Swords into Plowshares

Urge Obama administration efforts for peace in Israel and Palestine

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a long tradition of ministry in Israel and Palestine. This tradition has been expressed, and is currently expressed in a variety of ways including direct ministry, support for our church partners, and advocacy.

The 218th General Assembly (2008) adopted a resolution encouraging Presbyterians to focus advocacy efforts and energy "on the United States government, demanding that it assume an intensive and unrelenting role as a peacemaker, bringing together the opposing parties in forums where reasonable people can reach reasonable compromises about highly complex issues."

As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prepares for her first visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank in that role, Churches for Middle East Peace invites us to engage in just that sort of advocacy. 

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is circulating a letter that commends the Administration's efforts to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians and encourages Sec. Clinton to use her upcoming trip to help further this important goal. 

Ask your Senators to sign this letter expressing support for the Obama Administration's diplomatic efforts and urging Sec. Clinton to make the most of her Mideast trip next week to promote peace!

The deadline for Senators to sign on is Friday, February 27. Here is an opportunity to send a message urging our government to assume an significant role as a peacemaker for our sisters and brothers in Israel and Palestine.

Stop the war against women and children in the Democratic Republic of Congo

For ten years, the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) has been the world's deadliest killing ground as warfare and violence have ravaged the country.

Amidst the tragedy, rape is systematically used as a weapon of war. And children are forced to fight for armed groups.

Peace will come to the DRC only when this violence against women and children is ended.

Amnesty International believes that the United States can play a role in making that happen. They provide an opportunity to contact Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to use the voice of the United States to strengthen support for the UN peacekeeping missionand protect women and children in the DRC.

Secretary Clinton has said that women's rights are one of her top priorities. Make sure her promises become reality.

To See and Be Seen in Colombia

The Colombia Accompaniment Program, a partnership of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, is entering its fifth year. The program arose from a request by our partner church, the Presbyterian Church of Colombia.

Colombia has suffered four decades of violent internal conflict, which has been exacerbated over time by an illicit drug trade. In the midst of this violence, the Presbyterian Church of Colombia speaks out against human rights abuses—and for this it faces continued harassment. It has much to teach us about being the church in a time of conflict.

We practice community accompaniment, a ministry of presence with the churches and with the displaced communities and human rights leaders with whom they work. Our accompaniers stand in solidarity and spiritual support with the churches and the displaced communities, while providing "international eyes" to what is going on and any threats that are received by the church or those it serves. We learn a great deal from each other, and many accompaniers come away with an invigorated sense of what it means to be church.

Our primary goal is to be a presence of solidarity, to “see and be seen,” with the benefit of increasing awareness for our accompaniers and, through them, our U.S. churches and the broader society through education and advocacy efforts. Accompaniers first attend a training/discernment event to prepare for service. They go two by two and spend one month terms with the Presbyterian Church of Colombia. We have a wide range of levels in our participants, from some who don't speak Spanish and have never been involved in Latin America at all, to others who have extensive experience in Colombia and special training in trauma counseling, medicine, and other skills. Anyone from the PC(USA) or another church, over 21 years of age, with a valid U.S. passport and a heart for this important ministry is welcome to apply. For more information, please contact coordinator Sarah Henken.

Lent 2009, Idea 1

This is cutting things a tad close - writing on the eve of Ash Wednesday about ideas for observing Lent.

The Ecumenical Water Network invites us to make Lent a time to promote water justice and water as a human right.

During the Seven Weeks for Water initiative, theologians and church activists from Africa, Europe, North and South America will share short biblical meditations for each week along with some campaigning ideas and resources.

The weekly meditations for the seven weeks of Lent are a way of trying to raise awareness of water and justice around World Water Day on 22 March. Each week during Lent a short biblical meditation will be posted here along with some campaigning links and ideas.

When the poor and needy seek water,
I will open rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water.
Isaiah 41:17-18

 

Pray for Peace

Three prayers appear this week on Spiritual Nurture for Peacemakers. There is a prayer for Sri Lanka by one of my colleagues who has family in that war-torn country; a prayer for Sudan in relation to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s fast for the global food crisis; and a collect for the First Sunday in Lent.

Pray for peace, people everywhere.

March Fast for Global Food Crisis

The March fast for the global food crisis (which takes place on February 27 to March 1)   focuses on Sudan and looks at the connections between War, Hunger and Recovery.

As well as the materials for the fast, a special section of prayers for Sudan is also available.

Press Conference in the Philippines

By Nancy Eng MacNeill

On February 11, our trip took a turn from listening to stories from those in the church, to being a story of the church. While we were sitting down for dinner and cultural dance, Pastor Edwin Egar was abducted. The many pastors who were our hosts for the evening flew into quick action, something they had done so many times before. Through the quick action of church leaders, Edwin was returned near his home. After a very long night, Edwin was being brought to the Shalom Center and a press conference was held in the afternoon.  Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow and David Hudson, PC(USA) Area Coordinator for Asia, participated in the news conference as the faith community spoke out against the political climate that allows this type of situation to take place.

Pictures of that news conference follow:

  

Pastor Edwin Egar

   

Bruce Reyes-Chow

 

Bishop Eliezer Pascua

 

David Hudson

Three Islands, Three Countries

By Nancy Eng MacNeill

An island of 7 million people, Hong Kong reminds me of being in San Francisco. The streets are busy and wind ascending hills among tall skyscrapers. Entering Hong Kong you can sense the vibrancy of the city with Cantonese, Mandarin, and English spoken everywhere. The city is very friendly; transportation around Hong Kong is simple and accessible to the newcomer. A port city, Hong Kong has the unique identity as a place of export, often exporting goods from China. Over 70% of Hong Kong is green space, with well planned and maintained trails and parks.

Christian churches provide a hub for communities, especially those churches connected with primary and secondary schools. Children and youth often spend extended hours at the church to study after school and before they return home. Throughout Asia, the church has risen to meet needs of the community in providing good quality education, medical assistance and social services often with subsidies from the government. The church plays a vital role for all the people (regardless of religious affiliation) of Hong Kong. 

Throughout this trip with the Moderator, we have heard the anxiety of the economic tsunami. The impact in Hong Kong s already hitting hard, the church is suffering from many of the same market effects as in the United States. Poverty, domestic violence, basic human rights were only a few of the issues facing the church. Our conversations also focused on moving the church into electronic communities and advancing in technology, again a similar story. Such a dramatic pairing: Poverty and Technology. They pose the challenge of how the church in Asia and in the US will remain solvent enough to meet the overwhelming and increasing needs and pangs of hunger and sustain an institution that wants to move and expand in communicating to its members and ecumenically throughout the globe.

The picture shows the Presbyterian travelers with the Rev. Po Kam-cheong of the Hong Kong Christian Council.

Support Unity Government in Zimbabwe

The ONE Campaign encourages all to act to make sure the African Union AC) actively supports the new Zimbabwe unity government. In recent weeks, Zimbabwehas attempted to form a “unity government” between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The AU will serve as guarantor for this new government and it is critical that they take immediate action to ensure Zimbabwe’s unity government takes steps in the right direction.

ONE offers an opportunity to sign a petition to the new AU Chairman.

Prayers for Peace

This week's Spiritual Nurture for Peacemakers page includes prayers for Sri Lanka, the  Philippines, and Sudan.