Swords into Plowshares

Big Tent Registration Extended

The registration deadline for the Peacemaking Pre-conference Gun Violence, Gospel Values:   Mobilizing in Response to God’s Call and Conference Growing Christ’s Peace at the Big Tent is extended to JUNE 15.  Peacemaking registration scholarships funds are still available on a first come, first serve basis through June 15.  Scholarship applicants need to register for the Big Tent while awaiting scholarship approval.  No registration funds will be required, simply select the scholarship option.   Although registration for the children and youth programs is closed, a few spaces are available; parents/guardians can contact the G. A. Meeting Service.   Please register online, or download a registration form to complete and return. Contact the G.A. Meeting Service by email or at (800) 728-7228, 2417 if you have difficulties registering.

The cut–off date for reservations in the Big Tent hotels is JUNE 3.  Rooms may continue to be available after this date, but to ensure access to the conference rates ($99/night at the JW Marriott, $97/night at the Marriott Downtown), reserve lodgings as soon as possible online or by calling (800) 266-9432 and specifying “Presbyterian Church Big Tent” as you speak with a reservations agent.

Blessed are the peacemakers

From across the Presbytery of New York City they came to First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn for the Presbyterian Women's Spring Gathering.

The 2011-2012 Horizons Bible Study, Confessing the Beatitudes by the Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymer, provided the theme and focus for the gathering.

Recognizing that peace is a gift of God, participants explored ways in which we can respond as peacemakers.

The 2011-2012 Bible Study was introduced.

Ryan Smith and Mark Koenig talked about the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations and the ways that Presbyterian Women can become involved. They described the efforts of the United Nations to achieve gender justice and equality, particularly through the UN Women and the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations works with Ecumenical Women to network, educate, and advocate at the CSW.

Annie Rawlings and Sean "Dino" Johnson spoke about the work of Rehabilitation through the Arts (RTA). Founded at Sing Sing in 1996, RTA now works in five New York state prisons, providing innovative programs in theater, dance, creative writing, voice and visual art. RTA uses the creative arts as a tool for transformation behind prison walls. The Web page says "RTA changes lives." Sean Johnson will tell you it saved his.

Annie then talked about Prepare New York is a coalition of New York based interfaith organizations, including Auburn Seminary and its Center for Multifaith Education, Interfaith Center of New York, Intersections International, Odyssey Networks, Quest, and Tanenbaum and its Religion and Diversity Education Program, who have joined together to help create a city-wide climate that promotes healing and reconciliation in anticipation of the tenth anniversary of 9/11.

Rosemary Whaley made a presentation on domestic violence - the dynamics and statistics and ways to address the issues involved. Dana Trexler spoke about the work of Safe Horizon to provide domestic violence shelters.

During closing worship, the Rev. Dr. Flora Wilson Bridges preached about the ministry of reconciliation God entrusts to us. The participants joined in the song Bind Us Together.

As we departed, we each received a stone from the peace meditation table - with the invitation to use the stone to focus our thoughts and prayers on making peace.

 

Celebrate with the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in Jamaica

On Sunday, 22 May 2011, in a worldwide event, churches in every corner of the world are invited to celebrate God’s gift of peace. Those who take part will be together in spirit, song and prayer with the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) in Jamaica, united in the hope of peace.

The suggested text for the Sunday is Ephesians 2, where Christ “who is our peace” makes peace among us and creates “one new humanity”. Reconciled in Christ we are “no longer strangers and aliens” but members of the household of God. Read a Bible meditation on Ephesians 2:14-22 by Elsa Tamez.

Churches and Christians are indeed called to be peacemakers in their communities and in the wider spheres of government, business and the environment.  It is a call to unity – across borders – for the sake of peace.

A song for the day says, “O God replenish your peace in the midst of all your people”. 

As parishes in each time zone gather for worship and prayer on Sunday, 22 May 2011, a wave of praise and prayer for peace will encircle the world. All churches and congregations are invited to use a peace prayer written by the Caribbean hosts of the IEPC in their worship that day.

