When I was an associate pastor at St. Eugene Parish in Los Angeles, there was a parishioner who plastered his car with bumper stickers expressing extreme political positions. One such sticker became his mantra: "Get US out of the UN." Regardless of his right to hold such political positions, that particular slogan did a drastic disservice to history and to America's commitment to world peace. Both the United Nations and the League of Nations that preceded it, were constructs of the United States and attempts to rid the world of the need for the specter of death that encompassed the globe in the First and Second World Wars. The League of Nations suffered from serious defects that made it impractical even as it defined idealism. The United Nations, also, is not without problems. But then again, the same can be said of every national government, including the United States.

While the UN may not have succeeded in averting all wars and violence over its 65 year history, it has accomplished more toward universal peace and equality than any other organization or government. Beginning with the seminal Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to the work of the World Health Organization, to its developmental work, to special peace keeping forces, to the World Court, the United Nations has consistently, if haltingly, moved the world toward peace, equality and justice. Is there any doubt where we would be as a world community without the United Nations?

In 1998 philanthropist Ted Turner made an historic gift of $1 billion dollars to support UN causes and activities. That led to the establishment of the UN Foundation. As with the success of any governmental democracy, this is not solely the work of the world leaders who will be gathering in New York City on September 20, 2010. There are ways that all of us can participate in making the founding dream of the United Nations a reality in our world today. Following are eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that offer an opportunity for everyone to be involved. Follow the links below to learn more about how you can make a commitment

Goal #1 End Hunger and Extreme Poverty
Goal #2 Universal Education
Goal #3 Gender Equality
Goal #4 Child Health
Goal #5 Maternal Health
Goal #6 Combat HIV/AIDS and Other Diseases
Goal #7 Environmental Sustainability
Goal #8 Global Partnership

Ted Turner has suggested some "To Do" items that are simple ways for all of us to participate in the eight MDGs that will be discussed in New York. They are as follows:

1) Share this page with your friends on Facebook and Twitter
2) Thank a UN Peacekeeper
3) Recycle
4) "Stand Up" against global poverty
5) Submit a photo to the TEDxChange Flickr photo campaign
6) Send a malaria-preventing net to the Central African Republic
7) Learn about issues affecting girls in developing countries
8) Sign up for email updates from the UN Foundation
9) Donate $1 to immunize a child against measles or polio
10) Make your own action!

This to do list is not meant to be exhaustive. It is easy to check off the items we participate in, but they will hopefully spark the imaginations of everyone who wants to make the world a better place.