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Welcome to the November 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:
World Council of Churches Congratulates Nobel Laureate Obama
From an October 10, 2009 News Release:
"In a congratulation letter to the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and United States President Barack Obama, the World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia highlighted Obama's 'deep commitment to promote peace and reconciliation in today's troubled world' demonstrated by his policies on nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament and curbing greenhouse gas emissions as well as his 'eagerness for easing conflicts with Islamic nations'."
CLICK HERE to read a complete text of the WCC general secretary's letter to President Barack Obama.
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WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle
CLICK HERE weekly to visit the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. This site lifts up a different area of the world each week and provides prayers for personal and congregational use. Prayers are available two weeks in advance. Prayers for November include:
Nov. 1-7: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda
Nov. 8-14: Republic of Congo, Gabon, Sao Tomé and Principe
Nov. 15-21: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea
Nov. 22-28: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger
Nov. 29 - Dec. 5: Liberia, Sierra Leone
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ELCA Global Formation Event
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. This is the final opportunity in 2009 for congregational teams to build skills for effective ministry locally and globally. Click on the date for more information about the event:
November 13-14, 2009
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Olympia, WA
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Training Events at Kirkridge Retreat Center
Kirkridge Retreat Center, Bangor, PA, is offering the following:
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?
Creating a Culture of Peace - Facilitator's Training
December 2-6, 2009
Strengthen facilitation skills and the ability to use interactive and mutual learning techniques. Help others find their power for peacemaking and deepen your own. Practice presentations and learn to offer Creating a Culture of Peace training events.
Visit the Kirkridge website for information on registration and fees.
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International Peace Bureau Conference - Nov. 14-18
From the website:
The International Peace Bureau's annual conference will be held in WASHINGTON DC from November 14-18. It is co-organized with Peace Action, America’s largest grassroots peace network. This event is an invitation to engage in a strategic process, to examine our campaigning priorities and options, to explore new ways to challenge the militarism we see around us, and to build international connections and partnerships.
The theme is: Rolling back militarism: a task for the global movement. The program includes a central conference and a day-seminar on military spending, plus the annual IPB Council meeting and a planning session for the NPT Review next May. It will also be the occasion for the award of the IPB’s annual Sean MacBride Peace Prize.
For more information, view the conference flyer, a news update, and a program outline. CLICK HERE to register for the conference.
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World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse - November 19
World Day for the Prevention of Child abuse was initiated in 2000 by the Women's World Summit Foundation. The purpose of this observance is to create a culture of prevention around the world by encouraging government and community organizations to play more active roles in protecting children.
CLICK HERE for more information about the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse or CLICK HERE to participate in the "YES! to prevention of child abuse" yellow sticker campaign.
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Universal Children's Day - Nov. 20
Established by the United Nations in 1954, this day is set aside each year as an opportunity to promote the welfare of children and an understanding between children all around the world.
CLICK HERE for more information and resources.
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World AIDS Day - December 1
Observe World AIDS Day by praying for all who are affected by the disease, participating in a remembrance/healing service for those affected by the disease, providing support for an organization working to find a cure, or wearing a "red ribbon" on December 1.
CLICK HERE for more information about World AIDS Day.
CLICK HERE for information about the ELCA's response to HIV/AIDS.
For a free advocacy action guide from Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, CLICK HERE.
CLICK HERE to download a World AIDS Day 2009 Discussion Guide from the Global Peace Tiles Project.
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Human Rights Day - December 10
Observed on December 10 annually, Human Rights Day commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948.
What can you do to celebrate this important event?
+ Participate in Amnesty International's Global Write-A-Thon: Write for
Rights;
+ Attend the 26th Annual Human Rights Day Conference organized by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights which will be held December 4 in St. Paul, Minnesota;
+ CLICK HERE for more ideas and information.
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Sri Lanka Insight Trip
Nonviolent Peaceforce invites you to participate in an educational trip to beautiful Sri Lanka January 4-10, 2010. Participants will see an unarmed civilian peaceforce at work building an infrastructure of nonviolence to help communities secure a sustainable peace in a post-conflict environment. Space is limited, so register today!
CLICK HERE to view a flyer about this event.
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Plan now to participate in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 18, 2010. This day is set aside annually as an opportunity to honor the legacy of Dr. King through community service grounded in his teachings of justice and nonviolence.
Visit the website for more information and resources for individuals and organizations.
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Developing Hearts that Yearn for Justice
Transformational Third World Opportunities invites you to attend "Developing Hearts that Yearn for Justice: Ecumenical Theological Reflection in a Third World Setting for Clergy and Lay Church Workers." The conference will be held January 18-21, 2010. Participants will gather in San Diego then travel to Tijuana, Mexico where they will stay at Casa del Migrante. CLICK HERE to access a brochure with registration information.
Transformational Third World Opportunities is affiliated with the Hunger Ministry Team of the ELCA Pacifica Synod. The Rev. Bill Bruggeman, an ELCA pastor, and his wife, Ann, have been the coordinators of the ELCA Border Ministries Program along the US/Mexico border.
Thanks to Mia Baumgartner, a member of the Equipping for Peacemaking Network, for sharing this information.
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No Name-Calling Week
From the website:
No Name-Calling Week, January 25-29, 2010, is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities.
Visit the No Name-Calling Week website for more information, to join the network, and to access resources.
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World March for Peace and Nonviolence
The World March for Peace and Nonviolence began on October 2, the International Day of Nonviolence and the anniversary of Gandhi's birth, in New Zealand. With approximately 100 base participants, the march will traverse the globe and will conclude in the Andes Mountains on January 2, 2010. The intent of the march is to mobilize people around the world to work toward peace and disarmament.
CLICK HERE for more information and for updates on the location and route of the march.
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New Resources for Parents and Youth
Three new resources offer concise information on several of the most pressing concerns among parents and young people today. Each offers a brief description of the most useful sources, web links, and more than a few little-known gems. Titles include "Resources for Parents, Especially on the New Media," "Recommended Computer Games," and "Finding Good Books for Young People." These materials are available at www.lutheranpeace.org along with many other resources, such as a series of twelve leader guides complete with overviews, tested handouts, and facilitation tips. Lutheran Peace Fellowship resources and expertise have been built on experience facilitating over a thousand workshops in congregations, and at regional events and national conferences, as well as scores of leadership training programs.
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Editor's Note
Thank you to Kathy Kastilahn, Co-Chair of the ELCA Task Force for the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence and Associate Editor of The Lutheran, for the article about the 2009 International Day of Prayer for Peace celebration at The Lutheran Center that appeared in last month's Equipping for Peacemaking E-Newsletter.
CLICK HERE to read the article.
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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.
NOVEMBER PEACE QUOTE:
"Peace is a daily, weekly, monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. John F. Kennedy From A Passion for Peace.com
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Go in peace and serve the Lord! |