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.

Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs Webinar!

Budget Debates 102*:
Debt Ceiling, Spending Caps and Program Cuts
Why you should care & what you can do about it

May 26
12:00-1:00 Eastern
Contact [email protected] to register

Debt limit!  Triggers!  Spending caps! What does it all mean for your community?  For children?  Older adults?  People living with hunger or homelessness?  How can you protect vulnerable people from cuts to important services?
 
The budget debates in Congress pose some of the biggest threats to poor and hungry people that we have seen in decades.  Find out what they are and how they would make state and local budget cuts even worse.  Cut through the rhetoric and learn the simple truth about our budget, debt and deficits.  Learn how to respond and take action.
 
The Senate will be coming home for recess May 30-Jun 5.  Call their offices and set up meetings now!  Here’s how: http://fcnl.org/resources/toolkit/schedule_lobby_visit/ Our webinar will provide talking points for meetings and other actions.
 
*This webinar will not assume prior knowledge.  We’ll start from a beginner’s level.  However, for Budget Debates 101, you can review our last webinar and resources at http://www.ncjw.org/dhnbudget/.

UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food begins new term

Prof. Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food said,  “The right to food movement is composite, and it speaks different languages -- but it is emerging as a major voice in public debates about the direction in which our food systems should move.”

On May 1, Prof. De Shutter began his second three year term as the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food.  In his statement, De Shutter acknowledges the historical significance of hunger during his first term, including the first time in that more than 1 billion people were food insecure. 

As he begins his second term, the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations with the Presbyterian Hunger Program continue to work with congregations and partners around the globe to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes. 

To view the rest of Prof. De Shutter’s statement, please click here.

 

Thursday night in Queens

"You have the coolest job."

That was one of the closing comments to my time at the First Presbyterian Church in Whitestone. Pastor Andy James had invited me to visit during Lent and share about the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.

That particular visit had to be rescheduled and last night was the night. It started with a great dinner at the SriPraPhai Thai Restaurant. A short driving tour of Queens followed and then we arrived at the church.

The members listened intently as I shared about the call of Jesus to engage not only in a personal faith and a faith that we live in the community of the faithful but a public faith - where we live our faith in our common life - the public arena - the global neighborhood.

The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations helps individuals and congregations live such a public faith.

We equip Presbyterians for global discipleship through:

• opportunities to preach and teach and visit
• creating prayers for special days and for situations in need of peace and justice around the world
• promoting concrete expressions of discipleship such as the Red Hand campaign, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, the Tap Project
• providing seminars to Presbyterian groups
• hosting the Presbyterian delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women
• partnering with Columbia Theological Seminary for a Doctor of Ministry course every other year

We advocate for peace and justice based on the positions of the General Assembly by:

• building relations with UN programs and missions of member states
• participating in working groups with faith-based and other nongovernmental organizations
• arranging for Presbyterian mission co-workers and mission partners to meet with representatives of UN programs and member states
• contacting missions of member states
• working with Ecumenical Women to influence the Commission on the Status of Women

When I finished, we engaged in a good discussion. The folks at First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone are planning to create Red Hands (to call for an end to the use of children as soldiers) with their Vacation Bible School.

And then one of the members made the observation: "You have the coolest job!" Thanks be to God and to the Presbyerian Church (U.S.A.) and to those who provide financial support for the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations - I do.

Prayer for peace - Sunday 22 May 2011

 The World Sunday for Peace is part of the WCC's International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) which will take place 17 -25 May in Kingston, Jamaica and marks the culmination of the “Decade to Overcome Violence: Churches Seeking Reconciliation and Peace”. Here is a prayer that congregations, communities and individuals are encouraged to use:

Prayer for peace - Sunday 22 May 2011

God of peace and possibility, Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier:
We approach you to ask once again for your mercy, forgiveness and a fresh start.
We ask you to help us give peace a chance, in this world.
We want to give peace a chance, yet we have already missed so many opportunities.
We have sabotaged so many initiatives; instead of overcoming evil with good,
we have stood by while good was overpowered.
Forgive us, Lord.

Dona nobis pacem: Give us peace, we pray.

Just as we claim your forgiveness, we also claim this moment in the name of peace.
We accept anew our responsibility as peacemakers and creators of justice.
We give thanks for the Decade to Overcome Violence, for its work in raising our awareness and our yearning for peace. And yet, we admit that there is much more required if we are truly to give peace a chance.

Dona nobis pacem: Give us peace, we pray.

By the moving of your Spirit, commit our hearts and minds to peace, and help us dedicate our lives to becoming the starting-points of peace. “Let this be the moment, now.”
Help us cooperate with you, giving peace a chance, creating a world where peace may be our ethos and our essence.
Give us peace, we pray. Grant us wisdom and courage to seize the initiative: wisdom to discern the things that make for peace, and courage to be faithful and obedient to you.

