Swords into Plowshares

Have you done your Thanksgiving shopping?

Give your friends a copy of Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace, a daily devotional booklet for Advent 2009. It makes a lovely Thanksgiving present!

Peacemakers across the country and around God's world contributed to the booklet.

Use Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace in your personal devotions. Share copies with family and friends including those who homebound, in nursing homes, serving in the military or away at school.

Produced by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace costs $.40 a copy.

Pass copies around with the turkey and your family and friends can start using the devotional when Advent begins on November 29.

Plan for World AIDS Day - December 1, 2009

World AIDS Day, December 1, is the one day of the year when individuals, churches and organizations from around the world come together to remember that all our lives are touched by AIDS, especially those living with HIV and AIDS. It is the one day in the year where issues surrounding HIV and AIDS can take center stage. Responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a task for peacemakers. [pdf]

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) encourages congregations to make the most of World AIDS Day 2009 by engaging in some form of worship, event or advocacy effort focused on HIV and AIDS. Learn how you can get involved.

A prayer for Veterans Day

Righteous God, you rule the nations.
Guard brave men and women
who risk themselves in battle for their country.
Give them compassion for enemies
who also fight for patriotic causes.
Keep our sons and daughters from hate that hardens,
or from scorekeeping with human lives.
Though they must be at war,
let them live in peace,
as eager for agreements as for victory.
Encourage them as they encourage one another,
and never let hard duty separate them
from loyalty to your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Book of Common Worship, © 1993 by Westminster/John Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky, [733], p. 818.

Share your prayer for peace

Email your prayer for peace!

Valley Presbyterian Church of Portola Valley. CA is creating a beautiful “Peace on Earth” banner that proclaims hope for peace in English, Arabic, and Hebrew. When complete, at the end of November, the banner will be hung so that it is visible from Portola Road.

All are invited to be part of this living art “peace on earth” project! Until Nov. 22nd, you have an opportunity to write, draw, paint  or email your prayers for peace. These prayers will then be joined with all other prayers, and will be attached to the banner.

The banner will be hung and displayed on Sunday, Nov. 29th, the first Sunday in Advent.

Email your prayers for peace. Valley Presbyterian Church would love to have prayers from around the world, so invite your friends to write in! Several church artists will download the prayers and attach them artistically to the banner. Pictures of the progress are promised, so check back!

Vote on health care reform

Pray for wisdom, vision, and courage for the members of the House of Representatives as they vote today on health care reform.

Fort Hood Shooting

As our prayers continue for all impacted by and affected by the shooting at Fort Hood:

the senior Presbyterian military chaplain has addressed the event and

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has responded.

Remembering military chaplains

On Veterans Day, November 11, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Office of Vocation invites us to remember those Presbyterians who serve as military chaplains. Remember in prayer those who are called to embody the hope of Jesus Christ in some of the world’s most perilous places.

Pause to say a prayer . . .

. . . for those slain and wounded at Fort Hood, those who love them, those impacted by and affected by this shooting . . . and for all victims of gun violence.

Pray for peace

This week, Spiritual Nurture for Peacemakers features a prayer for peace based on Psalm 122, a prayer for farm workers, and a prayer for the time of an election. November 1 is Christian and Citizen Sunday in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

These prayers may be used in individual devotions or in corporate worship.

Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace

Peacemakers from across the United States and around God's world contributed to Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace, a daily devotional booklet for Advent 2009.

Using lectionary texts, the writers reflect on God's gift of peace and explore what it ways to live as peacemakers following Jesus during the Advent season and throughout the year.

Use Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace in your personal devotions. Share copies with family and friends including those who homebound, in nursing homes, serving in the military or away at school.

Produced by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace costs $.40 a copy.

Advent begins this year on November 29.