Timeline:

2005  Fall--Interfaith Task Force convenes and meets on a monthly basis.

2006  February--We Believe Ohio launches in Columbus

May 17--We Believe launches in Cleveland

May 26--The Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope (NOAH) Summit on Regional Equity with We Believe

May 31--First We Believe-Cleveland Steering Committee meeting.

May 31--Name changed to We Believe-Northern Ohio

May--Local ministers contribute to the We Believe Ohio online sermon bank on issues of social justice, compassion and religious tolerance: www.webelieveohio.org

June 12--Plain Dealer editorial board meets with We Believe Northern Ohio

June 14--InterAct Cleveland forum for clergy on "Religious Convictions and Pluralism in the Public Arena," with the Harvard Pluralism Project and We Believe.

June 28--Second We Believe-Northern Ohio Steering Committee meeting scheduled

September 7--We Believe Steering Committee Retreat

Forty clergy and lay leaders attended a day-long planning retreat for We Believe Ohio on September 7th.  Facilitated by Jennifer Butler, of the Faith in Public Life Resource Center from Washington DC, the group decided to continue its affiliation with We Believe Ohio, worked through various identity questions, and decided to move forward with an official steering committee.  This committee has already met and moved on action steps for building a Spirit-led movement that unites diverse religious voices to advocate for inclusion, compassion, social justice and religious freedom in the State of Ohio.  It is planning a plenary session for all interested faith leaders in the near future.

September 18--We Believe Northern Ohio submits an open letter to Reverend Rod Parsley of the World Harvest Church and to the press, in response to Parsley's invitation sent to many area Christian clergy, including many in We Believe, to attend a meeting to discuss how Reformation Ohio and his other programs can support their efforts to "win this state for Jesus Christ."

September 19--The Plain Dealer covers Rod Parsley's event and We Believe's response.

October 18^th--We Believe's Steering Committee will decide how to provide its own staff support so that it can operate independently of The Diversity Center.