Dona nobis pacem: Give us peace, we pray.

God of peace and possibility, make us instruments of your peace
at the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation and in all places
so that we may fulfill your will, and so that we may give peace a chance.
In the name of the Prince of  Peace, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
Amen.
 
Prayer from the Caribbean

Download the prayer in other languages:

Arabic: صلاة من أجل السلام

Armenian: Աղոթք խաղաղության

Aymara (Bolivia): Diosar mayiña sumañkañataki

Chinese: 世界和平祷文

Danish: Bøn for fred

English: Prayer for peace

Finnish: Rauhanrukous

French: Prière pour la Paix

German: Gebet für den Frieden

Greek: Προσευχή για την ειρήνη

Italian: Preghiera per la pace

Kiswahili: Maombi ya Amani

Korean: 평화를 위한 기도

Maohi: Pure no te Hau

Norwegian: Bønn om fred

Oshiwambo (Angola/Namibia): Eindilo omolwombili

Portuguese: Oração pela paz

Romanian: Rugăciune pentru pace

Samoan: O le tatalo mo le filemu

Spanish: Oración por la paz

Swedish: Bön för freden

Trees and Tweets for Peace

World Sunday for Peace - May 22

As the sun rises on Sunday 22 May Christians and churches across the world are being encouraged by the World Council of Churches (WCC) to celebrate God’s peace in their worship services, to hold a Peace Sunday dawn vigil, to plant a tree as an act of peace or to use social media to share prayers for peace with Christians around the world.

"Each tree will become the lasting symbol of our united efforts to bring the peace of Christ to our suffering world" says the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, the WCC general secretary. "We hope that people will feel inspired to use social media like Twitter or Facebook to share pictures, peace prayers and hopes for a just peace in their own language."

The World Sunday for Peace is part of the WCC's International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) which will take place 17 -25 May in Kingston, Jamaica and marks the culmination of the “Decade to Overcome Violence: Churches Seeking Reconciliation and Peace”.

Over a thousand people from around the world will be meeting in Kingston to celebrate the promise of a just peace. Churches in the Caribbean have prepared a prayer for peace for churches throughout the world to use on the Sunday for Peace.

Hymns, texts and ideas that congregations can use to prepare for their celebration of the peace Sunday are available.

"It can be quite a challenge to write a prayer in just 140 keystrokes on Twitter, but such small steps are part of our journey to building a just peace," said Tveit. "It's our hope that the worldwide prayer for peace on 22 May will help build bridges of just peace."

As the sun rises over the world on 22 May, keep the WCC updated about how your church is praying and acting for peace with justice, write your prayers for peace and share photos of your vigil and tree planting:
 
On Twitter use the hash tags #IEPC #Sunday4peace #Justpeace and #WCC.

Northminster Presbyterian Church puts mission into practice

The Northminster Presbyterian Church visited the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations on Saturday, April 16.

The group had the opportunity to tie mission into advocacy practice.  The group from Northminster had spent days doing mission work close to New York City, including some hands on work like painting.

The use of paint took another form of mission when the group completed participated in making Red Hands for the Red Hand’s Campaign to end the use of child soldiers.

The group also had the opportunity to learn about Presbyterian Mission partners in different countries and educate each other about the work of Presbyterians around the world and far off places.

Later in the day, the group visited the United Nations headquarters and spent some time in the United Nations meditation room. 

Contact the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations to schedule a seminar.

Your gifts make possible the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.

 

Zonta Club New York Talks about Human Trafficking

April is the National Sexual Assault Awareness month.  As part of this year's celebration, I had the opportunity to speak with the New York Chapter of Zonta International.  The goal of Zonta is to improve the lives of women by the following objectives:

• To improve the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women at the global and local level through service and advocacy.
• To work for the advancement of understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of executives in business and the professions.
• To promote justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• To be united internationally to foster high ethical standards, to implement service programs, and to provide mutual support and fellowship for members who serve their communities, their nations, and the world.

The Zonta Chapter of New York invited me to speak to the issue of human trafficking and how the local Zonta Club could become active on the topic.  The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been involved with campaigns to stop the spread of human trafficking for many years. 

