institute, Inc. is now legally incorporated in the State of Connecticut, obtained its own EIN, and has a new Board of Directors. The first meeting of the Board took place on March 9, 2012, and bylaws were adopted. We are just about finished with our IRS papers, seeking 501 c 3 status. We expect to have that by September.

People and organizations have been supportive beyond words and expectations. Within 2 days, I had raised $40,000 to cover the debts we were left and staff salary for two payrolls. By the time I’m writing this, in just five weeks, we have commitments for more than two thirds of a scaled down 2012 budget. We have had office volunteers, people bringing us lunch, the most lovely letters and notes, and infinite generosities. I can honestly say that I have now experienced the worst of people and the best of people in new ways.

Our 2012 work will continue because it must. Even during this crisis, we have continued to speak out on reproductive justice, LGBT equality, and sexuality education on television, radio, and in print media. In a few weeks, we are convening an amazing group of theologians to develop a new Open Letter to Religious Leaders on contraception. We are moving ahead with our plans for the Rachel Sabbath Initiative on Mother's Day weekend, and I'm backing to co-writing our new guide for congregations on the Internet.

If you had considered donating, but were waiting to see if we would make it, please know how grateful I would be for your tax deductible contribution. You can do it online at www.religiousinstitute.org/donate or mail us a check to 21 Charles Street, Suite 140, Westport, CT 06880. Let me know that you are one of my blog readers.

P.S. If you want to know what's going on with the investigation that's public, google search my name and "news." There's going to be an article on Sunday that will tell you more. Please know that we continue to work with authorities at the local, state, and federal level on their investigation so that justice will prevail.