Available for download:

• A booklet with hymns and prayers (pdf, 2.1 MB)
• A poster for your notice board (pdf, 142 KB)
• Translations of the peace prayer (Arabic, Armenian, Aymara, Chinese, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Kiswahili, Korean, Maohi, Norwegian, Oshiwambo, Portuguese, Romanian, Samoan, Spanish, Swedish)

Words Matter in Lent (and always)

Now available for free download: Lent Bible Studies from Words Matter! Perfect for individual or group use, this guide follows the Lectionary for this year, providing personal reflections and Biblical analysis to provoke deeper insight into the words we use. This Lent, commit to practicing the spiritual discipline of paying attention to the words you and others use. Download your copy today.
 
Please spread the word in your communities and networks!

Advent Devotion - December 25, 2010

Scripture - Isaiah 52:7–10, Psalm 98, Hebrews 1:1–12, and John 1:1–14

Christmas Day! Behold the wonder of this day—a day of anticipations fulfilled! Rejoice and be glad! A Son is born!

The psalmist exclaimed that the Lord will come to judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity, steadfast love, and faithfulness. We rejoice! The Lord has come!

Isaiah heralded the feet of the messenger who announces peace, the good news of the reign of God, the salvation of God to the ends of the earth. We rejoice! The messenger has arrived!

John testified that the life that was to be the light of all people, shining in the darkness, was to come and live among us full of grace and truth. We rejoice! The light has dawned!

The writer of Hebrews proclaimed the coming firstborn son, who would love righteousness and hate wickedness, whose kingdom will be forever. We rejoice! The Son is born!

On this day we come to the holy manger. Like the shepherds and the Magi we would bring our gifts to the one born prince of peace: the gift of faithfulness as we engage in peacemaking with justice; the gift of obedience as we worship and proclaim Christ’s lordship and love; the gift of moral witness as we work for justice, peace, and compassionate world order.

Prayer
We behold the wonder of this day, O Father, the gift of the Christ-child. Judge us with mercy, grant us internal peace, illumine our minds with truth, and grant that we may be called peacemakers, your children. Amen.
 
The Rev. Robert F. Smylie, former director, Presbyterian United Nations Office, retired, Tinton Falls, New Jersey

Order Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace.

Advent Devotion - December 24, 2010

Scripture - Luke 2:1–20

“And on earth peace, goodwill among people.”  Luke 2:14 (NIV)

As a child this phrase from Luke’s version of the Christmas story was one of my favorites. Each time I heard this ancient text read on Christmas Eve, I felt warm and safe in the world, full of goodwill toward others and glad to be alive. I felt part of a world where God doesn’t play favorites and life isn’t a contest between “us” and “them.” I loved the inclusiveness of it, the fact that no one was left out. Today this remains for me the spark of light at the heart of the Christmas story and the good news of Jesus’ teachings. However, as an adult I have also experienced the bad news that when humans feel threatened, we tend to carve the world up into camps of us and them, look for scapegoats, convince ourselves that God is on our side, and demonize the other, justifying all manner of atrocities. Witness the Crusades, the Inquisition, witch trials, slavery, the Holocaust, killing fields, and 9/11, as well as the violent rhetoric that sparks and fuels horrors like these. Jesus himself was a victim of these sparks so readily ignited within us when we feel threatened—as many do today. In such times perhaps the act of peacemaking is mainly about choosing which fires we will feed in ourselves, our communities, and our world.

Prayer
Gracious God, as we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, help us to realize your promise of abundant life for all people, and let us leave no one out as you lead us in your ways of peace and justice. Amen.

Donna Miller (reflection), staff member,
Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, 1987–1999,
The Rev. Philip Woods (prayer), Council for World Mission,
executive secretary for Mission Programme, London, England

Order Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace.

Advent Devotion - December 23, 2010

Scripture - Luke 1:57–66

“‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.”  (Luke 1:66)

Mary and her cousin Elizabeth had miraculous pregnancies. As first-time mothers, both were joyous, though like most parents, they must have also felt anxious about what the future held for their babies. Since God had revealed to each that he had a divine purpose for the child she carried, in a way, it was out of their hands. Both Jesus and John the Baptist were called by God from the womb and faithfully, courageously answered that call.

It’s not always so clear. We may find ourselves still in the process of “becoming,” even well past childhood. Sometimes, God’s call seems to disappear altogether. And in the meantime, “life happens.”