In my presentation, we spoke about the different types of human trafficking, including:

• Forced labor
• Sex trafficking
• Bonded labor
• Debt bondage among migrant laborers
• Involuntary domestic servitude
• Forced child labor
• Child soldiers
• Child sex trafficking

There are many ways that groups and individuals can get involved to stop human trafficking.  You can:

• Support federal legislation like S. 596, the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2011 and ask your Senators to co-sponsor the legislation.
• Ask businesses to sign onto “the Code,” an agreement by businesses to increase the protection of children from sex tourism. 
• Individuals can also ask their local grocers to take action to ensure the produce sold in their store is from a just work environment. 
• Support the Red Hands Campaign, a campaign with the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, the Child Advocacy Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program to eliminate the use of child soldiers around the world. 

If you are interested in finding out how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is involved in human trafficking, please visit our webpage.

 

Skyping the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations

This evening brought a milestone on my technological journey.

I had Skyped before . . . in fact there were several Skype conversations today alone. But at about 8:20 Eastern time, as had been carefully prearranged, my Skype came to life. It was the Rev. Jerrod Lowry and the good folk of Community of Grace Presbyterian Church in Sandy, Utah. A group of about twenty had gathered for a meal (an invitation was made to share the food, but that is a little hard to do in the virutal world) and a Lenten program.

On the Lenten journey, the congregation is expanding their concept of sin to include failure to understand and address justice issues. They have looked at domestic violence with the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, HIV/AIDS with the Utah AIDS Foundation, and the exploitation of children with Martha Bettis Gee.

Tonight, they invited me to speak on international issues and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s engagement with the United Nations.

We started with some theology - pondering the question of why Reformed Christians are engaged in the public arena and the global neighborhood.

We did some history - reflecting on the creation of the United Nations and the relationship of Presbyterians to the United Nations.

We looked at the current work of the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations - equipping Presbyterians for global discipleship following Jesus and advocating for the policies of our General Assembly within the United Nations Community.

Then we considered some of the current situations around which the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations is engaged:

• Colombia
• Sudan
• Child Soldiers
• Cote d'Ivoire
• Madagascar
• Israel and Palestine
• Haiti
• Religious freedom
• Women's rights
• Japan
• Democratic Republic of Congo

Questions and answers followed. Two of them were:

Q1: How can we support the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations?

  A1.1: Pray for the staff members of the ministry and our colleagues in other Compassion, Peace and Justice ministries, for the nations of the world, for those who serve in the United Nations. Community of Grace had prayed with the people of Sudan during the days before the referendum on self-determination for Southern Sudan. The people of the Community of Grace know the power of prayer.

A1.2: Observe the International Day of Peace (September 21) and United Nations Day (October 24)

A1.3: Read our blog and follow us on Facebook.

A1.4: Engage in concrete expressions of global discipleship: the Red Hands Campaign, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, and the Tap Project. Watch for more such campaigns to come.

A1.5: Make a financial gift to support the ministry.

Q2: Would you come and preach?

A2: Yes and no. I will come and preach but only if you find some other things for me to do.

It was a fun evening! I am honored to have the opportunity to have been part of the Community of Grace's Lenten journey. I am grateful for the prayers that closed our time together.

I hope they invite me to preach! And I hope others (maybe you) invite me to join you through this marvel of technology.

Blessings during this season of Lent.

Lord, What a Parade! - new hymn for Palm Sunday

Lord, What a Parade!
LYONS 10.10.11.11 (“O Worship the King, All Glorious Above”)
 
Lord, what a parade!  The crowd quickly grew;
What noise they all made in welcoming you.
“Hosanna!” they shouted.  “It’s David’s own son!
Hosanna!  Come save us!  God’s reign has begun!”
 
They welcomed you in, a conquering king,
Yet what kind of reign would you really bring?
It wasn’t a war horse you rode on that day;
A creature of peace carried you on your way.
 
Did those in that crowd expect something more
Than one who reached out in love to the poor?
Did they think a savior with armies was best,
Or did they remember: the peaceful are blessed?
 
Lord Jesus, it’s true--we give you glad praise,
Yet living for you will challenge our ways.
So may we be open and welcome your reign.
Hosanna!  Come save us!  Renew us again!
 
Biblical reference: Matthew 21:1-11
Tune:  attr. Johann Michael Haydn, (1737-1806)
Text:  Copyright © 2011 Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.  All rights reserved.
Email:  bcgi[email protected]  Web site:  www.carolynshymns.com

Download Lord, What a Parade!
 
Hymn Use Permission: Churches that support Presbyterian Peacemaking Program have copyright permission to use “Lord, What a Parade!”  The Presbyterian Outlook has made this new hymn available with the music as a downloadable file.
 
Carolyn Winfrey Gillette is the author of Songs of Grace: New Hymns for God and Neighbor (Discipleship Resources/Upper Room Books, 2009) and Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today’s Worship (Geneva Press, 2000) and the co-pastor of Limestone Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Find a complete list of the 180+ hymns by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, many with peace and justice themes.