Swords into Plowshares

Which piece of peace?

by Karen Maurer

Which piece of peace will you work on?  Thirty years ago, the Presbyterian Church identified peacemaking as the believers' calling, emphasizing the connection between peace and justice.  In August of 2010 at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico we held a seminar: "Peacemaking - Still the Believer's Calling".  In July, First Presbyterian Church of Homewood, Illinois held its VBS, "Shalom: a Believer's Calling", drawing 50 participants from seven area churches.

September 21 has been identified as an International Day of Peace, and on World Communion Sunday Presbyterians will receive the peacemaking offering, a quarter of which will remain in our community.  Peace has many "pieces";  which piece will you be working on as we approach these special days?

Will you speak up / speak out to a friend, family member, neighbor, co-worker?  Speak up / speak out to an elected leader?  Speak up / speak out through our denomination's Peacemaking Office or other peace and justice organization?  Give time or money as a way of speaking?  And which piece of peace will you speak about?

*promoting peaceful conflict resolution, from families to nations *opposing war as unhealthy for children and other living things *resolving to walk lightly on God's earth as caregivers of creation *opposing conscription of children into military service *speaking truth to power on behalf of any oppressed group *respecting differences of opinion, belief, race, culture or gender

So which piece of peace will you work on Tuesday?

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Here are some ideas for ways to observe the International Day of Peace.

At the 2010 Peacemaking Seminar worship, led by Regi Braga, included an opportunity to make peace by breaking down walls. Photo by David Young.

My resources and slides from Presbyterian Peacemaking Seminar

Bruce Reyes-Chow made a presentation on Social Media for Social Movements at the 2010 Peacemaking Seminar sponsored by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program. He has posted on his blog about the presentation. He writes:

A few weeks ago I attended a small but mighty gathering of Presbyterian Peacemakers on the campus of Ghost Ranch Conference Center in Abiquiu, NM.  Filled with some wonderful worship and moving content, this is one of the gems of my denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA).

The post includes the slides from his presentation as well as links to a number of related materials of potential interest.

Capturing memory through the spoken word

At the 2010 Peacemaking Seminar, Vanessa Hawkins made a presentation on oral history as a way of capturing and sharing stories of making peace and seeking justice. Download Oral History Workshop

She noted that, to understand another person truly, one must hear his or her story. Oral history is a form of storytelling. The art of capturing oral history is important because it allows a person to speak to his or her participation in life in his or her own words. Using memories and spoken words, historical events come alive. Oral history also provides the opportunity to begin to understand the perspectives of others and to hear the stories of communities that have been marginalized and silenced. It offers a way in which a person’s account can be used to place historical events in context.

Her presentation included the use of a video, Black Presbyterians: The Legacy Series. This video, which she helped produce, features Black Presbyterians telling the stories of their faithful witness to Jesus Christ during the Civil Rights movement and how they worked to shape the consciousness of the Presbyterian denominations.

For her presentation, Vanessa drew on Recording Oral History:  A Guide for the Humanities and Social Sciences by Valerie Raleigh Yow.  

She recommends the following Web sites for further information:

Baylor University Institute of Oral History

Oral History Association

OHA Wiki

The photo of Vanessa Hawkins is by David Young.

Knitting together for peace

A knitting lounge was among the opportunities for participants in the 2010 Presbyterian Peacemaking Seminars.

Long-time knitters and novices worked on hats and scarves for the Abiquiu Boys and Girls Club. A number of hats and scarves were completed and dedicated during the closing worship service. More are needed.

Even if you did not attend the seminar, you can take part in this project. Knit scarves and hats and send them to: Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202 by October 15, 2010. Items received will be delivered to the Abiquiu Boys and Girls Club for use during the cold New Mexico desert winter.

For more information, contact Dayna Oliver.

Knit together

The Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymer, Associate Professor of New Testament at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, preached the closing sermon at the 2010 Presbyterian Peacemaking Seminar. Bethany Furkin of the Presbyterian News service writes about the sermon at Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - News & Announcements - ‘Knit together’.

The story begins:

When it comes to translations, much depends on the choices of the translator, said the Rev. Margaret Aymer.

She was speaking at the Peacemaking Seminar, held at New Mexico's Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center Aug. 25-28. During the conference, participants studied Ephesians 4: 1-16 in small groups. Aymer focused on one verse from the passage, which states "But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from who the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love." (Eph 4: 15-16)

Aymer focused on the phrase "knit together," noting that it is strange for Greeks to have thought in the context of knitting. Why not "joined," "tied" or "woven"? Why "knit"?

While it might have been strange for Greeks, it was fitting for the participants in the seminar. They explored using a variety of art media to tell peacemaking stories and to engage in peacemaking - including knitting.

Noting that knitting is not a common Greek word, Dr. Aymer noted that knitting is a contextual word that describes the reality of the body of Christ and shapes our ministries as peacemakers.

"We're not called to uniformity. We are called to be linked into the body," she said. "We are called to hold on to one another."

Noting that every generation must translate for its context, she suggested that a future translation of the Ephesians passage might use, instead of "knitting," the word "networking" to express what it means to be ligaments in Christ's body.

On Thursday morning, Dr. Aymer, presented the model of Contextual Bible Study, which has been developed at the Ujamaa Centre for Biblical and Theological Community Development and Research, in the School of Religion and Theology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. After her presentation, participants had the opportunity to practice the study model.

The photo is by David Young and shows the Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymer leading a debriefing of the Contextual Bible Study experience.

O for a thousand tongues to sing . . .

A choir highlighted the Saturday evening worship service at the 2010 Presbyterian Peacemaking Seminar. Thanks to director Corey Nelson and all who sang! Thanks to David Barnhart for taking the video.

Remember your baptism

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - News & Announcements - Remember your baptism:

Bethany Furkin wrote this article about the opening worship service at the 2010 Presbyterian Peacemaking Seminar sponsored by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program. David Gambrell's sermon included the observation:

Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry (Luke 3:23). At the 30th anniversary of the Peacemaking Program, Gambrell reminded peacemakers that they've only just begun and still have much to do.

He encouraged peacemakers to remember our baptism and God's call to seek peace and justice in the name of Jesus Christ. The service included a renewal of baptism and a commissioning to serve.

The photo is by David Young.

Thanks

Thanks to all who helped make the 2010 Presbyterian Peacemaking Seminar a time of grace, blessing, and growth: the planning team, the leadership team, the participants, the Ghost Ranch staff, and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program staff.

Worship on the mesa, photo by David Young.

Pictures from Wednesday, August 25

Participants gather for opening worship at the 2010 Peacemaking Seminar. Check out other pictures by David Young that show events from Wednesday, August 25.

I pray for peace . . . ribbons from Triennium

 
Wondering what happened to the Peace Prayer Wall from the Time Zone at the 2010 Presbyterian Youth Triennium?

Strands from the prayer wall decorated the worship space and one of the small group meeting rooms for the 2010 Peacemaking Seminar.

As participants gathered, they were surrounded by prayers for peace for people and concerns in the United States and around God's world (and for God's world itself).

At Triennium, the Office of Child Advocacy, the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program invited participants to write prayers for peace on ribbons which were then tied into a prayer wall.