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Welcome to the August 2009 Equipping for Peacemaking Network E-Newsletter. Our hope is to help bring attention to resources that relate to the work of the ELCA Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence (2001-2010). Included in this monthly e-newsletter are events and resources that can be used at the small group, congregational and individual level. Thank you for being part of the network! Forward this to your friends and encourage them to sign up for the network as well. CLICK HERE to find additional resources and enroll in the E4P network.
In this E-Newsletter you will find information about:
E4P Network Welcomes New Members from ELCA Youth Gathering
WELCOME! to the 700+ new members of the Equipping for Peacemaking Network who signed up during the ELCA Youth Gathering. We hope the ideas and information provided in the newsletter will inspire you in your peacemaking endeavors and we look forward to hearing from you about your peacemaking work in your congregation and your community.
Jean Morehouse, Equipping for Peacemaking Network Coordinator, and Karen Pollard, a member of the network, staffed the Peace Park in Justice Town at Jesus, Justice, Jazz, the ELCA Youth Gathering held July 22-26 in New Orleans. The Peace Park was located in the interaction center during the event.
Gathering participants were able to stroll on the Pathway of Peacemakers, complete an advocacy postcard (which will be delivered to President Obama), walk among 'peace action idea' flowers, assemble a Peace Bead Prayer Bracelet, fold a peace crane, enroll in the Equipping for Peacemaking Network and visit with Jean and Karen.
Many thanks to all who dropped by the Peace Park to say hello. During the event, we folded approximately 1,500 peace cranes and made over 1,000 peace bead prayer bracelets.
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"One Love: Building a Peaceful Caribbean" - 2009 International Day of Prayer for Peace - September 21, 2009
It's not too late to be part of the International Day of Prayer for Peace celebration! "One Love: Building A Pe aceful Caribbean" is the theme for the World Council of Churches' Decade to Overcome Violence 2009 International Day of Prayer for Peace.
According to the website, "the International Day of Prayer for Peace offers an opportunity for church communities in all places to pray and act together to nurture lasting peace in the hearts of people, their families, communities and societies. The idea was proposed in 2004 during a meeting between WCC General Secretary Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (press release), and coincides with the UN International Day of Peace. The [International] Day of Prayer [for Peace] is one of the initiatives of the WCC's Decade to Overcome Violence. Congregations are invited to pray for peace - possibly using the same prayers - on September 21 or the Sunday preceding it."
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
+ Encourage your congregation to participate by organizing a prayer vigil.
CLICK HERE for resources.
+ Incorporate prayers for peace in your congregation's worship.
+ Create Pinwheels for Peace and display them on the lawn of your church.
+ Create Peace Posters and display them in the church.
+ Organize a Peace Day for families in your community, with activities
centering around the theme of peace and peacemaking.
+ Coordinate with others in your community who are participating in the
International Day of Prayer for Peace. CLICK HERE to add your event or
view a list of events in your city.
+ Share what you are doing to celebrate the International Day of Prayer for
Peace by emailing Jean Morehouse, Equipping for Peacemaking
Network Coordinator.
Visit the Decade to Overcome Violence website for more information or contact Jean Morehouse for assistance in planning your International Day Prayer of Peace activities.
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ELCA Churchwide Assembly to Consider 144 Memorials from Synods
From the ELCA News Service:
Comprehensive immigration reform, Israel and Palestine, Lutheran Disaster Response, and fuller participation in church leadership are topics of memorials recommended for specific discussion at the 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The recommendations were made by a 15-member memorials committee appointed by the ELCA Church Council, which met here last month. Memorials are requests from the church's 65 synods that ask for churchwide assembly action on significant policy issues. The committee considered 144 memorials for the 2009 assembly, recommending (...more)
Please pray for all who will be attending the churchwide assembly which will meet August 17-23 in Minneapolis.
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August Issue of The Lutheran
Be sure to read the August issue of The Lutheran which includes the cover story "Our interreligious involvement: Notes from the field show greater commitment, rapid progress" by Michael Trice, ELCA Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence Task Force Member and Associate Executive Director of ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations. Also read about three Lutherans active in interreligious work: Ann Helmke of the peaceCENTER, San Antonio, TX; William J. Lesher of the Parliament of the World's Religions; and Sarah Spoonheim of Faith in Place, Chicago, IL.
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ELCA Global Formation Events
Would you like to deepen your understanding of the changing context and practice of global mission and to receive the gifts of Christians and churches? Register TODAY for a one-and-a-half day ELCA Global Formation Event. These events provide an opportunity for congregational teams to build skills for effective ministry locally and globally. Click on the links for more information about each event:
October 2-3, 2009
Living Word Lutheran Church in Katy, TX
October 30-31, 2009
Southwood Lutheran Church, Lincoln, NE
November 13-14, 2009
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Olympia, WA
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October Observances
Fall will be here before we know it! Plan now to observe the following in your congregation:
October 2 - International Day of Non-Violence
The birthday of Mahatma Ghandi, the United Nations established this day "as an occasion to 'disseminate the message of non-violence, through education and public awareness.'"
October 16-18, 2009 - Children's Sabbaths Celebration
This event, sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund, "is a way for faith communities to celebrate children as sacred gifts of the Divine, and provide the opportunity for houses of worship to renew and live out their moral responsibility to care, protect and advocate for all children." CLICK HERE for resources and more information.
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Hold educational forums, organize a vigil, create a public display to remember victims and raise awareness, or participate in a community action. CLICK HERE for more ideas from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Crime Prevention Month
Visit the National Crime Prevention Council for more information about the history of this observation, programmatic ideas and to download a Crime Prevention Month kit.
And, don't forget to share photos and information about your activities with other members of the Network by contacting Jean Morehouse, Network Coordinator.
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Training Events at Kirkridge Retreat Center
Kirkridge Retreat Center, Bangor, PA, is offering the following:
Creating a Culture of Peace
September 10-13, 2009
Discover your power for peacemaking during a spiritually grounded, interactive and skills-building weekend.
Community or Empire – Which Will We Build?
September 18-20, 2009
We are in a profound struggle and must connect across barriers. We cannot change alone. We have choices to make! (A celebration of Daniel Berrigan at his last annual Kirkridge retreat.)
Peacemakers in the Midst of Conflict
October 24 - November 6, 2009
Participants will travel to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, throughout Israel and the West Bank with local guides. An opportunity to listen, build relationships, promote dialogue, and learn about the real life situation and politics of the region.
Love Force – The Peacemaker’s Way
November 6-8, 2009
Reflections with Richard Deats on the call to live on the growing edge of history with cues from peacemakers Hildegard Goss-Mayr, Aung San Suu Kyi, Jim Lawson, Thich Nhat Hanh, Abdul Ghaffar Kahn and Abraham Heschel. How do we reach out to enemies?
Visit the Kirkridge website for information on registration and fees.
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DoPeace
The Peace Alliance, a campaign to establish a U.S. Department of Peace, has announced the launching of a new online community called "DoPeace." Members of this network will have the opportunity to connect with others and share information and ideas through an electronic blog and by posting videos and photos.
For more information visit the Peace Alliance or the DoPeace website.
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Peace Notes and Quotes
If you have a favorite quote or want to share a brief thought about peacemaking, please send your contribution to Jean Morehouse, Equipping for Peacemaking Program Coordinator.
AUGUST PEACE QUOTE:
"the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace."
Numbers 6:26, The Holy Bible, NRSV
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Go in peace and serve the Lord!
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