As a child, I had a fear that God wanted me to be a missionary when I grew up. Of course, I had only a simplistic understanding of that vocation. Part of “becoming” and answering God’s call means that it may take a while, especially if part of the time was spent running away from it. Just as with John and Jesus as children, God’s call may lie dormant until the time is right and the child is ready and capable of answering that call. So in this Advent season of expectation, excitement, and perhaps even some trepidation while we wait for Jesus’ birth, be joyful, for the hand of the Lord is still with you; in fact, he awaits you.

Prayer
Dear God, we are your children waiting to become what you envision and desire for us. Thank you for waiting while we prepare ourselves to hear you and to more effectively fulfill your calling. Amen.

Jenny Y. Kim, attorney, Native American rights law,
Oakland, California

Order Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace.

Advent Devotion - December 22, 2010

Scripture - Psalm 17

“Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.” (Psalm 17:1)

When David said those words in the tenth century B.C., he was a man calling out to God and saying to the Almighty that he was delivering his enemies to him.

As a former member of the Peacemaking Advisory Committee I understand how David felt. What do we do when faced with the trouble of the world? We pray. Then we act.

Peace will come to this world through those willing to meet violence with love and to hate the mistreatment of our brothers and sisters. It is not our place to judge those who mistreat others. In the end theirs will be a judgment not of this world.

We cannot, as David is saying, fix all of the wrongful deeds that are taking place around us, but we can comfort those who have been harmed—the victims of those crimes. We can protect the innocent and the children by loving them and by putting ourselves between them and those who would do them harm.

The men and women who are peacemakers have given of their time and strength to reach out, led by Scripture and the love of God. All of them—members of the church, people in our communities—with the support of fellow believers are able to do great works in the name of the Father.

Prayer
Today, let me stand with the many in our Father’s house who are making a difference in our communities and beyond by reaching out through the love of God to the victims, by being a place of refuge, a place of hope. The light of the Father be upon us, and fill us with his word. Amen.

Ansel Woodenknife, Peacemaking Advisory Committee,
class of 1996, Interior, South Dakota

Order Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace.

Advent Devotion - December 20, 2010

Scripture - Luke 1:5–25

When Luke undertook the task of writing “an orderly account” (v. 1) of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, he did not start with the birth of Jesus. Luke started the “Jesus story” with the parents of John the Baptizer: Zechariah and Elizabeth.

We do not get to choose our parents but if we had the chance, many of us would have chosen Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were righteous, blameless, lived according to commandments of the Lord (v. 6), and they were thankful (v. 25).

An angel carrying out God’s decree came to them to announce a monumental mission: their son, who would come to be known as John the Baptizer, was “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (v. 17). There is great meaning packed in those words. Rulers in those days often traveled in areas where there were no roads. Before the ruler went a crew of workers making the rough places smooth enough for the ruler’s chariot. This was to be one of John the Baptizer’s tasks.

The lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth are lives we can emulate and pass on as good to future generations. Like John the Baptizer, we can help prepare the hearts and lives of others so they too can meet Jesus the Christ.

Prayer
O Lord, often our world becomes so occupied that we miss the announcements of angels. In this Advent season, assist us in opening our hearts so we hear and then live lives that can be a witness to others as they prepare to greet the Savior. Through Jesus Christ, the One who came and is coming. Amen.

The Rev. James Foster Reese,
Presbyterian Foundation, Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Order Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace.

Advent Devotion - December 19, 2010

Scripture - Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19

Do you ever feel like it is hard to get God’s attention? Or difficult to figure out where God is? It was hard for the people reflected in Psalm 80 as well. Here they are, probably in exile, feeling like God has turned away from them and they can’t get God’s attention.

I was raised in the Deep South, where politeness was next to godliness and trumped everything else. So I am usually a bit shocked at how Israelites say things to God like “wake up,” or “listen to me!” But I find their direct approach liberating. In Psalm 80:1–2 they say, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel. . . . Stir up your might [like “wake up”] and come to save us!” Desperate to get God’s attention, they feel like they haven’t been listened to lately. But unlike most of us, they do this not because they need to tell God what to do next, but because they believe that their deliverance depends on God restoring them. They realize that deliverance will come not through alliances and military might, but through a God who keeps promises.

What if we got honest with God about our despair and our hopes and then just waited and listened? Do we have the patience for this?

Prayer
Loving Creator, we are (share your thoughts and feelings, then listen in silence before continuing aloud). Restore us, O Lord. Let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Amen.

Elder Ervin Bullock, staff member,
Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, 1989–2009,
Ocala, Florida

Order Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace.