Swords into Plowshares

Pray for Peace

Find prayers for those touched by flooding along the Red River, the people of Sudan and Darfur, and for peace for Jerusalem and all of Israel and Palestine on Spiritual Nurture for Peacemakers.

Global Food Crisis Fast: Climate Change and Water in Peru

Resources are available for the April fast related to the global food crisis. This fast will take place on April 3 to 5. The theme is climate change and water; the country focus is Peru.

Join Presbyterians around the country in monthly 40-hour fasts to help discern ways to respond to the global food crisis. The fasts typically take place on the first weekend of every month, beginning on Friday evening and ending with Communion or a communal meal on Sunday.

Saint Mark Presbyterian Church in Rockville, MD has found that participating in the fast deepens the congregation's hunger ministries.

On the Greener Road

Be as green as you can be!

While the idea of "green" vacations has attracted recent attention, most information focuses on what to do when you get to your destination, not on how to get there. No definitive source has been available to guide travelers toward the transportation option—train, plane, automobile, or motor coach (a.k.a. bus)—that will produce the least global warming pollution during a particular vacation. Until now.

In Getting There Greener, the Union of Concerned Scientists presents the first comprehensive analysis—peer-reviewed by experts—of the highest-carbon and lowest-carbon options for vacation travel.

Getting There Greener can help identify the transportation option—train, plane, automobile, or motor coach (a.k.a. bus)—that will produce the least global warming pollution when we travel. We may find that we not only help save the planet, we may save some money.

Whether your travels take you to the Peacemaking Conference at the Big Tent or Embracing God's Call to Be Green or Climate of Fear, Climate of Hope or in some other direction, consider the possibilities for getting there greener.

April 2009 Security Council Report

Security Council Report has issued its Monthly Forecast Report (PDF) for April 2009 that previews issues likely to be considered in the UN Security Council during the month. These include:

Sudan - The mandate for the United Nations Mission in Sudan expires on 30 April. The Council is expected to renew the mandate.  A briefing and consultations are also expected on the African Union United Nations Hybrid Operation. Further discussions on the growing humanitarian crisis are likely.

The Democratic Republic of Congo - The council is expected to hear the Secretary-General's report on the DRC and the United Nations Mission in the DRC.

Israel/Palestine: Gaza - The Secretariat is expected to brief the Council on the conclusions of a UN commission of inquiry into damage to UN facilities and loss of life during the recent conflict in Gaza. It seems likely the Council will also pay close attention to Egyptian mediated talks between Hamas and Israel on a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Children and Armed Conflict - The Council will discuss children and armed conflict in an open debate on 29 April. Members will focus on the Secretary-General’s progress report on the implementation of resolution 1612 (PDF), which in 2005 established the monitoring and reporting mechanism and set up the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.

Haiti - On 6 April the Council is expected to hold a debate and discuss the latest report on the United Nations Stabilization Mission to Haiti and perhaps also a report on the Council’s March visit to Haiti. A briefing by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Haiti, Hédi Annabi, is also expected.

And more!

Vote Earth - With Your Light Switch

Your Light Switch is your Vote: Vote Earth
Saturday, March 28, 8:30 - 9:30 pm (20:30 - 21:30)

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world's first global election, between Earth and global warming. For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote - Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. World Wildlife Fund urges the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

Cast your vote; sign up for Earth Hour.

Give cluster bombs the boot

Join the National Call- In Day March 30th

This is what our Friends at Friends Committee on National Legislation are saying:

"When nearly 100 nations - including Britain, France, and Germany - gathered in early December to sign a global treaty banning cluster bombs, the U.S. was conspicuously absent. And yet, the U.S. has been the world's biggest user of these weapons, which always end up killing more civilians than soldiers.

"President Obama and Congress can fix U.S. policy. In fact, they have already started. In March, Congress passed a law permanently banning exports of nearly all U.S.-made cluster bombs.

"Now we need Congress to act to prevent any further use by U.S. troops.

"Call your senators on Monday, March 30 and ask them to co-sponsor the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act, S. 416. This legislation would prohibit the U.S. from using any cluster bombs that leave behind an unacceptably large number of landmine-like "dud" cluster submunitions - small bombs that keep on killing. It would also prohibit any use of these weapons in areas that are normally populated with civilians. Growing support from the Senate will show President Obama that he has the public's backing to sign this treaty and send it to the Senate for ratification!"

The General Assembly's guidelines for military-related investment, adopted in 1982 and most recently revised in 1998, include particular concern over weapons that do not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants.

New resource for peace prayers

Praying for Peace around the Globe by James McGinnis of the Institute for Peace and Justice and Parenting for Peace and Justice Network invites prayer and action for peace in 40 countries and around 13 peace and justice issues on a daily and weekly basis. The resource contains:

• a short description of the situation on the country or of the issue
• a prayer for peace from the country or focused on the issue
• suggestions for action
• a prayer of petition

Stopping torture

The National Religious Campaign against Torture (NRCAT) has launched a campaign to create an independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate the treatment of detainees.

Endorse the Call for a Commission of Inquiry.

Ask your Congressperson to support H.R. 104, a bill by Representative Conyers that would establish such a Commission.

Read Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) policy about stopping torture. The 217th General Assembly (2006) [a large PDF] called for such an investigation and prosecution, if appropriate.

Pray for peace

This week, Spiritual Nurture for Peacemakers includes a prayer for the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering that supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People; a prayer for the people of Gaza; and a prayer of confession lifting up the ways we have mistreated God's creation.

2009 Peacemaking Conference

The 2009 Peacemaking Conference will be part of the Big Tent - June 11-13 in Atlanta.

Register now -- early registration ends March 30.